TOMPKINS COUNTY, N.Y. (WENY) -- On Wednesday, the Tompkins County Legislature announced it approved $349,000 in tourism program grants to support local events, organizations and projects.

The grants were awarded to different organizations to help pay for events or projects across the county. The three categories of tourism grants were the Community Celebrations Grants, Tourism Advancement Grants and Tourism Capital Grants.

"These grants are an investment in our community's most valuable assets: our culture, our history, and our natural beauty," said Chair of the County's Strategic Tourism Planning Board, Brett Bossard in a written statement.

Grant awards totaling $10,875 were made to support seven organizations in the Community Celebrations category. The Community Celebrations grants helps support local events that convey the "unique culture and history of Tompkins County. Their mission is to enhance the quality of life for residents, improve understanding of local culture, and foster community identity and involvement in ways that are informative, educational, and just plain fun."

Event Name:

Ithaca Read Toni Morrison (Calvary Baptist Church) - Nov. 3 through Dec. 17
Kwanzaa 2023 (Southside Community Center) - Dec. 28
Festival of Fire and Ice (Ithaca Children's Garden) - Feb. 3, 2024
Enfield Cabin Fever - Feb. 24, 2024
Groton Cabin Fever - Mar. 2, 2024
Soul Festival (GIAC) - Sept. 16, 2024
Homestead Heritage Fair (Dryden Town Historical Society) - Sept. 28th, 2024

Grant awards totaling $48,675 were made to support five organizations in the Tourism Advancement category. "Tourism Advancement grants support projects and marketing campaigns that attract visitors to Tompkins County."

Proposals funded during the Fall 2023 grant cycle:

Creating Your Own Barn Quilt (Brooktondale Community Center) - Jan. 13 through Oct. 19, 2024
Mollusks Temporary Exhibit (PRI, Museum of the Earth) - Mar. 15, 2024 through Jan. 30, 2025
Ithaca Festival 2024 - May 30 through June 2, 2024
Juneteenth 2024 - (Southside Community Center) June 15, 2024
Ithaca Shakespeare Festival - July 18 through July 28, 2024

Grant awards totaling $291,200 were made to six organizations through the Tourism Capital grant program. The Tourism Capital grant program is administered in partnership with Ithaca Area Economic Development. "Tourism Capital grants support major investments in visitor generating projects. Two of the approved projects are for feasibility studies and four are for capital investments."

Projects funded in the 2023 grant cycle include:

Friends of the Ithaca Farmers Market - Ithaca Farmers Market Site and Access Improvements
Cycle-CNY - Ithaca Mountain Bike Skills Park (study)
Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc. - Feasibility Study to make Taughannock Overlook Visitor Center operational year-round
Seventh Art Corporation - Cinemapolis Space Purchase Down Payment
Sciencenter - Science Park Reimagined: Capital Project
State Theater of Ithaca, Inc. - State Theater Concessions Design and Equipment

The Tompkins County Tourism Program grants are funded from the Hotel Room Occupancy Tax.