2026 Room Tax Grant Application
Key Dates & Deadlines
June 1, 2026: Applications open.
June 25, 2026: Free webinar about grant application process. See below for recording.
September 25, 2026: Application deadline. All applications must be postmarked by this date.
January 2027: Grants recipients contacted and contracts sent out. Please return your contract to receive your check.
January 30, 2028: Final grant reports due.
About the Room Tax Grant
As the designated agency responsible for ensuring that Hotel Room Tax money collected in Sullivan and Wyoming counties is used for the purpose of tourism development, the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau has developed the Room Tax Grant Program. Thirty percent of all Hotel Room Tax is set aside for distribution through the Grant Program in each county.
Please note: The Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau will review applications as part of a pre-application process to ensure it meets all the grant requirements. Qualifying applications will then be passed on to their respective county for approval and may require additional information to be submitted.
Grant Categories:
- Special Event or Exhibit – must :
- Be open to the public.
- Promote tourism in the county.
- Be advertised outside a fifty-mile radius
- Marketing and Promotional Projects – must :
- Demonstrate that the project directly correlates to increasing tourism within the region.
- Target promotion beyond a 50-mile radius.
- Historical Preservation Project – must:
- Be used to improve, restore or preserve existing historical sites/buildings that are considered to be of value to the area’s culture, history and sense of identity.
- Be an existing or potential tourist draw and will add to the existing tourism attractions within the area.
- Not be a capital improvement project – i.e., sidewalks, sewers, etc.
- Not be a private residence or business.
- Wayfinding Aides –
- Consideration will be given to groups proposing to develop maps, signage or other tools which would be of assistance to visitors to the area.
General Conditions
- An organization must:
- Be a bona fide, officially recognized not-for-profit organization (501C-3 or 501C-6) or a branch of local or county government.
- Have at least one year of audited financial reports.
- Have a proven positive record of advertising to bring patrons and audience members from beyond a 50-mile radius.
- All grants must have a 25% cash or in-kind match.
- Grant funds will not be provided for sectarian religious expenses.
- Grant funds will not be awarded for food or refreshments, travel, entertainment or operational expenses (payroll, insurance, travel and utilities).
- Grant funds may be used to match federal and state funds, but are not considered private donations. They can only be used to match grants that are being used for projects that will directly impact tourism within the region.
- All publicity and promotional campaigns undertaken with grant funds must include the following:
- Funded in part by the (county name) County Room Tax Fund and the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau.
- Award recipient organization must provide a direct link from its respective website to the Endless Mountains website – www.endlessmountains.org
Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau, 5405 SR 6, Tunkhannock, PA 18657. Phone 570-836-5431 or jill@endlessmountains.org