Announcements & Highlights

The Dauphin County Commissioners recently awarded over $2.3 million in tourism industry grants to nearly 80 programs, projects and associations that will attract visitors to the area.

Commissioners Mike Pries, Chad Saylor, and George P. Hartwick, III approved funding to 77 awardees under the Dauphin County Tourism Grant Program.

The grant awards ranged from $500 to $1 million, with distribution to projects that promote community, diversity, education, and sustainability in the region.

“This is a great list full of programs and projects that preserve Dauphin County’s vibrancy,” Commissioner Chair Pries said. “We have great expectations that this funding will make Dauphin County even more attractive as both a travel destination and place to raise a family.”

The commissioners unanimously approved of the recipients at a recent public meeting.

“We stretch these dollars as far as we can to reach as many deserving projects as possible, while still providing impactful sums to recipients,” Commissioner Saylor said.

Applications were due March 1.

“Our goal was to be as inclusive as possible with these grants, and we achieved that,” Commissioner Hartwick said. “Sports programs, concert and entertainment events, historical groups, cultural celebrations – these initiatives will reach a lot of people and families.”

Visit Hershey & Harrisburg received a $1 million award for initiatives and efforts to attract visitors to the region.

“As families, couples, and businesses return to travel in greater numbers, the tourism grant plays a critical role in our ability as Dauphin County’s official Destination Marketing Organization to promote the region’s diverse tourism assets and to position Dauphin County as the best place to stay, play, meet, and explore,” Mary Smith, VHH President/CEO said.

Dauphin County Library System received a $75,000 award for the “Your Place to Belong” project.

“The commissioners’ ongoing support for the expansion of Harrisburg’s McCormick Riverfront Library has been crucial to the “Your Place to Belong” project’s success,’’ DCLS Executive Director Karen Cullings said. “When finished later this year, visitors will see an expanded children’s area, more public computers, and even a stage where The Pennsylvania Past Players will bring historical figures to life.”

(More information on the project is at www.DCLS.org.)

The complete list of recipients:

• American Literacy Corporation - $10,000 (7th Annual Central PA Writers and Illustrators Summer Camp)
• Big 33 - $100,000 (Big 33 expenses (players, coaches, cheerleaders, buddies, facilities, operations)
• Borough of Steelton - $20,000 (Steelton Fest)
• Brothers & Sisters Making a Difference - $4,500 (BMD Summer league)
• Camp Hebron - $14,000 (marketing/gravel, shower/bath trailer)
• Capital Area Girls on the Run - $2,000 (afterschool program/5k event)
• Capital Area Selects - $7,500 (opportunities through baseball participation)
• Central PA Figure Skating Club - $7,000 (RSI competition fees)
• Central PA Friends of Jazz - $5,000 (Jazz Walk and concert series)
• Central PA Youth Ballet - $20,000 (The Nutcracker Performance)
• Civic Club of Harrisburg - $20,000 (Women’s History Garden)
• Courtyard of Honor, Inc. - $25,000 (permanent memorial located downtown Hershey)
• Courtyard of Honor, Inc. - $5,000 (project “On the Rocks”)
• CREDC - $75,000 (tourism related business)
• Cyrene Lodge #169 - $5,000 (PA State Association IPOEW 97th Annual Convention)
• Dauphin County EDC - $40,000 (Cultural Fest)
• Dauphin County Library System - $75,000 (Your Place to Belong Project)
• Dauphin County System of Care Community Partners - $7,000 (Neighboring Festival)
• Driven From Within - $3,000 (semi-pro basketball showcase/2023 male summit)
• Eastern PA Hockey - $10,000 (Troopers Helping Troopers Tournament)
• Fit4ever365 - $2,500 (professional boxing at Zembo)
• Friends of Fort Halifax Park Inc. - $2,000 (Colonial Fort Halifax Festival)
• Friends of the PA Farm Show Foundation - $10,000 (207th PA Farm Show 2023)
• Handles Entertainment - $10,000 (Weekend Wednesdays)
• Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society - $10,000 (enhancements, printing and marketing, Veterans Cruise support)
• Harrisburg Area YMCA East Shore Branch - $2,000 (Harrisburg Marathon)
• Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District - $2,000 (seasonal banners)
• Harrisburg Rugby Football Club - $2,500 (floodlighting at Sunset Park)
• Harrisburg Young Professionals - $5,000 (2022 Beautification Project)
• Harrisburg University - $30,000 (Riverfront Park Concert Special Project Series)
• Hershey Figure Skating Club - $3,500 (summer competition)
• Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country - $50,000 (social media campaign expenses)
• Hershey History Center - $10,000 (tourism enhancement program and Beautification project)
• High School Sports Live - $40,000 (high school sports live)
• Historical Society of Dauphin County - $10,000 (restoration project)
• Hummelstown Area Historical Society - $5,000 (creation of video vignettes)
• Invica LLC - $5,000 (talk show event)
• Juneteenth Celebration - $10,000 (partnership between Dauphin County, City of Harrisburg, and UPMC)
• JAB Promotions - $3,378 (professional boxing event expenses)
• Keystone Human Services - $12,000 (furnishing & equipment for new training room)
• Lower Paxton Community Foundation - $1,500 (4th Annual Christkindlemarket)
• Market Square Concerts - $2,500 (nine concert series)
• Metro’s of Tomorrow Youth Barber Academy - $2,000 (provide children with educational opportunity to learn about barbering)
• Middletown Area Historical Society of Dauphin County – $1,000 (annual craft fair)

• Millersburg Borough - $1,500 (2022 fireworks)
• Millersburg Borough - $1,500 (public movie screening in MYO Park)
• Millersburg Borough - $500 (brochure project)
• Millersburg Ferry Boat Association - $5,000 (enhance marketing)
• MOSELF - $5,000 (urban baseball program)
• Motorama Productions, Inc. - $20,000 (show expenses)
• PA Football - $7,000 (awards programs)
• Narcisse Theatre Company - $2,500 (Italian Lake Free Theatre Series)
• Ned Smith Center for Nature & Art - $2,000 (the Ned Smith Festival)
• NRA - $100,000 (Great American Outdoor Show)
• Open Stage of Harrisburg - $20,000 (Visibility Project)
• PA National Horse Show Foundation - $100,000 (show expenses)
• Platinum Smoke, LLC - $15,000 (upscale cigar and bourbon event)
• Robert M. Jackson Veterans Center, Inc. - $20,000 (Gospel Fest/Jazz Under the Stars Concert)
• Senators Partners LLC d/b/a Harrisburg Senators - $75,000 (marketing & promotional plan, 2022)
• Shades of Greatness Inc. - $10,000 (3-day event local sports celebrities)
• State YMCA of PA Inc. - $5,000 (Annual PA Youth and Government Model Legislative & Judicial Convention)
• Sweet Ride Transportation, Inc. - $20,000 (marketing/advertising, labor/operating)
• The Cave Anti-Bullying Foundation - $10,000 (several tournaments to raise funds for program)
• The Coexist Gallery - $2,000 (Steelton Cannabis Health Expo)
• The Foundation for Enhancing Communities - $10,000 (increase visitor and tourists’ awareness of appreciation for City)

• The National Civil War Museum - $50,000 (marketing and new educational programs)
• The Performance Zone Inc. d/b/a The Field - $4,000 (Cocoon Steelton PA: The Migrations of Many)
• The Singer’s Lounge Community Partnership Inc. - $10,000 (The Singer’s Lounge Junior Showcase)
• The Vineyard & Brewery at Hershey - $60,000 (4 concert series)
• Township of Derry ICDA - $10,000 (New Year’s Eve Celebration)
• Travel Champs/Hershey Jr. Bears Pee Wee Cup - $30,000 (International Youth Ice Hockey Tournament)
• US Bulgarian Chamber in Harrisburg - $7,000 (Series of virtual programs)
• Veterans Outreach of PA - $3,000 (reimbursement of purchased trailer)
• Visit Hershey Harrisburg - $1,000,000 (marketing)
• Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts - $30,000 (marketing and new educational programs)
• World Affairs Council of Harrisburg - $5,000 (funds to encourage international travel to Central PA)
• YMCA Camp Curtin - $1,500 (Bigger than Basketball Event)
• Young Professionals of Color Great Harrisburg - $5,000 (Juneteenth HBG 2022)

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett Hambright, Press Secretary, 717-780-6311; bhambright@dauphinc.org.