Bucks County Tourism Grant Program

The Bucks County Tourism Grant Program, administered by Visit Bucks County in collaboration with the County of Bucks, is a regional initiative designed to enhance the county’s tourism and hospitality sector. Established in 2008 and funded by a portion of the county’s lodging tax, the program supports initiatives that attract visitors from outside the county, particularly those who travel 50 miles or more or stay overnight. The resulting economic activity is intended to support local jobs and contribute to the vitality of the community. In accordance with Act 18 of 2016, the program provides financial support for tourism-related projects including marketing campaigns, promotional efforts, product development, attraction enhancements, and the hosting of special events and festivals. Funded projects must drive overnight travel to Bucks County, avoid competition with private tourism entities, and generate measurable economic outcomes. The program explicitly supports tourism and hospitality businesses physically located in Bucks County. Visit Bucks County serves as the administrator of the program, managing the documentation and compliance processes. Grant awards are distributed annually and determined based on merit, as evaluated by the Bucks County Tourism Grant Committee. Starting in 2020, one grantee per cycle is honored with the Charles H. Martin Grant designation, celebrating the former commissioner's support of the program. For the 2025 cycle, applications open on September 2, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. and close on October 2, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Eligible projects must occur between January 1 and December 31, 2026. The award range is from $2,500 to $35,000. To apply, organizations must register or log in to the grant portal, complete the application tasks, and verify their account before submission. Applicants receive confirmation via email upon successful submission. Required documentation differs slightly depending on nonprofit or for-profit status. Nonprofits must provide officer lists, tax-exempt status letters, articles of incorporation, a subsistence certificate, W9 forms, and relevant marketing materials. For-profit applicants must submit similar materials with business documentation. Questions about the grant can be directed to Kelley Keeling, the Research & Destination Development Director at Visit Bucks County, or through the program’s support portal.

Submit early to ensure account verification; gather documents like the subsistence certificate in advance as it may take time to obtain.