CVB AWARDS GRANTS TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

Dave Pearce, president of the Middletown CVB board announced grant awards to eight Middletown area organizations totaling $13,449.67

The Convention and Visitors Bureau makes grant awards twice each year to groups presenting events that draw visitors to Middletown from outside the area.

Grant money is taken from the CVB’s operating budget. A 3% bed tax is collected by the twelve Middletown hotels on each room rental and has been channeled through the City of Middletown to the CVB. This year, the amount of bed tax dollars passed on to the CVB is lower due to the City of Middletown budget crunch. Therefore, the pool of grant dollars available is also smaller.

The CVB board was glad to be able to help the eight grant applicants even though the amounts are small.  

Those receiving grants are:

EASA House                                       $  55.56

EASA House is an organization providing sexual abuse counseling and is planning a fishing derby at Smith Park on  September 10 and 11 to raise awareness of their work.

Middfest International                           $3920.67

The 2005 Middfest features Indigenous People of the world and will use their grant for print materials promoting elements of the event.

Middletown Arts Center                       $2888.89

The year-round programs and exhibits at the art center require regular advertising and direct mail to potential students and guests.

Middletown Historical Society  $1375.00

A new exhibit covering the history of photography in Middletown will be on display in late fall. The grant will be used to promote the exhibit which will be up for a full year.

Middletown Lyric Theatre                       $450.00

A new permanent home for the community theatre group will be the subject for their advertising effort.

Middletown Youth Soccer                    $1850.00

A new soccer tournament likely to draw up to 128 teams will be held during Middfest weekend. It is expected that those who participate and watch the soccer tourney will also want to visit Middfest, only a block away from Smith Park.

Second Ward/WKM Theatre                 $322.22

William Kip Moore is chairing a group that will bring in TV star Ernest Thomas for an evening of discussion.

Sorg Opera Company                          $2587.33

Babes in Toyland will be the holiday season production. Sorg will use their grant money to promote the ticket sales.

Grants from the CVB are limited to promotion and marketing activities or improvements to an event site that helps draw visitors from outside the immediate area to Middletown events. Most grant recipients use their grant money to buy advertising or print mailing pieces, update websites or buy air time on radio or TV.

Grant applications are available for the next funding cycle through the CVB office at 513-422-3030 or via email to info@visitMiddletown.org. Deadlines for grant applications is 5 p.m. on the first business day of February and August.