Last week the Bucks County Tourism Grant Program distributed just under $600,000 to 51 organizations, 12 of which are based in Lower Bucks County.

The program was established between Visit Bucks County and the County of Bucks, in 2008, to assist in the development and enhancement of tourism initiatives in Bucks County. It is funded from a portion received from the Bucks County lodging tax assessed to visitors staying overnight in hotels, bed and breakfasts and home-shares.

Bristol based Raising the Bar, Friends of the Silver Lake Nature Center, ActorsNET of Bucks County based in Morrisville Borough, and Experience Yardley is a sampling of the 51 grants provided to area organizations.

Since the inception of the grant program, more than $6 million has been distributed to more than 120 organizations. Grant funding is used for marketing, special events and exhibitions, product development and capital improvement projects.

Each year, one grant recipient is recognized, in name, as the Charles H. Martin Grant in honor of former Commissioner Martin’s commitment in starting and supporting the Bucks County Tourism Grant Program. The 2022 recipient is the Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society.

Visit Bucks County (VBC) promotes travel to and within Bucks County, Pennsylvania. As the County’s official destination marketing organization, VBC drives visitation, increases overnight stays and fuels the local economy by promoting all there is to see and do in Bucks County. VBC supports local businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry, including lodging, attractions, restaurants, retail, events and more.  Annually, Bucks County welcomes 7.58 million visitors, generating $986 million dollars in economic impact and supporting a total hospitality workforce of more than 25,000 jobs.

2022 recipients are as follows:

ActorsNET

African American Museum of Bucks County

Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum

Arete Gallery

Artists of Yardley

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve

Bristol Borough Raising the Bar

Bristol Riverside Theater

Bucks County Center for the Performing Arts. Inc.

Bucks County Children’s Museum

Bucks County Civil War Roundtable Library and Museum

Bucks County Classic organized by MSH Productions LLC

Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society

Bucks County Historical Society

Bucks County Playhouse

Bucks County Symphony Society

Bucks County Wine Trail

Cantus Novus

Concordia Chamber Players

Doylestown Business and Community Alliance

Dublin Town Center, LP

Experience Yardley

Friends of Bolton Mansion

Friends of Churchville Nature Center

Friends of Peace Valley Nature Center

Friends of Silver Lake Nature Center

Friends of Washington Crossing Park

Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce, Inc

Haycock Historical Society

Heritage Conservancy

Historic Fallsington, Inc.

Historical Society of Hilltown Township

Hortulus Farm Foundation

James A. Michener Art Museum

La Fiocco

Lenape Chamber Ensemble

Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Museum

New Hope Colony Foundation for the Arts

New Hope Helping

Newtown Historic Association

Newtown Theatre

Pearl S. Buck International

Peddler’s Village

Perkasie Towne Improvement Association

Quakertown Historical Society

Raymond Farm Center for Living Arts & Design

Sellersville Inn, Inc

Snipes Farm and Education Center

The Pennsbury Society

The TileWorks of Bucks County

TMA Bucks Foundation