Tourism is a priority in Carbon County.

That's why county officials created the tourism grant fund after they implemented the 3 percent hotel tax in February 2007.The county commissioners Thursday approved the release of funds under a memorandum of understanding between Carbon County and the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau that supports the grant initiatives.The memorandum authorizes the release of $34,540 from the Hotel Room Excise Tax fund to 18 nonprofit organization projects.The money is from last year's collections, prior to changes in the hotel tax legislation that opened negotiations between the county and Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. The future of the program is uncertain.Recipients are:• Bach and Handel Chorale: $325 for online marketing.• Bear Mountain Sanctuary Foundation: $990 for 2017 marketing.• Beltzville Lions Club: $200 for a hay ride and Fall Fest.• Carbon Count Chamber and Economic Development: $1,375 for the Jim Thorpe Birthday Celebration.• Carbon County Lion/Lioness Fair Association: $5,000 for the Carbon County Fair advertising and marketing.• D&L National Heritage Corridor: $2,500 for Discover D&L Trail in Carbon County.• Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency: $8,500 for marketing, promotion and advertising in Jim Thorpe.• Kidder Township: $1,000 for a colored foldable map.• Lansford Alive: $250 for an ethnic festival at Kennedy Park.• Lehigh Gap Nature Center: $1,830 for Lehigh Gap Trail System map revision.• Mauch Chunk Historical Society: $1,000 for billboard advertising.• Mauch Chunk Museum and Cultural Center: $500 for the redesign of its website.• Panther Creek Valley Foundation (No. 9 Mine Museum): $2,500 for advertising.• Rotary Club of Jim Thorpe: $400 for ghost walks in old Mauch Chunk.• The Church of St. Joseph, Jim Thorpe: $950 for Oktoberfest.• St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee of Jim Thorpe: $4,000 for the 2017 parade.• Summit Hill Historical Society: $1,500 for a billboard for the Hootenanny.• Weatherly Hill Climb Association: $1,720 for the Weatherly Hill Climb.Weatherly Mayor Tom Connors told the commissioners Thursday that the grants are greatly appreciated."On behalf of the hill climb, we appreciate everything you have ever done for the hill climb with the tax money," he said. "We know it's not guaranteed but we certainly appreciate what we've been given."To date, Carbon County has distributed approximately $875,000 to nonprofit organizations to help promote tourism.The county receives a total of 50 percent of the hotel tax. Of the 50 percent, the county receives 20 percent, which it uses for improvements to Mauch Chunk Lake Park; 28 percent is put into the grant fund; and 2 percent goes toward administration fees.The remaining 50 percent goes to the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.The Carbon County Hotel Excise Tax, which includes a 3 percent tax on room rentals in hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, and resorts in the county, was signed by the commissioners in 2007.