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.During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, the board unanimously voted to approve the release of funds under a memorandum of understanding between Carbon County and the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau that supports the grant initiatives in Carbon County. The memorandum authorizes the release of $39,975 from the Hotel Room Excise Tax fund for the county's tourism grant.A total of nine nonprofit organization projects will benefit from the ongoing grant during this round of funding. The county distributes the grant multiple times a year.To date, Carbon County has distributed approximately $500,000 to nonprofit organizations to help promote tourism.The county receives a total of 50 percent of the hotel tax. Of the 50 percent, Carbon 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 Mountain Visitors Bureau.This grant round's recipients are:• Weatherly Hill Climb Association: $1,200 for the annual Weatherly Hill Climb held this past September.• Carbon County Lion/Lioness Fair Association: $3,000 for the Carbon County Fair.• Jim Thorpe Chamber of Commerce, DBA Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency: $7,000 for advertising, Olde Time Christmas 2013 and Winterfest 2014.• Rotary Club of Jim Thorpe: $650 for ghost walks.• Ukrainian American Heritage Foundation: $250 for Christmas Cultural Celebration.• Summit Hill Heritage Center: $500 for 2014 marketing and comedy night - Mule Driver's Ball.• Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency: $2,000 for Jim Thorpe Birthday Celebration 2014.• Leadership Carbon Class of 2014: $1,375 for Lehighton Trailhead beautification.• Carbon County Chamber and Economic Development: $24,000 for committees accommodations and CCEDC website.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.The tax had been under negotiation since 2004, when commissioners voted down Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau's original proposal of a 20 percent revenue return on the money the tax would generate. They eventually negotiated a 50 percent revenue return to the county.More information on how to apply for a hotel tax grant, nonprofit organizations who promote tourism can visit the Carbon County Chamber and Economic Development website at

http://carboncountypa.org/hoteltax.html.