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 approved 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 $43,000 from the Hotel Room Excise Tax fund for the county's tourism grant.A total of 15 nonprofit organization projects will benefit from the ongoing grant during this round of funding. The county distributes the grant multiple times a year.This grant round's recipients are:• Old Jail Museum: $800 for brochures, distribution and publicity via print and media.• Ukrainian Homestead of ODWU: $500 for the Ukrainian Festival.• Jim Thorpe Chamber of Commerce: $2,000 for the Olde Time Christmas 2014 and Winterfest 2015.• Carbon Chamber and Economic Development: $23,250 for tourism and accommodation promotion.• Carbon Chamber and Economic Development: $4,500 for the Jim Thorpe Birthday celebration.• Weatherly Hill Climb Association: $1,000 for the 2015 Weatherly Hill Climb.• Carbon County Lion/Lioness Fair Association: $2,000 for the Carbon County Fair.• Mauch Chunk Historical Society: $500 for the walking tour project app.• Rotary Club of Jim Thorpe: $500 for ghost walks.• Lehighton Franklin Lions Club: $400 for the 2014 Festival of Lights.• Church of St. Joseph, Jim Thorpe: $900 for Oktoberfest.• D&L National Heritage Corridor: $5,000 for Anthracite Region map brochure.• Bear Mountain Sanctuary Foundation: $300 for brochures and distribution.• Summit Hill Heritage Center: $350 for wedding/rental marketing.• Summit Hill Historical Society: $1,000 for the Summit Hill Hootenanny.To date, Carbon County has distributed approximately $700,000 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 Mountain 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.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.To apply for a grant, visit carboncountypa.org/pages/HotelTaxGrant1.