From Harford County government:
Harford County Executive Barry Glassman is pleased to announce that 25 local nonprofits will receive $1.5 million in fiscal year 2020 to plan and implement tourism-related activities. Now in its fifth consecutive year, Harford County’s competitive award program is funded by the local hotel/lodging fee initiated by the Glassman administration in March 2015. The program supports historical, cultural, agricultural, heritage, and eco-tourism operations, boosting local economic activity and strengthening attractions enjoyed by tourists and residents alike.
“Visitors from outside of Harford County fund our tourism program, and tourism is a good investment,” County Executive Barry Glassman said. “It supports thousands of local jobs and generates $1 million a day in economic impact in Harford County alone.”
To be eligible for funding, nonprofits must be 501 (c)(3) or 501 (c)(6) organizations. The Harford County Office of Community & Economic Development (OCED) oversees the competitive funding application process that was open earlier this year from mid-January to mid-April. OCED held two workshops to answer questions from interested organizations and assisted with the application process. The workshops focused on three critical criteria that enhanced eligibility: organizations must be in good standing with the state; programs or activities must be able to draw visitors from outside the borders of Harford County, and the extent to which program implementation depends on receiving funding.
The Harford County Tourism Advisory Committee reviews all applications and makes recommendations to the county executive. Recommendations are made to serve the greatest number of recipients while focusing on organizational accountability and sustainability. This year’s funding recipients have been sent a notification letter from County Executive Glassman announcing their award amount. An award package from OCED will follow with guidelines for executing a memorandum of agreement, quarterly performance and budget reporting templates, and procedures for receiving funding. Once packet materials are fully executed, funds will be made available after July 1, 2019.
Nonprofit organizations receiving contributions for FY2020 are listed below:
Bel Air Downtown Alliance, Inc. – $45,000 in general operating support for special events in Downtown Bel Air
Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County, Maryland, Inc. – $21,500 for operations and marketing for First Lego League Team competition
Community Projects of Havre de Grace, Inc. (The Havre de Grace Colored School Foundation) – $30,000 for operations and marketing of multiple programs
Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse, Incorporated – $18,000 for operations
Harford Artists’ Association, Inc. – $7,500 for marketing and event support
Harford Community College Foundation, Inc. – $40,000 for expanded event marketing/support
Harford County Farm Fair, Inc. – $45,000 for fair operations
Havre de Grace Alliance, Inc. – $38,000 for operations
Havre de Grace Arts Collective, Inc. – $15,000 for operations and marketing
Havre de Grace Decoy Museum – $80,000 for operations and marketing
Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, Inc. – $35,000 for operations
Highland Community Association, Inc. – $50,000 for operations and marketing
Hosanna Community House, Incorporated – $45,000 for operations of multiple events
Joppatowne Recreation Council – $5,000 for Joppatowne Arts Festival support
Maryland Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, Inc. – $50,000 for operations and marketing
Rockfield Foundation, Incorporated – $25,000 for operations, outreach, and event support
Soroptimist International of Havre de Grace, Inc. – $5,000 for the Havre de Grace Arts Show
Steppingstone Museum Association, Inc. – $50,000 for operations and programs
Susquehanna Museum of Havre de Grace, Inc. – $35,000 for Lock House operations
Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra, Inc. – $25,000 for operations and outreach
Susquehannock Wildlife Society, Inc. – $55,000 for operations
The Historical Society of Harford County, Inc. – $40,000 for operations
The Liriodendron Foundation, Inc. – $70,000 for operations and outreach
The Trustees of The Ladew Topiary Gardens, Inc. – $55,000 for operations and outreach
Visit Harford!, Inc. – $615,000 for operations and outreach
So Harford County Arc gets no County funding?
This is funding for Tourism related organizations that comes from the hotel tax. I’m sure ARC gets county finding, but out of another pocket.
The Arc NCR receives funds from the County’s operating budget.
And Aberdeen gets nothing again?
Aberdeen automatically gets 50% of the tax collected by its hotel. Which is generally in the neighborhood of 600-700k, this makes them the largest recipient.
Aberdeen should, that’s where the majority of hotels (and associated revenue from the room tax) in Harford County are located.
Agreed Justin. Not only that but the City absorbs the cost of police protection at those hotels in Aberdeen, a not so little cost.
The City of Aberdeen receives 50% of 100% of the taxes collected from their hotels. The City uses the revenue for the upkeep of Ripken Stadium. The remaining 50% of the revenue collected from the hotels in Aberdeen goes to the Harford County General Fund. The City is the largest recipient since they are the largest contributor. Additionally, no non-profits or organizations within the City were awarded funding to include the Discovery Center at the Aberdeen Train Station.
Why is so much money being dumped into Havre de Grace? The town is falling apart!
The city has to many slumlords. They are protected by the Mayor ,council , and the police. The city has some of the most arrogant users and drug dealers you have ever encountered. They are tolerated and protected and to all the people fighting to keep a loved one off drugs or alive HDG is not doing its part. If you file charges the police will help them because of their sob story and the courts do nothing. Drugs are making to many in charge money so say goodbye to the person you love.
Harford county has no business paying out money for publicity since all it does is steal taxpayer funds for their own personal use and disregard any enforcement of laws protecting citizens…
And so much more irresponsible spending leaving the entire infrastructure of the county hopelessly lost in the last century…
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND STAY AWAY FROM THE WHITE SUPREMASIST GANGS OF CORRUPTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yet another example of the good old boy culture so prevalent in Harford County. What is a “Request to Issue Subpoena” mean?
Some of these nonprofits have been on the county dole for more than 30 years now. How about a little self-sufficiency after three decades.
1.5 million to spin away from the out of control corruption of the entire Harford Government…hahahahahahahahahahahaha…
People are homeless and starving and H C wants to save face…hahahahahahahahahahahaha…idiots…
Over the past 5 years the Havre de Grace decoy museum has received a total $410,000 from these so called “competitive” grants, far more than any other organization. Council President, Pat Vincenti, is the president of the decoy museum. What ethics rules???
Its blatant corruption…..how about publishing the Grant applications so the public can see them?
$1.5 million for tourist non-profits? This is a travesty !!!.
Glassman and his board claimed there was no money to keep 153 teachers in Harford County. That $1.5 million should have gone to keep these teachers in this county. If any money was left over, then it could have gone to these tourist non-profits.
I suppose Glassman’s logic is that since Harford County students will not be fit for anything else, they can pick up trash left by the tourist.
I will remember this when Glassman comes up for reelection in 2022 . He and his cronies will NOT have my vote.