2025 Experience Butler County PA Partner Grant Application

The purpose of the Experience Butler County PA grant program is to enhance the tourism experience, increase tourism visitation and overnight stays within Butler County, Pennsylvania.

Awards are given annually on the basis of merit as determined by the Experience Butler County PA grant review committee and administered by the Board of Directors and the President of Experience Butler County PA.

FOR PARTNERS ONLY.

The 2025 Grant Application deadline was March 14, 2025. Thank you for your submissions.
We look forward to this year's Toast to Tourism where the grants will be awarded.

Please take note of these reminders:

New for 2025

  • Grant awardees will have nearly a year to complete their projects.
    • Grants awarded in May 2025 are for the July 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026 project window.
    • No grant project reimbursements will be given before July 1, 2025.
    • All completed final grant reports are due by June 15, 2026.
  • To ensure the effectiveness of our grant programs, we require repeat projects to provide concrete evidence of success, including measurable data like room nights, bookings, and/or increased business.

After reviewing the guidelines and criteria below please fill out all required fields to submit your 2025 Grant Application. The option to save your submission and go back to it later is available at the end of the form.

Please contact us with any questions at 724-234-4619 or Rick@ExperienceButler.com

TIMELINE

October 31, 2024March 14, 2025May 8, 2025July 1, 2025 - June 12, 2026
Online Applications available on the partners-only section of EBC website.Deadline for online applications to be submitted.Awards announced at the annual Toast to Tourism Event. Partners must be present to receive grant funds.Deadline for final report and reimbursement

CRITERIA & GUIDELINES

1. Grants will be awarded to a current partner, or combination of partners, of Experience Butler County PA (EBC) that submit a grant request (between $500 and $5,000). All applicants and partners must be current partners in good standing of EBC for at least one year as of the application deadline (March 14, 2025). No lapse in partnership dues payment will be eligible. Grant applications will be accepted from for-profit and nonprofit businesses - both are eligible.

2. Grants must be in compliance with Pennsylvania Act 18, which require a cash or in-kind local match of at least 25%

“Programs, expenditures or grants that are directly and substantially related to tourism or a business, convention or meeting travel destination within the county, augment and do not compete with private sector tourism or travel efforts and improve and expand the county as a destination market as deemed necessary by the recognized tourist promotion agency.”

3. Grants may be awarded in the following three categories:

  • Collaborative Projects: Collaborative activities among various EBC partners or a single partner, that promote overnight stays in Butler County.
  • Capital Projects: Scheduled improvements that benefit tourism and augment the visitor’s experience by developing new or enhancing existing tourist attractions or amenities. Capital projects related to replacing or repairing physical attributes to your business will not be funded if the project is deemed to be a normal cost of doing business.
  • Marketing Projects: Advertising programs must be targeted to media that will reach non-county residents. In keeping with the mission of EBC, any requests of funds for advertising must be placed a minimum of 50 miles from your Butler County business. The grant program will not fund advertisements in local publications, local high school sports programs, local dance troupe programs, etc. All projects must carry the current EBC logo. The logo can be found here.

4. Grants will not be awarded for standard operational expenses such as payroll or utilities, religious or political purposes or websites.

5. Priority of awards will be given to applications that:

  • Encourage overnight stays
  • Promote collaboration among lodging and activities
  • Target new markets
  • Include collaboration with additional partners
  • Enhance the visitor experience

6. All applicants will be asked to present their project to the committee for consideration for a maximum time of five (5) minutes. This will allow the applicant the opportunity to show their passion for their project and be able to answer any pending questions the committee may have. Applicants can present in person or by a pre-approved zoom call.

7. An organization may only apply for one individual grant per year. An organization may also be listed as a partner on one other application per year. Winners may reapply every year, but new projects will receive priority consideration. It should not be presumed that any applicant will be awarded a grant on an annual basis, nor should the availability of these grant awards be considered an annual part of any applicant’s budget.

8. An EBC board committee will review all grant applications to select the awardees.

9. Nothing shall prevent the EBC grant review committee from withholding part or all of the total monies available for annual awards should they feel that insufficient qualified requests have been submitted.

10. This document will be reviewed annually to enhance and amend.

11. All funds will be awarded at the completion of the project. Recipients are responsible to complete a final report in the requested format and may be submitted for reimbursement any time between July 1, 2025 - June 12, 2026. Criteria and format for the final report will be provided to each recipient and includes a summary, photos, receipts and proof of their 25% match.

* Grant participation requirements are to show good faith in your organization and partnership with Experience Butler County PA. The grant program was designed for Experience Butler to invest in our partner’s businesses, ideas and initiatives. Your participation shows your investment in us.