CONTACT:
 Molly Belmont, Director of Marketing
 Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau
 Phone: 518-434-1217 x203
 Email: mbelmont@albany.org 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2016

ALBANY CVB GRANTS $50,500 TO COUNTY NON-PROFITS TO GROW TOURISM ECONOMY
Palace Theatre Expansion, Historic Trolley Tours, and Maccabi Games add to region's programming 

ALBANY, N.Y. - The Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACCVB) Foundation announced $50,500 in funding for latest round of Hospitality Grant recipients. To date, the three-year old program has awarded $212,000 to organizations that create programs and tourist-attracting events in our community.

The fund, which is managed by the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region (CFGCR), supports programs that aid in building and sustaining Albany County tourism destinations, attractions, events, and tourism-related activities. The grants encourage collaboration between nonprofit organizations, community groups, and hospitality businesses to further extend the economic impact of tourism and business.

"We are immensely proud of our ongoing efforts to support the organizations that create programs right here in our community," says Michele Vennard, President/CEO of the ACCVB. "These creative events and groundbreaking programs are poised to increase our audience of visitors, stimulating our local economy, and contributing to the richness of the area."

"The Community Foundation is proud to work with ACCVB on the Hospitality Grant Program," said John G. Eberle, President and CEO, the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. "The grant awards given through this program strengthen our region's nonprofits, and help make Albany County more vibrant for residents and visitors. On behalf of the Community Foundation's staff and Board of Directors, I extend my sincere congratulations to all 2016 Hospitality Grant recipients."

The grants, which will be used for programming in 2017 and range from $1,000 - $5,000, are funded through the earned income of the Bureau. Recipients include Palace Theatre, Irish American Heritage Museum, and the Sidney Albert Albany Jewish Community Center.

"The ACCVB's grant program provides invaluable support for Palace initiatives," says Holly Brown, Executive Director of the Palace Theatre. "The funding we are to receive will be used to forward our plans to expand the Palace into a vibrant performing arts center that will create a sustainable future for arts
and culture in our region." The grant money is designated for the Palace's expansion plans.

The Irish American Heritage Museum also received a grant for $1500 for their horse-drawn carriage tours. "The Irish American Heritage Museum is thrilled to be a recipient of the ACCVB Hospitality Grant," says Ryan Mahoney, Executive Director of the Irish American Heritage Museum. "This award enables the museum to continue to develop and provide historic horse-drawn trolley tours of Downtown Albany in partnership with Clayhaven Carriage and Trolley. These tours not only highlight the rich history and architecture of Albany, but also help drive visitation to restaurants and other cultural venues in the area. Further, it creates another opportunity for entertainment as people begin to come to the area to use the new convention center."

The Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau also awarded $5,000 to support the Capital Region Maccabi Games. "The Sidney Albert Albany Jewish Community Center is honored to receive this grant from The Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau Fund of The Community Foundation for the 2017 Capital Region JCC Maccabi Games Opening Ceremonies," says Adam Chaskin, Executive Director for the Sidney Albert Albany JCC. "These funds will allow us to put on a first class opening ceremonies with an electric atmosphere for our guests from all around the world. Ensuring that everyone knows how great the Capital Region of New York is."

The 2016 Grant Recipients Are:

Sidney Albert Albany Jewish Community Center $5,000
2017 Capital Region Maccabi Games Opening Ceremonies

Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Council $3,500
Capital PRIDE Celebration 2017

Friends of Pruyn House $1,000
Concerts in the Barn 2017

Old Songs, Inc. $1,500
Old Songs Folk Festival of Traditional Music and Dance

Organization of Adirondack Rowers $3,500
2017 Head of the Hudson Regatta

Special Olympics of New York $1,500
State Summer Games

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Corporation $1,500
The Bridge Jazz Festival - Tourism Marketing

Albany Center Galleries, Inc. $2,500
Visual Arts Exhibits showcasing the Contemporary Artists of the Capital Region

Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region $2,500
Tour of the Underground Railroad in Albany, NY

Albany Symphony Orchestra, Inc. $2,500
Albany Symphony 16-17 Programming

Irish American Heritage Museum $1,500
Downtown Albany Historic Trolley Tours

Park Playhouse, Inc. $5,000
Expanded Year-Round Programming

Albany Institute of History & Art $2,000
2017 Out of Market Outreach

Erie Canalway Heritage Fund, Inc. $5,000
Matton Shipyard Preservation and Adaptive Reuse Initiative

Historic Cherry Hill $2,500
"Get REAL!" Historic Cherry Hill Ramp Up to Reopening

Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway Coalition, Inc. $500
Self-Guided Heritage Tour of the Mohawk Towpath Byway

Palace Performing Arts Center, Inc. $5,000
Palace Capital Improvement Project

Shaker Heritage Society $4,000
Digital Marketing Project

For more information about the grant recipients and awards, please contact Michele Vennard, President/CEO of the ACCVB, at (518) 434-1217 ext. 300 or mvennard@albany.org; or Jacqueline Mahoney, Vice President of Programs at the CFGCR, at (518) 446-9638 or jmahoney@cfgcr.org.

ABOUT ACCVB
The Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. was established in 1976 to promote the civic and commercial progress of the community through increased development of conventions and tourism. ACCVB currently represents more than 300 member businesses and assists each year in hundreds of regional meetings. ACCVB also operates the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center, Henry Hudson Planetarium, and the Albany International Airport Information Center. The ACCVB Foundation was established in 1993 to provide educational opportunities and work with other organizations to secure grants and funding to advance regional travel and tourism projects. For more information, call 518-4341217 or 800-258-3582 or visit www.albany.org.

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE GREATER CAPITAL REGION
Since 1968, The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region has provided an effective means for people who care about this community to be part of shaping its future. The Community Foundation offers donors a complete toolkit for charitable giving, expert assistance in learning more about the causes they care about, and the opportunity to join others with similar interests to learn and give together.

Related Link: http://www.albany.org/about/grant/