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Hunterdon County Commissioners offer municipal grants to boost tourism

‘Rediscover Hunterdon’ Grants Will Support Covid Paused Festivals and Local Events

HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – Enacting a plan to boost tourism by encouraging and assisting local festivals and main street events in Hunterdon County communities, the Hunterdon Board of Commissioners recently approved a new municipal grant program called ‘Rediscover Hunterdon’ grants aimed at supporting local events.

The Board Director, John E. Lanza, said, “This new municipal grant program, which we are calling ‘Rediscover Hunterdon’ grants, is aimed at helping our municipalities to re-establish festivals or main street events that have been pushed aside by the covid pandemic. These events have always been popular in the past with both local residents and tourists, and the Board believes it is important to help get those activities back on their feet to help to spur the small business economy in the county.”

Lanza said that all municipalities will be eligible for the grants which will be administered as part of the new ‘Explore Hunterdon; The Other Side of Jersey’ tourism campaign by the Economic Development and Tourism Department.

“The program will be organized along the lines of the Economic Development municipal grant program already in existence. The maximum grant award is up to $5,000, eligible uses include community days and downtown events and festivals that were paused during the Covid-19 public health emergency. All grant funds must be requested by a host municipality,” Lanza said.

In supporting the new program, Commissioner Susan J. Soloway, the Board’s liaison for the Economic Development and Tourism Department, said, “In the past there have been many enjoyable and well attended events all around the County. Through this program the Board wishes to help municipalities bring back those events that attract the public.”

“The ‘Rediscover Hunterdon’ grants will be funded through the county’s American Rescue allocation that has been made part of the Economic Development budget,” Soloway said.

The ‘Rediscover Hunterdon’ Communities Grant Program is available for all municipalities and can be found online at: https://hunterdoncountyedc.com/about-us/rediscover-hunterdoncommunities-grant/.

Municipal officials interested in finding out more about the program can contact the Economic Development and Tourism Department at hced@co.hunterdon.nj.us or call Department Director Marc Saluk at 908 399-1108.

Jay Edwards

Born and raised in Northwest NJ, Jay has a degree in Communications and has had a life-long interest in local radio and various styles of music. Jay has held numerous jobs over the years such as stunt car driver, bartender, voice-over artist, traffic reporter (award winning), NY Yankee maintenance crewmember and peanut farm worker. His hobbies include mountain climbing, snowmobiling, cooking, performing stand-up comedy and he is an avid squirrel watcher. Jay has been a guest on America’s Morning Headquarters,program on The Weather Channel, and was interviewed by Sam Champion.

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