$125M in grants available to tourism-related firms, nonprofits

Tourism-related businesses and nonprofits, such as hotels, amusement parks and performing arts centers have until June 30 to apply for pandemic-relief grants from the state, officials said.

Up to $125 million is available via two programs: the Tourism Return-to-Work Grant Program and the Meet-In-New-York Grant Program. Both are administered by Empire State Development, the state’s primary business-aid agency.

The return-to-work program rewards businesses and nonprofits that increased their workforces during a period of up to nine months last year compared with 2021. There are $5,000 grants for every full-time job created and $2,500 for every part-time job above 2021 employment.

The meetings program reimburses conference centers and hotels for the discounts they offer meeting planners and attendees to bring events to the state.

“The grants awarded through these programs will introduce new audiences to New York State through new events and get New Yorkers back to work in the tourism sector,” said ESD president and CEO Hope Knight.

On Long Island, tourist spending plummeted with the arrival of the coronavirus. Expenditures went from $6.3 billion in 2019 to $3.9 billion in 2020, in part because of the months-long shutdown of nonessential activity to slow the virus’ spread.

In 2021, spending partially bounced back to $5.8 billion, according to the most recent available data from the research firm Tourism Economics in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

In November, Discover Long Island, the region’s tourism promotions agency, predicted that the return of business and international travel will produce a banner year in 2023, with expenditures topping their pre-pandemic level.

The return-to-work program has $100 million in funding.

To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate that they increased their average workforce between Jan. 1 and June 2022 compared with the Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2021 period. For seasonal businesses, the 2021 comparison period is Jan. 1 through June 30. Applicants that can show additional jobs in the July-September 2022 period will receive additional grant funding beyond the minimum amount per job.

Applicants also must have reported a year-over-year decrease in revenue of 15% or more between 2019 and 2020, produce income tax returns, and proof that they  comply with federal, state and local laws and regulations.

More information is available at esd.ny.gov/tourism-return-work-grant-program or by sending an email to TourismReturntoWork@esd.ny.gov.

The meetings program has $25 million in funding.

To be eligible, conference spaces and partnering hotels must host meetings of two consecutive days or more that haven’t been held in New York State since Jan. 1, 2018. They also should offer a hotel-room block of at least 10 rooms per night at a discounted rate and 35% of the meeting attendees must come from at least 50 miles away.

Applicants also must demonstrate a year-over-year decrease in revenue or gross wages of 15% or more between 2019 and 2020.

More information is available at esd.ny.gov/meet-new-york-grant-program  or by emailing MeetInNewYork@esd.ny.gov.

The grants “will support the recovery of New York State’s tourism industry by getting workers back on the job and fostering the return of large events, like meetings, conferences and exhibitions,” said Ross D. Levi, ESD’s executive director of tourism.

By James T. Madore

james.madore@newsday.comJamesTMadore

James T. Madore writes about Long Island business news including the economy, development, and the relationship between government and business. He previously served as Albany bureau chief.