Business : Vinton Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Grants Awarded to area Businesses

Nathan's Mile, Brooke Kruckenberg and Ashley Hesson

Walk in the Past, Katie Hopkins

Benton County Historical Society, Sharon Happel

Vinton Palace Theatre: Abby Cronk

HOT Grant awarded to the Vinton Softball Corporation. Pictured, Dusty and Tate Druschel, Steve Whalen and Melody Snow

Virginia Gay Hospital: Robin Martin

Vinton Unlimited: Melody Snow, Robin Martin and Phil Borlesky

The Vinton Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Grant program, which receives 75% of the funds generated from the Hotel/Motel tax, has announced the organizations that will receive the 2022 funding. The HOT Grant offers financial support to local organizations for community events, cultural and recreational programming, tourism, and various other projects.

Organizations that qualify as 501 non-profit organizations or governmental equivalent 170(c)(1) may submit applications for the grant. This year, 19 grant requests were received and 12 grants were awarded.

Presenting the grants were Melody Snow of Vinton Unlimited and Phil Borlesky.

The recipients this year include the following organizations:

*Act 1/Palace Theatre for a new larger beverage cooler. $3,000 Grant

*Benton County Historical Society received three grants. One to upgrade restrooms at the Depot to ADA compliancy, one for an ADA ramp at the Depot, a $6,000 grant, and one for their event "A Walk in the Past" a $3,000 Grant

*Nathan's Miles Foundation for the Nathan's Miles Glow Run. $1,500 Grant

*Vinton Softball Baseball Corporation (VSBC) received two grants. One for new batting cage nets, and one for a new backstop on field 3. $6,000 Grant

*Vinton Unlimited received four grants. One for Boomtown fireworks, one for a community holiday lighting incentive, one for back-alley beautification, and one for videography of Vinton. $12,000 Grant

*Virginia Gay Hospital received one for the Party in Pink 5K. $3,000 Grant

All funds must be used to improve, equip, repair, operate, construct, enlarge, or maintain recreation, cultural, or entertainment facilities or for the promotion of tourism within the city and surrounding area.

Applications for 2023 will be available November 1st and submissions will be accepted until December 31, 2023.