Tourism dollars support projects that impact quality of life
The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Community Impact Grant for a fifth straight year bringing the investment total to more than $1.6 million. The grant program is designed to strengthen local neighborhoods by supporting safer, more organized, and visually vibrant public spaces that enhance quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
“Tourism has a longstanding role as an important supporter of the region’s quality of life whether it’s through employment, tax revenue or even the preservation of the Poconos’ natural beauty,” said Chris Barrett, President/CEO, Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. “This grant program is a reinvestment in our communities through funded projects that make life in the Poconos safer and more accessible.”
SEE BELOW FOR 2026 PMVB COMMUNITY GRANT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Eligible applicants included local governments such as boroughs, townships, and Main Street organizations, as well as municipal and redevelopment authorities. Grant funds may be used for projects focused on streetscapes and beautification, including curb, street, and parking line painting; sidewalk repairs; tree and shrub trimming; trash clean‑up and receptacles; and trail or park maintenance.
Individual grant requests were capped at $10,000, with a minimum 50 percent match required. Projects were considered competitively based on criteria established by the PMVB.
Approved projects must be completed by December 1, 2026, as grant funds will not carry over into 2027.
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2026 PMVB Community Grants:
|
Organization |
Project Name |
Amount |
| Borough of Delaware Water Gap | Main Street Park Benches | $ 1,300 |
| Borough of East Stroudsburg | East Stroudsburg Beautification Projects | $ 8,000 |
| Borough of Jim Thorpe | Crosswalk & Handicap Curb Cut Streetscape Project | $ 10,000 |
| Borough of Palmerton | Palmerton Borough Park Bandstand | $ 8,000 |
| Borough of Stroudsburg | Big Belly Trash Receptacle Maintenance and Repair | $ 10,000 |
| Chestnuthill Township | Route 209 Roundabout Veteran Memorial | $ 5,000 |
| Delaware Highlands Conservancy | Growing Connections at the Van Scott Nature Reserve (Preview Garden - Phase 2) | $ 2,500 |
| Downtown Hawley Partnership | Hawley Info Kiosk & Signage | $ 10,000 |
| Dreher Township | Carlton Drake Memorial Park Playground Project | $ 4,000 |
| Eldred Township | Project Title Facelift/Eldred Township Municipal Building and Community Center | $ 2,100 |
| Franklin Township | Beautification Recreation/Parks | $ 7,000 |
| Go Collaborative | 6 Nature Murals of Stroudsburg + Maps | $ 2,710 |
| Go Collaborative | Snowmen of Stroudsburg | $ 5,000 |
| Go Collaborative | Main Street Conversion Art | $ 850 |
| Greater Honesdale Partnership | Specially Designed Downtown Crosswalks | $ 8,000 |
| Hawley Borough | Hawley Beautification and Park Improvements | $ 8,000 |
| Jackson Township | 2026 HJP Park Upgrades | $ 5,000 |
| Jim Thorpe Area School District | L.B. Morris Sidewalk Improvement Project | $ 10,000 |
| Lackawaxen River Trails | Crosswalks for Pedestrian Safety/White Mills | $ 3,000 |
| Lackawaxen Township | Trail - Engineering | $ 5,500 |
| Lansford Borough | Ashton Park | $ 8,000 |
| Middle Smithfield Township | "Main Street" Litter Control, Beautification & Revitalization | $ 7,000 |
| Milford Community House Board | Public Restrooms | $ 10,000 |
| Milford Garden Club | Rejuvenation of Barckley Park in Milford | $ 1,000 |
| Monroe County Transportation Authority | Transit in the Park | $ 4,000 |
| Mount Pocono Borough | Mount Pocono Glow Trail | $ 3,000 |
| Penn Forest Township | Penn Forest Recreational Trail | $ 6,000 |
| Pike County Historical Society & Museum | Curb Appeal for the Columns | $ 3,000 |
| Pocono Environmental Education Center | PEEC Campus Beautification | $ 2,000 |
| Pro Acoustics | Stadium Speakers | $ 7,972 |
| Smithfield Township | Teeing up for Tomorrow: Disc Golf and Waterfront Park Improvements | $ 5,000 |
| Summit Hill Borough | Borough Park Beautification Initiative | $ 3,675 |
| The Buck Hill Conservation Foundation | Chestnut Mountain Open Space Trailhead Parking | $ 3,000 |
| The Eldred Township Historical Society | Ongoing renovation of Historic Post Office | $ 2,000 |
| Tunkhannock Township | Park Picnic Tables | $ 6,000 |
| Lansford Borough Train Station | $ 8,000 | |
| Milford Lions Club | Light the Milford Star | $ 5,000 |
| Total 2026 Amount Awarded: | $200,607 |
Grant dollars will help fund a variety of projects intended to support & enhance the quality of the life in Pocono…
Pocono Mountains visitor information is available online at PoconoMountains.com or by phone at (570) 421-5791. Established in 1934, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau is a private, non-profit membership organization. The PMVB is the official destination marketing organization for the four counties of Wayne, Pike, Monroe, and Carbon in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The PMVB operates the 24/7 Pocono Television Network which can be found on streaming, broadcast and cable.
