Applications Open March 15 for COVID-19 Hospitality Recovery Program (CHIRP)

GETTYSBURG, PA (March 10, 2021) – Adams Economic Alliance, with support from the Adams County Office of Planning and Development, announces a grant program—designed to help tourism and hospitality businesses—will open to applications on Monday, March 15.

The COVID-19 Hospitality Recovery Program (CHIRP) will provide $1.16 million in state funding to qualifying Adams County businesses. The program is part of a larger $145 million statewide initiative recently announced by Governor Tom Wolf to help sustain Pennsylvania’s ailing tourism sector amid the pandemic.

“We welcome applications from Adams County businesses whose livelihoods focus on eating, drinking and sleeping as their primary functions,” said Robin Fitzpatrick, Alliance President. “This program is designed to help these vital businesses hang on through the pandemic, until travel can safely resume at the level that its once again a lifeblood to Adams County’s beloved, historic and renowned tourism industry.”

“COVID-19 has devastated the Adams County travel industry which produces over $735 million annually to our local economy,” said Norris Flowers, Destination Gettysburg President and an Alliance Board Member. “The CHIRP program will assist our small travel industry businesses and provide a much-needed boost to the recovery process.”

Guidelines for the CHIRP program include:

  • CHIRP grants will reimburse eligible applications for reduction of revenues.
  • Hospitality businesses with a NAICS code beginning with 721 or 722 are eligible.
  • Applicants must demonstrate that gross receipts for the first, second, third or fourth quarter in 2020 were reduced by at least 25% for that same period in 2019.
  • Qualifying businesses must employ less than 300 full time equivalent employees.
  • Grant awards ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 are available in increments of $5,000.

Additional information, including the application, is located online at adamsalliance.org/chirp. March 15 is the first day that businesses may submit applications. The application round will run through March 27.

Business owners with questions may contact the Alliance via email at [email protected].

It is the mission of the Adams Economic Alliance to develop and implement creative community-based strategies to enhance economic opportunity and foster a dynamic framework for balanced growth and development through the Adams County Economic Development Corporation, Adams County Industrial Development Authority and Adams County General Authority. For more information, see adamsalliance.org, or follow us on Twitter (@AdamsAlliance), Facebook (Facebook.com/AdamsAlliance) and LinkedIn (Adams Economic Alliance).

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MEDIA CONTACT: KAREN HENDRICKS / HENDRICKS COMMUNICATIONS / 717-253-3553