ST. CLAIRSVILLE — It’s time again for the Belmont County Tourism Council Board of Directors to award Grant Assistance Program funding, or GAP grants, to nonprofit organizations.

Belmont County Tourism Council Executive Director Jackee Pugh said the council awarded nearly $115,000 to more than 40 local nonprofits this year.

She added that the GAP program was created to help “fill the gap” by financially assisting nonprofit groups with projects, events, improvements or maintenance to tourist attractions or historic sites.

The grant program has been an annual initiative that’s been going strong for over a decade.

“Being a nonprofit and doing something that attracts tourism to Belmont County are the biggest criterias that we look for. We really try to support people that are bringing people into the county, because that’s our mission as the tourism office,” Pugh said.

She added that the funding is distributed in March to provide recipients enough time to use it for their spring and summer projects.

“So our award cycle, the applications come out in January, and they’re due by the beginning of March, and then we give out the funds by the end of March so that they have the money for the events for summer and fall season,” she said.

Belmont County Commissioner Jerry Echeman was in attendance to show support to not only the Belmont County Tourism Council but also the over 40 local organizations receiving funding.

“The work that the Tourism Board is doing means so much to our board of commissioners. We’re not directly involved, they have their own board which is an excellent board, and they direct things in terms of tourism,” Echemann said. “Jackie Pugh is doing a wonderful job. It’s great for us because it’s kind of a hands-off situation for us largely. We support them in any way we can, but they’re doing so well that we don’t really even have to get involved a whole lot, we just support them.”

He added that the board of commissioners has Pugh in every three months to provide an updated report on the council’s activities.

“They’re doing so well under her direction and the direction of the board that they have, which is a great board, and I think I can speak for all three of us commissioners in saying that we’re extremely happy with what’s going on in tourism,” he said.

Echemann then praised the tourism council and specifically the GAP grants, noting the county’s main source of income is sales taxes.

“The GAP grants help these organizations achieve their goals, and when they can continue these events and improve them, then that brings more people into the county,” he said. “And as you probably know, the county survives mainly on sales tax. A lot of folks think that it’s property tax, which we do get a little bit of that, but most of your property tax goes to the schools. We depend on sales tax. And tourism brings people in, they spend money, they buy gas to go to the restaurants, and that improves the sales tax, which is what comes in to our board of commissioners. And then we try to do what we can to improve the county,” Echemann said.

Pugh added that many of the organizations receiving funding wouldn’t be able to survive without the assistance of the GAP funds.

“We are blessed to be able to offer financial support to so many nonprofits that impact tourism in Belmont County,” she said.