On Friday, July 11, the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) will open the application period for another $1 million One-Time Project Fund (OTPF). The OTPF is a grant program open to qualifying Moore County municipalities and federally registered non-profit organizations specifically for tourism-related capital projects. The application period extends through Sept. 12. The money comes from the CVB’s fund balance and is not associated with the increase of the county’s lodging occupancy tax, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
“The CVB is thrilled that we could once again offer this grant opportunity for Moore County municipalities and federally registered non-profits,” said Phil Werz, president and CEO of the CVB, in a media release. “The first round funded six local projects totaling more than $800,000. We look forward to seeing new applications that will attract visitors and benefit our residents as well.”
According to grant application requirements, projects may involve new construction, expansion, renovation, or a replacement of existing facilities and must meet these criteria:
*Minimum total budget of $100,000 (not including CVB matching funds)
*Enhance the destination experience for visitors and residents
*Attract overnight visitors from 50+ miles outside Moore County
*Be shovel-ready (preferred)
*No studies or routine maintenance
After the Sept. 12 deadline, the OTPF 2.0 Review Committee – three CVB board members and two independent Moore County citizens – will score all submissions and present funding recommendations to the full CVB board in December. Approved awards will be disbursed after Jan. 1, 2026.
The initial OTPF (2023) awarded $821,000 to projects including:
*Phillips Memorial Park upgrades and a mural in Cameron
*New Skatepark and Whitehall Tract event space renovations in Southern Pines
*Enhancements to Aberdeen’s Ransdell Sportsplex
*Structural/access improvements at the Weymouth Center
*Field lighting for the Sandhills Bogeys at Sandhills Community College.
Those previous successes helped convince county commissioners to raise the lodging occupancy tax to the state-allowed six percent, doubling the CVB’s annual budget beginning in 2026. The CVB plans to allocate a portion of that new revenue to launch a permanent Tourism Product Development Fund.
For more information about the One-Time Project Fund (OTPF) and to download an application, go to: www.HomeofGolf.com/OTPF. Note: The application submission period opens at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 11.
Feature photo: Cameron town officials and stakeholders dedicate artist Chris Dalton’s mural on the former Farmer’s Cooperative Exchange building on 430 Carthage Street July 11, 2024. This was one of the initial OTPF (2023) awards.
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