Cumberland Area economic development agency reports $15.2 million in grants, outlines tourism campaign and business outreach

Leaders of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CADEC) told the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners that the agency secured $15.2 million in grant funding for 14 projects and is launching a series of tourism and business-development initiatives this year.

The announcement, made during a presentation to commissioners, covered CADEC’s newest marketing work — including a brand-lift study and a May advertising push — expanded outreach to bus groups and site selectors, loan and referral activity for small businesses, and several upcoming public events and grant workshops.

CADEC reported that between October and March it secured $15,200,000 on behalf of 14 projects, with about $5.7 million of redevelopment assistance capital program (RACP) awards tied to Industrial Development Authority projects, Greg Welker, CADEC’s director of economic development, told the commissioners. Welker said the agency serves as staff to the Cumberland County Industrial Development Authority and assists applicants through award paperwork and project compliance.

On tourism, Ashley Kurtz, interim director of tourism and marketing, described a two-part brand-lift study aimed at residents of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., who indicated they travel for leisure. Kurtz said the pre-survey showed roughly 60% of respondents said they were aware of the Cumberland Valley and about 40% reported having traveled there. CADEC plans a stronger ad presence beginning in May and will re-survey the same panel in late 2025 to measure changes in awareness and travel intent.

Kurtz also outlined destination-sales activity, including a return to targeting bus groups: CADEC staff held 37 appointments at the American Bus Association conference and plan a multi-county bus-marketing mission coordinated with York and Reading counties. The agency said it has worked influencer visits and podcasts into earned-media outreach and is expanding “experience trails,” such as the coffee-and-chocolate trail (which has recorded more than 800 additional check-ins so far this year) and a new Carlisle History Walk.

CADEC reported its tourism grants program has awarded six grants so far in 2025 totaling nearly $377,000. The agency said it will host a nonprofit grants workshop for applicants on June 12 and an annual tourism event on June 5 at the Cumberland County Historical Society. CADEC also will run an outdoor-recreation funding seminar in Q3 and an agribusiness funding seminar in Q4 as part of a new funding-seminar series.

On financing and business outreach, CADEC said it is running an “engaged calling” program under the Partnership for Regional Economic Performance (PREP) to visit local businesses, identify needs and connect them to resources. The agency reported two active projects seeking about $200,000 in total: one seeking roughly $100,000 from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority and another seeking a combination of CADEC internal loan funds and state Small Business Credit Initiative funds. CADEC staff said they recorded 32 referrals so far to technical partners — including 17 to the Small Business Development Center and 10 to South Central PA Works (the regional workforce board).

Staffing and organizational updates included hiring an economic development specialist for grants, onboarding a finance and HR manager, and making an offer for a permanent director of tourism and marketing. CADEC said cross-training between tourism and economic development teams has increased capacity for grant management and outreach.

CADEC highlighted several redevelopment and site-preparation items: it said the Real Estate Collaborative has two active projects, including the former Tyco facility where CADEC signed a sales agreement with LOTA Cooper and Tri-County Housing is pursuing funding from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). CADEC awarded a single contract to BL Company to handle both a required survey and a Phase I environmental assessment for that site.

The agency also described site-availability work done for statewide solicitations, submitting detailed information for four sites (including utility capacity and zoning) to Team PA and economic development partners. CADEC said it has received four requests for site information in 2025, including from a life-sciences firm and a solar-panel manufacturer.

Other items noted were an increase in social-media reach (reach up 252%), a visitor-guide distribution that produced more than 1,000 guide requests from an email send, replacement signage planned on I-81 to improve visitor wayfinding, a CPACE (Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy) launch event Feb. 27, and a goal to raise $90,000 for the agency’s business alliance campaign with a Sept. 25 AI training event. CADEC said it will publish its 2024 annual report next week — the first annual report the agency has issued since 2018.

Commissioners and other meeting participants asked for clarifying details about CADEC’s role on RACP applications, the PHFA review timeline for the Tyco site, and how CADEC tracks participants from social-media campaigns. CADEC staff said their involvement varies: sometimes staff help prepare applications up front; other times applicants submit independently and CADEC assists after award. PHFA timing and some applicant-specific details were not provided at the meeting.

Votes recorded during the session were limited to routine meeting business; no county action was taken on CADEC’s presentation materials. CADEC leaders concluded by offering to provide follow-up details on the PHFA timeline and other project-level items.

CADEC presenters at the meeting were Janet Anderson, Ashley Kurtz and Greg Welker. CADEC said it will provide the county with additional information on specific grant applications and PHFA timing on request.