About Dauphin County Economic Development
The Dauphin County Economic Development Corp directs the bulk of its resources to local economic growth and tourism promotion in and around Harrisburg, frequently channeling large payments through municipal and programmatic vehicles rather than small direct-service nonprofits. Grants are concentrated in a handful of multi-million-dollar awards that support hotel/tourism promotion, municipal parks and operations, federal block grant and Section 108 financing mechanisms, and affordable housing through HUD HOME. The foundation behaves like a public-sector partner, funding place-based infrastructure and economic development programs that leverage other public funding.
Focus Areas
Harrisburg hotel and tourism promotion (hotel tax/tourism marketing funding)Municipal economic development financing via CDBG and Section 108 programsAffordable housing development through HUD HOME program participantsCounty parks and municipal operating support in Dauphin CountyPlace-based public-sector partnerships and pass-through grants to multiple local tourism entities
Who They Fund
local municipalities / park agencieslow- and moderate-income households (affordable housing)
About Dauphin County Economic Development
A defining feature of Dauphin County Economic Development Corp’s grantmaking is the size of its public-purpose awards: in recent years, it has written multi-million-dollar checks for tourism promotion, county parks, housing, and economic development financing. The largest recent grant listed is $3,282,322 to City of Harrisburg Hotel Tourism Tax Participants for tourism promotion, followed by another $2,762,594 award for the same purpose the prior year. That pattern points to a funder that works through municipal and programmatic channels rather than small discretionary grants. The foundation’s portfolio also includes repeated support for Dauphin County itself, including operating support and parks, showing a steady role in local public services. In the economic development lane, it backs financing structures tied to federal programs, including Community Development Block Grant and Section 108 Participants and Hud Home Investments Partnership Program Participants. Across the recent grants list, the recipients are all in the United States, and the giving is centered on place-based projects in and around Harrisburg.
What Dauphin County Economic Development Funds
Tourism promotion is a major theme in the recent grants list. Dauphin County Economic Development Corp gave $3,282,322 to City of Harrisburg Hotel Tourism Tax Participants for tourism promotion in 2025, and $2,762,594 to the same recipient for the same purpose in 2024. Public infrastructure and county services also receive support. The foundation awarded $1,987,321 to Dauphin County for operating support and parks in 2024, then followed with another $1,072,526 for the same recipient and purpose in 2025. Housing and financing programs are another clear lane. It gave $1,070,560 to Hud Home Investments Partnership Program Participants for affordable housing in 2025, and $1,936,626 to Community Development Block Grant and Section 108 Participants for financing economic development in 2025.
How Dauphin County Economic Development Gives
Typical grants are large: the distribution shows a p25 of $1,027,494, a median of $1,928,886, and a p75 of $1,992,570. The recent grants list also shows repeated recipients across years, especially in tourism promotion and county support, which suggests ongoing program funding rather than one-off awards. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent grantmaking appears to run through operating support, project financing, and pass-through public-program vehicles rather than an open application-style model.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$20M
Total Assets
$9.6M
Total Revenue
$8.4M
Total Expenses
$8.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $1M and $2M, with a median of $1.9M.
25th Percentile
$1M
Median
$1.9M
75th Percentile
$2M
Geographic Reach
Regional2 states funded
About 50% of grants go to recipients in PA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
GEORGE CONNOR
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