§ 153. Explore New York state grant program. 1. The department shall create a new grant program designed to encourage an integrated thematic approach to tourism promotion. The program shall provide state matching funds to eligible entities not to exceed fifty thousand dollars annually. Eligible entities shall include two or more counties, or a series or collection of thematically related entities, choosing to market multiple, thematically related assets or activities in a single marketing campaign. The commissioner is directed to establish guidelines and an application process.

2. The New York state tourism advisory council shall review requests for proposals and will recommend project applications deemed to meet the intent of the program to the department.

3. Grantees will report semiannually to the department on activities and progress of the grant. The department shall report annually pursuant to subdivision three of section one hundred fifty-one of this article. Nothing in this article shall prohibit any county, or any entities within the counties of the state from receiving multiple grants under the program in a single year provided that they are for separate and distinct marketing campaigns.