The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau is a business league and destination marketing organization (DMO) classified as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit. Located in State College, Pennsylvania, the organization serves Centre County and functions as the official source for tourism information and promotion in the region. The bureau operates with 26 employees and maintains its headquarters at 204 W. Beaver Ave., State College, PA 16801.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.6M
+13.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
+65.5% YoY
Grant Count
53
+20.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
+37.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Promote Centre County as a place for vacations and conventions.
The organization's primary purpose is to promote and advertise the recreational advantages, attractions, and places of interest in Centre County while encouraging tourist travel and convention activities. The bureau works to position Centre County as a 365-day-a-year destination and serves as the #1 source for information on lodging, meetings/conventions, restaurants, shopping, attractions, events, and area maps.
Grantmaking
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau is an active grantmaker focused on tourism promotion within Centre County.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization focuses exclusively on Centre County, Pennsylvania, serving as the destination marketing organization for the region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year 2024 (ending June 30):
- Total Revenue: $6,039,710
- Total Expenses: $5,728,458
- Net Income: $311,252
- Total Assets: $3,609,493
- Net Assets: $284,321
- Total Liabilities: $3,33,000
The organization maintains a strong financial position with revenues exceeding expenses and substantial asset holdings.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,609,493 | $3,189,865 | $2,631,667 |
| Revenue | $6,039,710 | $5,016,257 | $5,014,225 |
| Expenses | $5,728,458 | $4,876,314 | $4,203,958 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $30,752 | $19,865 | $8,144 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
159 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The State Theatre Inc - Tm ($77,500), Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Artsfirst Night State College ($75,000), Central Pa July 4th Inc (4th Fest) ($45,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 3 DOTS DOWNTOWN STATE COLLEGE, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $21,000 |
| APPLE HILL ANTIQUES STATE COLLEGE, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $6,000 |
| BELLEFONTE ART MUSEUM OF CENTRE COUNTY - TE BELLEFONTE, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $23,600 |
| BELLEFONTE VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS BELLEFONTE, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $10,000 |
| BRYCE JORDAN CENTER UNIVERSITY PARK, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $35,000 |
| C3 SPORTS LLC - TE STATE COLLEGE, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $20,000 |
| CENTRAL PA JULY 4TH INC (4TH FEST) STATE COLLEGE, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $45,000 |
| CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FESTIVAL OF THE ARTSFIRST NIGHT STATE COLLEGE STATE COLLEGE, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $75,000 |
| CENTRE COUNTY GRANGE ENCAMPMENT & FAIR - TM CENTRE HALL, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $35,000 |
| CENTRE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (1) - TM STATE COLLEGE, PA | TOURISM PROMOTION | $21,040 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Fritz Smith serves as President and CEO of the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEFF BOWER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MIKE CROCE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEN BROOKS-STAHL | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE PETERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAVID CAPPERELLA | VICE-PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| EDWARD TUBBS | PAST PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| GREG SCOTT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MIKE SZCZESNY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| VINCE MCDONALD | DIRECTOR, TREASURER | 1 | — |
| DEB NARDONE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOE LEAHEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JULIAN MORALES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GARY BRANDEIS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TOM FOUNTAINE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| AMBER CONCEPCION | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ERIC RUSNAK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TIM BOWSER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SITA FREDERICK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| FREDERICK SMITH | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $162,333 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau announced a record-breaking $1.1 million allocation in tourism grants for the 2025–26 fiscal year, representing a significant increase from previous grant cycles. This expansion reflects the organization's growing commitment to supporting local events and tourism-related projects throughout Centre County.
Grant Program - HappyValley.comFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau fund?
**Mission:** Promote Centre County as a place for vacations and conventions. The organization's primary purpose is to promote and advertise the recreational advantages, attractions, and places of interest in Centre County while encouraging tourist travel and convention activities. The bureau works to position Centre County as a 365-day-a-year destination and serves as the #1 source for information on lodging, meetings/conventions, restaurants, shopping, attractions, events, and area maps.
How do I apply for a grant from The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau?
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau is an active grantmaker focused on tourism promotion within Centre County. **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • State Theatre: $77,500 (Tourism Promotion) • Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts: $75,000 (Tourism Promotion) • Central Pennsylvania July 4th: $45,000 (Tourism Promotion) • Total grants made: $755,140+ across 37+ grants in 2024 **Record Allocation:** The organization allocated a record-breaking $1.1 million in tourism grants for 2025–26, demonstr…
Where does The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau make grants?
The organization focuses exclusively on Centre County, Pennsylvania, serving as the destination marketing organization for the region.
What size grants does The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau award?
In 2024, The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau awarded 53 grants totaling $1.0M — an average of about $19K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau's EIN?
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1286646. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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