The Gibson Brothers bluegrass band performs in 2014 at the Olympic Center’s 1932 Rink. The Gibson Brothers will be back in Lake Placid on Friday at the North Elba Show Grounds as part of the Open Sky Arts Festival, which received funding from the North Elba LEAF program. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)

LAKE PLACID — The town of North Elba’s Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund is accepting applications for its second round of grant funding. The deadline for submission is Sept. 1.

North Elba LEAF is an ongoing fund available to nonprofits, local governments and public sector organizations within the town of North Elba. Money is awarded for projects, programs and facilities that will have a direct benefit to North Elba residents and visitors. Projects must address a significant need in the community, not rely on ongoing funding from LEAF, be completed within a defined timeframe and be executed by an organization that demonstrates sound administration and financial management.

Money in the fund comes from Essex County’s 5% occupancy tax on all hotel, motel and vacation rental stays. The tax was increased to 5%, from 3%, by the Essex County Board of Supervisors last year, and some of the revenue from that 2% increase goes into North Elba LEAF.

“The funds available from LEAF will improve the quality of life for residents and quality of place for visitors,” North Elba town Supervisor Jay Rand said in a statement. “We are looking forward to the next round of applications that will result in the betterment of the community as a whole.”

First-round awards were announced in April 2021.

The projects recommended by the LEAF committee and approved by the Town of North Elba were submitted by the following 17 nonprofits, local governments, and public sector organizations: the Rotary Club of Lake Placid, Barkeater Trails Alliance, Zonta Club of the Adirondacks, Ausable River Association, Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Lake Placid Community Day, Lake Placid Community Beautification Association, Lake Placid Elementary School, Lake Placid Land Conservancy, Adirondack Land Trust, village of Saranac Lake, Lake Placid Volunteer Ambulance, Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society, Lake Placid Central School District, village of Lake Placid, Mirror Lake Watershed and the Essex County Industrial Development Agency.

North Elba LEAF disbursed a total of $560,265 in the first round.

Grant approvals are a two step process. The North Elba LEAF committee, after reviewing all eligible applications, will make recommendations to the North Elba Town Council for final approval. Committee support, grant administration and grant compliance will be provided by the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism.

“Looking forward, we’re all very excited,” said Mary Jane Lawrence, chief operating officer for ROOST. “Everything approved in the first round will have a positive impact on North Elba, and it will be very exciting to see how the second round of applications will continue to better the community.”

Details on how to apply and the scoring criteria are available at www.roostadk.com/leaf. Applications for the second round of funding will be accepted until Sept. 1. The town council approval will be no later than Nov. 1.