A report commissioned to evaluate the spending and economic impact of the P.E.I. 2014 celebrations highlights what worked and what didn't from the $26 million in federal, provincial and municipal funding.

Here are some of the findings in the report, prepared by MRSB Consulting Services for P.E.I.'s Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

Around two-thirds of the 161 community projects that received grants from up to $2,000 and $200,000 from the $4.7-million P.E.I. 2014 Fund have no living legacy, the report said. Most of the funding went to one-off events, such as concerts, exhibits, theatre productions, community Canada Day celebrations, conferences and sporting events.

But 36 per cent of the projects can be experienced in some form today, including an art trail in Montague, a 70-page graphic novel telling the story of P.E.I.'s connection to Confederation, and the Legacy Garden at the Farm Centre in Charlottetown.

The report notes "89 per cent of recipients indicated they would not have been able to host the event without P.E.I. 2014 Inc. support. The other recipients indicated the support had allowed them to enhance their project or event."

The report estimates just over 455,000 people attended P.E.I. 2014-funded community events, 69 per cent of these being Islanders, based on reports submitted.

MRSB also said these projects increased appreciation for P.E.I. arts, culture and heritage, and fostered a sense of belonging and community pride.

Of people surveyed at 2014 celebrations, between 73 and 84 per cent agreed community spirit had been enhanced, 56 to 79 per cent said they were encouraged to participate in a variety of cultural activities by Islanders, 53 to 79 per cent felt it had strengthened arts, culture and heritage platforms on P.E.I., and between 47 and 71 per cent believed it had increased local cultural identity.

Grant recipient reports said it "provided a lasting benefit," with 39 per cent saying their projects helped generate increased awareness of their community, build community connections and foster ideas for new projects.

"These outcomes, although intangible, were viewed as having lasting benefits to the community and to ongoing events," the report states.

P.E.I. 2014 Productions staged five large-scale events to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, including two New Year's Eve celebrations, a Canada Day event, and the 70-day Celebration Zone on the Charlottetown waterfront.

Founders Week, in late August and early September, included the tall ships visit to Charlottetown and Summerside and the sold-out Shania Twain concert.

The report says 60 per cent of the 22,000 people who attended that concert were from off-Island, helping Founders Week generate the most tourist dollars of any one project, at $5.9 million.

The 70-day Celebration Zone was a close second, generating $5.8 million despite it being a free admission venue. The Canada Day celebrations in Charlottetown came in third at $1.2 million.

The MRSB report found 69 per cent of all tourist dollars raised through the five events were spent by off-Island visitors.

The MRSB report crunched results from on-site surveys of people attending P.E.I. 2014 productions and supported events, and found on average most attendees — at about 90 per cent — were satisfied with the events.

However, surveys also found only 53 per cent of visitors from off-Island would recommend others attend a P.E.I. 2014 event, while 60 per cent of P.E.I. residents surveyed said they would recommend P.E.I. 2014 events to others.

Provincial tourism officials set a target to increase tourism revenues by five per cent in 2014. That was more than achieved, with a 5.1 per cent increase to just over $400 million — the highest gain in 10 years, the report said. In contrast, tourism revenues in neighbouring New Brunswick only increased three per cent that year, and tourism revenues nationally increased 3.3 per cent.

But the report goes on to conclude P.E.I. 2014 events were responsible for only 10 per cent of tourism spending that year — around $40 million.

Tourism expenditures influenced by P.E.I. 2014 celebrations contributed almost $18 million in taxes, the report concludes.

"All three levels of government would have experienced a decline in taxes compared to 2013 had the P.E.I. 2014 celebrations not been held in 2014," it states.