Republicans will tap their 2016 presidential nominee in mid-July, about a month earlier than usual.

Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus announced Wednesday the GOP’s national convention will be held July 18-21 in Cleveland.

“A convention in July is a historic success for our party and future nominee,” Priebus said.

Moving up next year’s convention is aimed at giving the GOP presidential nominee earlier access to funding for the general election and more time to coalesce support after the primary season. In 2012, Mitt Romney effectively clinched the nomination in late March but then couldn’t tap into general election funds until the convention in late August.

This is just one change Priebus has sought to better position the Republican standard-bearer. In other moves, the chairman is trying to reduce the number of primary debates and consolidate the primary calendar to avoid a repeat of what he’s called the “slice and dice festival” of Romney that occurred in 2012.

The RNC had also been looking at dates in June for next year’s event. The last time Republicans held a national convention in July was in 1980, when Ronald Reagan accepted the party’s nomination in Detroit.

Democrats will hold their 2016 convention in New York City, Philadelphia or Columbus, Ohio and have been looking at dates in July and August.