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Stark County tourism partners: tell locals, guests, and future visitors all about your business or special events with FREE listings on VisitCanton.com.
Visit Canton offers a variety of grant programs to provide support to initiatives that create economic development to the region and increase visitation to Stark County.
Grant funds are awarded for the year/project indicated in the application and are not intended to be a commitment of support for funding in future years for the same or different projects.
All organizations and projects are subject to applicable annual grant application and committee review processes. Annual grant eligibility, application, and committee review processes are subject to change. Confirm and review the current grant eligibility and application details prior to submitting each cycle.
Factors that contribute to grant award determinations:
Grant funds are not eligible to pay for Visit Canton Official Travel Guide advertising or VisitCanton.com sponsored content. Visit Canton Official Travel Guide and VisitCanton.com sponsored content are permissible expenses to include within an overall marketing plan and count toward the organization’s minimum matching 50% in marketing expenses. There must be additional qualifying out-of-county marketing expenses to which any awarded grant funds would be applied.
Have application questions or want to know if your project qualifies for one of the Visit Canton Grant Programs? Please reach out to Community Promotions Manager, Allison Gromofsky at allisong@visitcanton.com or 330.542.6375.
Event Support Grants
Grants will be awarded for the purpose of generating increased visitation and economic impact for the region through the support of major events including but not limited to, conferences, reunions, meetings, sporting events & tournaments, and complementary festivals and events.
Minimum Economic Impact Eligibility = 200 Stark County hotel room nights and/or 400-day visitors
Applications will not be accepted for events taking place within the date ranges of June 13-19, 2025, July 17-20, 2025, or July 30-August 4, 2025.
Project proposals are not limited to, but may focus on one of the following categories:
Project examples within the categories include:
GRANT AWARDS & TIMELINE
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Applications Open for 2025 Events: October 1, 2024
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Grant applications MUST BE submitted at least 60 days before the event start date to be considered for funding.
HOW DO I APPLY?
ONLINE APPLICATION: https://visitcanton.grantplatform.com/
Have application questions or want to know if your event qualifies for the Event Support Grants? Please reach out to Community Promotions Manager, Allison Gromofsky at allisong@visitcanton.com or 330.542.6375.
Event Organizer will be assigned a Visit Canton Event Service Team Member with a grant inquiry or start of a new grant application. Visit Canton will notify grant award recipients following approval by the Event Support Grant Committee and will continue to work with the assigned Event Service Team Member through the completion of the event.
Cultural Tourism Grants
Visit Canton in partnership with ArtsinStark will award Cultural Tourism Grants up to $20,000 to each approved marketing or event initiative. Grants will be awarded for the purpose of generating increased visitation and economic impact for the region through the support of arts and culture events and marketing initiatives. The initiatives must encompass visual arts, museums, performing arts, theaters, attractions, authentic historic and cultural places, and events to encounter traditions, history, music, and art.
Project proposals are not limited to, but may focus on one of the following categories:
Project examples within the categories include:
GRANT AWARDS AND TIMELINE
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Projects taking place between January 1-May 31, 2025
Applications Open: October 1, 2024
Applications Due by 5:00PM: November 1, 2024
Final Award Emails: By December 10, 2024
Projects taking place between June 1- December 31, 2025
Applications Open: March 1, 2025
Applications Due by 5:00PM: April 1, 2025
Final Award Emails: By May 1, 2025
HOW DO I APPLY?
ONLINE APPLICATION: APPLICATIONS OPEN MARCH 1, 2025
Have application questions or want to know if your project qualifies for the Cultural Tourism Grants? Please reach out to Community Promotions Manager, Allison Gromofsky at allisong@visitcanton.com or 330.542.6375.
Visit Canton Marketing Co-Ops
Apply for Visit Canton Marketing co-op support toward your tourism marketing initiatives. Include Visit Canton brand elements and be reimbursed up to 50% of the expense for approved marketing initiatives that reach day trips and overnight audiences'.
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Projects taking place between January 1-May 31, 2025
Applications Open: October 1, 2024
Applications Due by 5:00PM: November 1, 2024
Final Awards Emails: By December 10, 2024
Projects taking place between June 1- December 31, 2025
Applications Open: March 1, 2025
Applications Due by 5:00PM: April 1, 2025
Final Awards Emails: By May 1, 2025
ONLINE APPLICATION: APPLICATIONS OPEN MARCH 1, 2025
Have application questions or want to know if your marketing campaign qualifies for a Marketing Co-Op? Please reach out to Community Promotions Manager, Allison Gromofsky at allisong@visitcanton.com or 330.542.6375.
Press Releases
Media: Find out more information about the grant awards that have been awarded.
Looking for an example of how to put together your organization's budget for the grant application? We have an editable budget worksheet for your organization to use!
Putting together your PR plan for your grant application? Use this editable form to help guide you when putting together your PR/Promotional Plan!
When showcasing a quantitative demonstration of benefits for a project, which must include economic impact projections and other measurable data demonstrating a benefit to the local economy, please use Tourism Ohio’s Visitor Impact Spending Numbers:
Any changes impacting the eligibility and/or use of grant funds awarded to your project including changes to the date or venue, changes to the approved programming, decreases in the operating or marketing budget, or changes to the approved marketing buys must be submitted at least 30 DAYS before the project execution. Failure to provide the required updated information may result in the unintended misuse of grant funds, resulting in forfeiture of any balance due, collection of unused funds, and collection of funds applied towards ineligible expenses.
When do I need to submit a Grant Request Change Form?
An ArtsinStark/Visit Canton Cultural Tourism Grant Request Change Form needs to be submitted when there are modifications to the scope of the awarded project. For example:
Directions for Partners:
Have a question about your project or need to submit your form? Please email Visit Canton Promotions & Grants Manager, Allison Gromofsky, at allisong@visitcanton.
SCORE Canton provides free and confidential business advice and counseling tailored to meet the needs of your small business, non-profit organization, and project objectives. Succeed with a SCORE Mentor!
Plus, with a plethora of FREE online webinars, you are sure to find the help you need to take your project or business to the next level.
The Stark Library is a Foundation Center Funding Information Network partner. As a member of this nationwide network of libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit agencies, the Stark Library provides visitors with free public access to quality research materials.
Visit the Main Library (715 Market Ave N, Canton, OH 44702) for free public access to Foundation Center databases, directories, fundraising and philanthropy publications, and training resources.
Additional Grant Opportunities
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