Canton Opens Program for Small Business Relief

CANTON, Ohio (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – The city of Canton is accepting applications for federal funding for small-business coronavirus relief.

The Canton Cares Small Business Grant Program for COVID-19 Emergency Relief is taking those online applications at the city’s website between 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 27 and 8 p.m. Thursday May 28.

Businesses with under 25 full-time-equivalent employees could get up to $5000 to cover all the expenses related to the business slowdown.

Here’s the press release from the mayor’s office:

CANTON, Ohio – The City of Canton announced today that applications for the “Canton Cares Small Business
Grant Program for COVID-19 Emergency Relief” will be available tomorrow, Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 8:00
AM thru Thursday, May, 28 at 8:00PM, online at www.cantonohio.gov.

The grant awards under this program are for financial assistance to small businesses within the City of Canton in responding to the COVID-10 pandemic.

Businesses located within the City of Canton with 25 or less Full Time Equivalent employees are eligible to apply
for a grant of up to $5,000. Priority will be given to businesses that demonstrate a record of successful business
operations with the potential for continuing viability.

This program is funded by $200,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and is subject
to CDBG guidelines.

pplications will be processed and scored by the Economic and Community Development Institute, Inc. (ECDI), a subcontractor of the City of Canton for purposes of administering this program.

Grants will be awarded based on eligibility and relative scoring.

The City of Canton Office of Community Development will announce the award of grant funds on Monday, June 8, 2020, and will distribute grant funds beginning the week of June 8, 2020, pending receipt of all signed documentation.

Canton Mayor Thomas M. Bernabei said: “We are excited to finally move forward with this program. Our goal is to
accept and process applications and to get these grants out to our Canton small businesses as soon as possible. We
know that the need is great and immediate.”

For more information, please contact Christopher Hardesty by phone at (330) 438-4306 or by email at
[email protected].