Southeast Small Business Grant Available
Up to $20,000 in grant funding to support new and growing businesses at Gonder Place SE.
Commercial Space + $20,000 Small Business Grant (Gonder Place SE)
Canton for All People is now leasing available commercial space connected to My Community Health Center and Sommers Discount Market at
1318 Gonder Ave. SE, Canton, Ohio.
To support new local emerging businesses, we are offering a $20,000 small business grant to help new entrepreneurs get started.
Applications will be accepted from January 1, 2025 – March 15, 2025.
Program Purpose
This program is intended to assist community residents in opening a small business at Gonder Place SE to promote entrepreneurship and job creation in the area. The goal of the grant program is to help small businesses grow in Canton’s Southeast Neighborhood.
To ensure results are achieved, companies are required to report annually for three years following the grant award on their “metric commitments,” including jobs, total payroll, and new investment in the project. Annual reports are confidential and not shared with the public. Project commitments are discussed and agreed upon before the grant is awarded.
How Grant Decisions Are Made
Grant decisions are based on several project factors, including (but not limited to) applicant’s residency, company ownership, jobs created and/or retained, and project fixed asset investment. Support is intended for small-sized companies.
To Qualify, Businesses Must Be
- Registered as a for-profit entity in the State of Ohio and in good standing with the Ohio Department of Taxation.
- Additional points are given if the applicant’s business is at least 51% minority-owned (African American, Hispanic, Asian-Pacific and Native American),
woman-owned, veteran-owned, or owned by an individual with a disability. (See scoring criteria for full details.) - A business-to-business (B2B) company with a portion of sales and revenue generated by selling products, services, or software to other businesses. The business may also sell direct to consumers; however, the grant must support expansion or growth of the B2B side.
Investments in retail operations are not eligible (some back-office distribution or e-commerce businesses may qualify).
Grant Funds May Be Used For
- Site and building improvements, including construction, expansion or renovation, and soft costs associated with site “build-out.”
- Information technology needs, including hardware components (servers) or industry-specific software.
Some qualified training costs (typically related to industry process/software, maintenance or skilled trades, or quality management). - Other costs agreed upon by Canton for All People and the applicant.
Steps to Receiving a Small Business Grant
- Determine eligibility.
If you think you may be eligible for the Gonder Place SE Small Business Grant, fill out the interest form. - Connect with Canton for All People.
Set up a call or meeting with our community organizer, Gino Haynes to discuss your project in more detail. - Agree on metric commitments.
If your project meets eligibility requirements, we’ll collect additional information and discuss job and payroll commitments, as well as your planned investment in the project over the next three years. These commitments will be included in the grant agreement—so realistic projections are important. - Present to the Southeast Resident Committee.
Our Southeast Advisory Team will score eligible projects based on factors including owner residency, company ownership, jobs created/retained, project investment, type of business, and demonstrated need for funding. - Accept the grant (if selected).
You’ll receive a link to complete a pre-populated application and provide supporting documents, including historical financial statements (tax returns are acceptable if annual statements aren’t available), an IRS Form W-9, and an electronic signature verifying the information is correct. - Review and sign the grant agreement.
Canton for All People will generate the agreement based on the application. You’ll receive a copy to review; once confirmed, it will be sent for signature.
Scoring Criteria (55 Points Total)
Applicant’s Residency (10 points) – Resident of Canton’s 4th Ward: 10 points. Resident of the City of Canton: 7.5 points.
Number of Employees (up to 10 points) – Full-time payrolled employees (not 1099) + part-time payrolled employees:
1 point per full-time employee (business owner included), 0.5 point per part-time employee, maximum 10 total points.
Complete Application Submitted (5 points) – Application required follow up but met minimum criteria: 2 points.
Complete application submitted with no follow up needed: 5 points.
Southeast Advisory Committee (15 points)
Sustainability (15 points)
Spaces Available
There are two spaces available at 1318 Gonder Ave. SE. Proposals can be submitted for either space, or for both spaces combined.
Questions? Email Gino
Schedule Your Appointment Today at Canton’s Newest Health Center
My Community Health Center on Gonder Ave. SE opened on
February 5, 2024.
Appointments can be scheduled now for the Gonder location.
📞 Call
330-639-1071
Join the My Community Health Team
Are you interested in serving your community as a member of the
My Community Health team?
There are positions available now.
Sommers Discount Market – SE Canton Is Open!
Sommers Discount Market has opened a new location on Gonder Ave. SE in Canton.
The market is currently looking for individuals to join the SE Market team.
If you’re interested in working in a community-focused environment, we encourage you to apply.
Store Hours
Monday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Our Mission
We create a one-of-a-kind shopping experience by offering excellent service and value, while giving our employees
growth opportunities and the ability to serve each other and our customers.
What Makes Sommers Market Unique
At Sommers Discount Market, you’ll find a variety of groceries that typical stores often won’t carry.
We offer items that other retailers may consider unsellable due to packaging imperfections,
near-expiration dates, or being discontinued.
These items are still safe for consumption — each product is carefully inspected for quality
and date standards before being placed on our shelves.
Rather than restocking based on inventory levels, we buy products when we find exceptional deals.
Because of this, stock changes frequently — giving customers a reason to return often.
Community Support & Funding Partners
We are grateful to community organizations and the City of Canton for helping bring this vision to life.
Major funders for this project include:
- The City of Canton
- The East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church
- The Hoover Foundation
- The Sisters of Charity
- The Stark Community Foundation
- The North Canton Medical Foundation
- The Lemmon Family Foundation
We also thank the United Methodist Churches that have made 10-year financial commitments
to support ongoing operations and future development in the Southeast neighborhood.
- Mt. Olive Baptist Church
- Church of the Lakes Global Methodist Church
- Faith United Methodist Church
- The Tuscarawas District of the United Methodist Church
This Project Was Brought to the Community In Part By
