Regional Planning recommends Stark nonprofits for state grants tied to pandemic

• The Ohio Department of Development offered the county half a million to allocate to nonprofit public services for expenses relating to the pandemic.
• The county received 35 applications requesting more than $3.6 million.

CANTON – The Stark County Regional Planning Commission has made recommendations to the county commissioners on how to allocate $500,000 in state grant funds related to the pandemic.

The Ohio Department of Development’s Office of Community Development has offered Stark $500,000 to allocate to nonprofit public services pertaining to COVID prevention and response. The money is left over from Ohio's Community Development Block Grant CARES Act allocation.

Diane Sheridan, chief of community development at the Stark County Regional Planning Commission, told the commissioners during a work session Monday the commission received 35 applications requesting more than $3.6 million. She said the state wants the funds to focus on payroll expenses stemming from the pandemic.

The commission made the following recommendations:

• ICAN Housing: $185,000
• Aultman Alliance Community Hospital: $100,000
• Aultman Hospital: $100,000
• The Stock Pile: $30,000
• Warrior Beat: $3,000
• Alliance for Children & Families: $35,000
• Domestic Violence Project Inc.: $27,000
• Beacon Charitable Pharmacy: $15,000

The proposed funding would be used for payroll, except for Warrior Beat's allocation, which would go toward COVID supplies.

The recommendations need approval from the commissioners to move forward. Sheridan estimated the board will take formal action the second week of April.

Reach Paige at 330-580-8577, pmbennett@gannett.com or on Twitter @paigembenn.