Canton Rotary Marks $400,000 Giving Milestone

The Rotary Club of Canton is celebrating over a decade of philanthropic investments after surpassing $400,000 in grants awarded to local nonprofits working to strengthen Canton.

In 2015, the Rotary awarded its first grant to the City of Canton in support of architectural planning for Centennial Plaza. Over a decade later, its funding has supported both smaller initiatives and major projects—including the new Canton Palace Theatre renovations and Stark County District Library’s main building—as well as local nonprofits impacting Canton.

“We’ve awarded $402,000 to support around 40 different organizations, ranging from the J. Babe Stearn Community Center to Whispering Grace Horses,” said Tom Clevenger, treasurer of the Rotary Club of Canton. “That’s what excites us— helping organizations that need support to keep going.”

One key program unique to the Rotary is its process for selecting grant recipients. Every year, the Canton Rotary Club's 100 members have the opportunity to recommend organizations to the board to be considered for financial support. The members’ different backgrounds and careers bring expertise and varying perspectives to the consideration process, highlighting needs that may not have otherwise been brought to the Rotary’s attention. 

The Rotary’s endowment committee then steps in, verifies the organizations and narrows down funding decisions to support programs that enrich the lives of children, families and neighborhoods across the Canton community. All these steps ensure that the Rotary upholds its commitment to “service above self.”

As part of its 2026 grant cycle, Rotary invested in five organizations working to make a difference in the community:

• EN-RICH-MENT received $3,000 to expand access to education, arts, health and life skills for local youth.
• Feed Kids First received $3,000 to support Canton City School District students.
• Girls on the Run received $3,000 to continue improving the health and wellness of girls ages 8 to 13.
• Mount Zion Community Development Corporation received $5,000 to strengthen its opioid crisis initiatives and health and wellness events.
• Stark Education Partnership received $3,000 to fund Canton City School District’s Youth Science Project.

In addition to its annual grants, the Rotary continues to honor multi-year commitments supporting large local projects, including a $100,000 commitment over four years to the Canton Palace Theatre Association and a $25,000 commitment over three years to the Stark County District Library. 

Outside of these annual cycles, the Rotary Club of Canton also uses its endowment fund at Stark Community Foundation to respond to emerging needs that align with its mission. 

Recently, Buckeye Council, Boy Scouts of America was in need of funding for its waterfront shower house and program area facility at its Seven Ranges Scout Reservation in Kensington. Canton Rotary was able to make this project a reality by providing $10,000. The new facility was completed in May and has already elevated the camp experience for more than 3,000 campers this summer by providing modern, private restrooms and a gathering place to enjoy the lake. 

Through its mixed approach to funding, the Rotary is able to meet evolving community challenges of all levels, while honoring the values and opinions of its members. 

“I think we try to stay very in tune with what the current needs are,” said Jennifer George, president of the Rotary Club of Canton. “In the last several years we have focused on children, food accessibility and transportation. We try to maintain flexibility to address initiatives that need our support the most.”

That flexibility has inspired Rotarians to not only provide funding but also volunteer their time with local nonprofits. Most recently, the group helped the Stark County Hunger Task Force assemble food packs for its backpack program that provides meals for school-aged children over the summer. 

“As Rotarians, we enjoy being involved and seeing the project firsthand instead of just handing out the funds,” said Clevenger. “It’s a win for our club members and for the organization.”

For George, this commitment to the community sets the Rotary apart. 

“I worked at nonprofits all my career, and I’d always heard about the good work the Canton Rotary was doing,” said George. “We’ve been operating for 111 years— we have a long history of being philanthropic, coming together to champion our community and supporting each other.”

As the Canton Rotary celebrates this giving milestone, its leaders and members remain dedicated to supporting nonprofits that are strengthening Canton every day. 

Learn more about the Rotary Club of Canton at www.cantonrotary.org.