Stark County Convention & Visitors'
The Stark County Convention & Visitors' Bureau, operating as Visit Canton, is a nonprofit travel and tourism organization based in Canton, Ohio. Founded in 1980, the organization serves as the official convention and visitors bureau for Stark County, with a staff of approximately 13-26 employees. The bureau operates as a 501(c)(6) organization.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.5M
+12.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$597K
+25.5% YoY
Grant Count
18
-25.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
+67.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission of the Stark County Convention & Visitors' Bureau is to attract and engage visitors, serve and educate regional tourism partners, and generate economic growth for the community through travel and tourism development. The organization engages in regional economic development strategy conversations that use travel and tourism to develop and enhance the communities of Stark County.
Grantmaking
The organization is an active grantmaker, investing over $1.2 million in cultural tourism, destination enhancement, and event support grants to create additional visitor spending for the region. Grant amounts typically range from $5,115 to $289,198.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization focuses on Stark County, Ohio and the surrounding region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $6,635,149
- Total Revenues: $4,078,466
- Total Expenses: $3,181,262
- Total Giving: $724,629
Earlier Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $7,488,208
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,488,208 | $6,635,149 | $5,126,753 |
| Revenue | $4,080,878 | $4,078,466 | $3,704,773 |
| Expenses | $4,095,286 | $3,181,262 | $3,282,201 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $127,750 | $132,456 | $83,787 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Stark County Convention & Visitors'
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Arts in Stark ($166,339), Massillon Museum ($131,782), Canton Museum of Art ($52,003).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARTS IN STARK CANTON, OH | ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $166,339 |
| BEECH CREEK BOTANICAL GARDEN ALLIANCE, OH | ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $5,386 |
| BLUECOATS DRUM & BUGLE CORPS NORTH CANTON, OH | ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $20,000 |
| CANTON BALLET CANTON, OH | ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $24,250 |
| CANTON MUSEUM OF ART CANTON, OH | MAJOR EXHIBITION GRANT AND ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $52,003 |
| CANTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ASSO CATON, OH | ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $34,300 |
| DRESSLER PUB GROUP CANTON, OH | ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $20,000 |
| EN-RICH-MENT CANTON, OH | ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $14,000 |
| HARTVILLE KITCHEN HARTVILLE, OH | ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $11,912 |
| JACKSON TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES MASSILLON, OH | ARTS & CULTURAL TOURISM | $13,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key staff members include:
- Allyson Bussey, President
- Rosie Kurtz, Comptroller
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allyson Bussey | President | 37.5 | $166,810 |
| Derek Gordon | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Susie Steiner | Vice Chair | 3 | — |
| Chris Nichols | Chairman | 1 | — |
| Ed Murray | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Anne Graffice | Director | 1 | — |
| Barb Abbott | Director | 1 | — |
| Clayton Popic | Director | 1 | — |
| Dan Dehoff | Director | 1 | — |
| David Lee | Director | 1 | — |
| Greg Miller | Director | 1 | — |
| Joe Horrigan | Director | 1 | — |
| Lynn Shimko | Director | 1 | — |
| Maureen Ater | Director | 1 | — |
| Ren Camacho | Director | 1 | — |
| Scott Swaldo | Director | 1 | — |
| Sherry Groom | Director | 1 | — |
| Stephen MacKenzie | Director | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2023, Visit Canton attracted 671 events with a total of 273,188 visitors to the region for tours, meetings, or events, which generated over $55.5 million in visitor spending to the community. The organization's marketing tracked over 5 million impressions across multiple platforms.
Visit Canton Grant ProgramsThe organization has partnered with ArtsinStark on funding projects to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Recent grant recipients in cultural tourism include 15 Stark County organizations that received funding support.
15 Stark County organizations get cultural tourism grants. See which onesFrequently Asked Questions
What does Stark County Convention & Visitors' fund?
The mission of the Stark County Convention & Visitors' Bureau is to attract and engage visitors, serve and educate regional tourism partners, and generate economic growth for the community through travel and tourism development. The organization engages in regional economic development strategy conversations that use travel and tourism to develop and enhance the communities of Stark County.
How do I apply for a grant from Stark County Convention & Visitors'?
The organization is an active grantmaker, investing over $1.2 million in cultural tourism, destination enhancement, and event support grants to create additional visitor spending for the region. Grant amounts typically range from $5,115 to $289,198. Recent grant recipients have included the Canton Symphony Orchestra Association. The organization offers grant programs to promote tourism in Stark County, with funding available for cultural tourism projects and destination enhancement initiatives.
Where does Stark County Convention & Visitors' make grants?
The organization focuses on Stark County, Ohio and the surrounding region.
What size grants does Stark County Convention & Visitors' award?
In 2024, Stark County Convention & Visitors' awarded 18 grants totaling $597K — an average of about $33K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Stark County Convention & Visitors''s EIN?
Stark County Convention & Visitors''s EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4985751. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Stark County Convention & Visitors''s focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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