Since 2022, The New Growth Group, LLC (New Growth) has partnered with key institutions in Stark County, Ohio—including the City of Canton, Stark Economic Development Board (SEDB), and Stark State College (SSC). This strategic collaboration focuses on enhancing the region’s ability to secure competitive funding for economic revitalization and workforce advancement. By providing specialized grant expertise, New Growth has helped local institutions design and pursue high-impact initiatives that strengthen Stark County’s economic foundation and future.

One of the most notable milestones from this partnership is positioning Stark County as a finalist in the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Recompete Pilot Program, which targets areas with high prime-age employment gaps to reduce long-term economic distress. As part of this effort, the team secured a $476,800 strategy development grant for Reconnecting Canton, a comprehensive regional plan addressing systemic barriers to employment, economic mobility, and prosperity. The region is now well-positioned to pursue a future EDA Phase 2 Implementation Grant.

Higher Education Partnership Stark State College, Ohio’s fourth-largest two-year institution, serves over 10,000 students across multiple campuses and offers more than 200 associate degrees and certificates. SSC plays a critical role in building affordable STEM and workforce education pathways that lead directly to employment or advanced degrees. Over a three-year engagement, New Growth has supported Stark State College in securing more than $4.5 million in competitive federal and state grants, including awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Labor. These grants have funded innovative programs in health technologies, advanced manufacturing, and work-based learning initiatives.

Beyond writing grant applications, New Growth provides strategic funding forecasts aligned with SSC’s institutional priorities and workforce focus areas. Previous phases of the engagement included helping SSC build internal grants management capacity and ensure compliance—laying the groundwork for sustainable, long-term success.

Impact and Outlook

This partnership exemplifies the power of collaborative grant strategy to drive economic resilience in regions undergoing transformation. By aligning grant opportunities with local needs and providing end-to-end support—from project development to proposal writing and compliance—New Growth Group has helped Stark County institutions expand their impact and readiness for future investment.

Looking ahead, the partnership will continue to pursue high-impact opportunities, including the EDA Phase 2 Implementation Grant and emerging discretionary grant programs focused on teacher training, National Science Foundation investments to promote AI in education and healthcare, and the Department of Labor’s infrastructure workforce development programs.