MARION, OH – Marion Community Foundation is marking its 25th anniversary year by awarding $650,000 in scholarships and community-based grants for Marion, Ohio, announced Board of Directors chair Francis Voll, following the April meeting.
“We’ve had tremendous growth in our first 25 years,” said Voll, currently serving his second term on the board of the local foundation. “With that growth comes the opportunity to make a bigger and bigger impact on the quality of life in Marion.”
Since its inception in 1998, Marion Community Foundation has been governed by a 15-member Board of Directors, who recently approved awards for the Foundation’s annual Scholarship Program as well as several categories of grants -- including the TEACH Grants for Marion and Morrow counties, the Racial Equity & Justice Grants, and awards from Field of Interest funds, among others.
The Board approved $485,000 in scholarship awards for 184 area high school seniors and graduates for the 2023-24 academic year. These awards come from 147 scholarship funds created by local donors, including eight new scholarship funds awarding for the first time. These include: American Legion Post 162 Scholarship, Beth Bayles Memorial Scholarship, Charles R. Crisler Memorial Scholarship, Randy & Rosalie Drazba Scholarship, Kannan Family Scholarship, Mitchell Libster Scholarship, Mountz Girls Scholarship and the Willie "Beaver" Troutman Scholarship. Students can visit the Foundation’s website at www.MarionCommunityFoundation.org to see the official list of scholarship recipients and awards.
Three grant programs were also acted upon by the Board, providing funding for local nonprofits and charities. Awards approved in April include $54,000 in Racial Equity & Justice grants to seven organizations seeking to advance issues of equity and justice in Marion County; nearly $18,000 in TEACH (Teaching Educating And Classroom Help) grants to support classroom teachers in Marion and Morrow counties for innovative programs in their schools; and, $53,000 to 20 local organizations from the Foundation’s 12 Field of Interest funds. Field of Interest funds are created by individual donors wishing to support community groups and programs in their specific areas of interest and passion. Details are available under the Grants tab of the Foundation’s website, www.MarionCommunityFoundation.org.
Since its inception in 1998, Marion Community Foundation has grown from one charitable endowment to more than 430 funds and $58 million in assets. The Foundation will mark its 25th birthday on June 2 of this year and an anniversary celebration is being planned for August.
“We are fortunate to live in a very generous community,” said Voll. “The people of Marion support each other and, through Marion Community Foundation, are supporting our hard-working, local nonprofits and charities for generations to come, making the Foundation’s motto ‘For You. For Marion. Forever.’ ring true.”
Marion Community Foundation is located inside the historic Stengel-True Mansion at 504 S. State St. in Marion. Office hours are weekdays 9am-5pm. The staff of seven includes: Dean Jacob, Kathy Conley, Diane Mault, Julie Prettyman, Diana Rinesmith, Lori Stevenson, and Cheryl Wickersham, all of whom may be reached by calling 740-387-9704.
Board of Directors chair Francis Voll