2026 Racial Equity & Justice Grant Awards
APRIL 2026 — The Marion Community Foundation is proud to announce the distribution of $50,000 in its 2026 Racial Equity & Justice grants. These five community programs are focused on advancing issues of equity and justice locally, addressing critical needs in education, cultural understanding, healthcare, and organizational development.
“The goal of Marion Community Foundation’s Racial Equity and Justice grants is to foster innovative programs to help people overcome challenges and continually build a better community,” said Jody Demo-Hodgins, co-chair of the Racial Equity and Justice grants committee at Marion Community Foundation. “Moving forward takes small, continuous steps and is essential for a community, like Marion, that values all people.”
According to co-chair Nicolle Willis, awards favor applicants who identify and detail a community need and offer a solution that clearly states an effective plan to meet that need. In 2026, grant awards total $50,000 and include:
Fostering Educational Opportunities & Growth
Mayes Community Temple (MCT) | Boys to Men Program and Ladies 101 Program – MCT Boys to Men and Ladies 101 program is a youth-based program, presented by MCT Outreach Ministries which focuses on addressing the consistent need of community-based minority role models, and providing programming that are essential to fostering identity and a sense of belonging.
St. Mary Catholic Church | Summer Enrichment Program — To give a summer push of academic including religion, and to give an engagement to those underserved children about schooling. There are more children coming from other countries that need the summer to learn and feel more confident when they are back to school from their summer vacation providing transportation.
Logos Christian Ministries | Logos Freedom Riders Part 3 — The Logos Freedom Riders set forth on another journey, this time to Tulsa, OK, to explore African-American history.
Encouraging Health & Wellness
St. Mary Catholic Church | Latino Health Fair — To continue offering a Health Fair mainly to our Spanish speaking Marion community that will provide more health care screenings, education, and information while building trust and welcoming Hispanic families in Marion.
Strengthening Organizational Development
Black Heritage Council of Marion | BOOM – This is an enhanced collaboration and collective impact of several Black organizations in Marion.
The Racial Equity & Justice Grant Program is open to any charitable non-profit 501(c)(3) organization or equivalent, including educational, governmental, and religious programs, looking to improve issues of equity and justice in Marion County (Ohio). Funding for the program comes from Marion Community Foundation’s Health Care Fund and the Robert M. & Dorothy C. Wopat Community Fund. The application process is competitive and is held annually in February-March.
The Racial Equity & Justice grant committee consists of co-chairs Demo-Hodgins and Willis and members Hon. Matt Frericks, Jennifer Lawson, Pastor Jackie Peterson, Erin Slater, Candace Floyd, Dana Martin, and Evelyn Olivos Lisiecki, who review
