Conway Family Charitable Fund

The Conway Family Charitable Fund is unique in that it was created from an unexpected donation for the establishment of an unrestricted fund. In 2008, Marion Community Foundation received a substantial gift from the Conway Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, accompanied by a letter asking the Foundation to simply use it for its charitable purposes. Marion Community Foundation’s Board of Directors approved the creation of the Conway Family Charitable Fund from this gift and, as such, it became an unrestricted fund and part of the Community Grants Program.

James Conway and his family, formerly of Marion, were owners of Marion Steel (predecessor to Nucor Steel). The connection is made more significant by virtue of Jim’s previous service on the board of the Ohio MedCenter Foundation, which is the predecessor of Marion Community Foundation. Marion Community Foundation was created in 1998 from the proceeds of the sale of the assets of the former MedCenter Hospital.

The Conway family has, since the fund’s inception, continued to support and grow the fund which has supported a variety of education, social service, and healthcare projects through Marion Community Foundation’s annual Community Grants Program.