2023 Field of Interest Grants
Field of Interest Funds offer donors the opportunity to support a specific cause or area of interest that is important to them. Marion Community Foundation researches and selects organizations matching these areas of interest.
In 2023, the 12 Field of Interest funds at Marion Community Foundation will award grants to support 14 different areas of interest.
The Foundation’s 5-member Grants Committee reviews the nonprofits for the Field of Interest funds and make recommendations to the Board of Directors for approval.
In 2023, Marion Community Foundation’s Field of Interest funds have awarded $53,796 to 20 organizations and programs.
2023 Field in Interest Grant Awards
Jerry Grubaugh Memorial Fund | $5,000 to CAF America
The Grubaugh Fund supports health care programs in the Dominican Republic, where Jerry lived and worked for many years. CAF America will provide the grant to Habitat for Humanity International Republica Dominicana. Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. They build impact in the community by improving the living conditions of families and advocating for partnerships to increase housing access for low-income families. Habitat seeks to impact society as a whole and to inspire people to advocate for housing as a human right.
Learn more: Jerry Grubaugh Memorial Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Helen Cunningham Handicapped Fund | $4,704 to Center Street Community Health Center
The Cunningham Fund, created by Society for the Handicapped of Marion County to honor longtime advocate Helen Cunningham, supports Helen’s life-long mission of helping others who need it most by awarding grants to programs and organizations which assist persons with disabilities. This award will provide financial support for individual requests for health services at the Center Street Community Health Center.
Learn more: Helen Cunningham Handicapped Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Child Care Choices Fund | $1,181 to Emanuel Lutheran Preschool & Daycare
This fund awards grants to support a qualified childcare provider. Specifically, the grant funds are intended to improve programming and for staff development, such as curricula materials, playground equipment, and classroom materials with a focus on literacy, math, and science, and professional development of staff members. The 2023 award supports Emanuel Lutheran Preschool & Daycare.
Learn more: Child Care Choices Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Patricia Anne Chapman Animal Welfare Fund | $400 to Homeless to Home Animal Rescue & Cat Sanctuary
The Chapman Fund supports animal welfare in Marion County (Ohio). This award will assist Homeless to Home to spay and neuter stray cats and general care of animals in their shelter.
Patricia Anne Chapman Animal Welfare Fund | $404 to Marion Area Humane Society
The Chapman Fund supports animal welfare in Marion County (Ohio). This award will assist the local Humane Society with expenses to spay and neuter stray cats and dogs and with the general care of animals in their shelter.
Learn more: Patricia Anne Chapman Animal Welfare Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Marion Speech and Hearing Fund | $10,171 to Marion County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Created by Marion Speech and Hearing Center, Inc. in 2018, this Field of Interest fund supports habilitative and rehabilitative services for individuals with speech, language, and hearing impairments, including hearing aids, evaluation, testing, diagnosis, therapy, counseling, and referral to additional appropriate therapy/treatment services in Marion County, Ohio. This year’s grant will assist MCBDD and their clients who need speech and hearing services.
Marion Speech and Hearing Fund | $5,000 to Marion General Hospital Foundation
Created by Marion Speech and Hearing Center, Inc. in 2018, this Field of Interest fund supports habilitative and rehabilitative services for individuals with speech, language, and hearing impairments, including hearing aids, evaluation, testing, diagnosis, therapy, counseling, and referral to additional appropriate therapy/treatment services in Marion County, Ohio. This year’s grant will assist patients at Marion General Hospital in need of speech and hearing services.
Learn more: Marion Speech and Hearing Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Francis & Thelma Wise Fund | $1,370 to Marion Family YMCA
The Wise Fund supports, among other health-related causes, programs to improve the lives of those with arthritis. This award supports the local YMCA’s arthritis exercise programs.
Francis & Thelma Wise Fund | $1,370 to Marion Family YMCA
The Wise Fund supports, among other health-related causes, programs to improve the lives of those with Parkinson’s Disease. This award supports the local YMCA’s Delay the Disease program.
Francis & Thelma Wise Fund | $1,370 to Prevent Blindness Ohio Affiliate
The Wise Fund supports, among other health-related causes, programs to improve the lives of those with vision impairment and blindness. This award supports the Prevent Blindness Ohio Affiliate.
Learn more: Francis & Thelma Wise Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Dave & Anne Brown Family Fund | $500 to Marion Family YMCA
The Brown Fund is a donor advised fund that supports a number of causes; awards favor organizations and programs which address neurological diseases and disorders, agricultural programs for youth, and end of life care. The 2023 award supports the local YMCA’s Delay the Disease program for those with Parkinson’s Disease and their families.
Learn more: Dave & Anne Brown Family Fund – Marion Community Foundation
James & Margaret Coulson Charitable Fund | $524 to Marion Family YMCA
The Coulson Fund is a donor advised fund used by the family to support a variety of causes important to James and Margaret. This year’s award supports the local YMCA’s Delay the Disease program for those Parkinson’s Disease.
Learn more: James & Margaret Coulson Charitable Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Smith-Brown Family Fund | $2,151 to Marion Family YMCA
The Smith and Brown families use this donor advised fund to support their favorite causes, especially organizations and programs which address neurological diseases and disorders. This year, the grant will help support the Delay the Disease program at the Marion Family YMCA, supporting those with Parkinson’s Disease and their families.
Learn more: Smith-Brown Family Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Janis & Greg Swepston Family Fund | $481 to Marion Public Library
The Swepston Fund is a memorial fund supporting literature and elementary education, live theater, the performing arts, and animal welfare. This year’s award supports the Marion Public Library, where Janis worked for 30+ years.
Learn more: Janis & Greg Swepston Family Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Vera O. McDanel Senior Citizens Transportation Fund | $552 to Marion Senior Center
The McDanel Fund provides support and fund for programs that provide for the transportation needs of senior citizens residing in Marion County, Ohio, including medical and dental appointments, business appointments, shopping, and social visits, as well as wheelchair assistance. This award supports the Marion Senior Center.
Learn more: Vera O. McDanel Senior Citizens Transportation Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Kathleen E. O’Shea Fund | $7,137 to the Palace Cultural Arts Association
The O’Shea Fund supports live theatre and dance – which Kathleen dearly loved – in Marion County, Ohio. In 2023, the award will support the Palace’s summer musical, “Next to Normal,” “Lend me a Tenor,” and the production of “Beauty and the Beast.”
Kathleen E. O’Shea Fund | $5,000 to area high schools and middle schools
The O’Shea Fund supports live theatre and dance – which Kathleen dearly loved – in Marion County, Ohio. In 2023, awards will support musical productions at the five local high schools and the local middle schools that produce musical productions, including Elgin, Harding, Pleasant, Ridgedale, and River Valley high schools, and Grant and River Valley middle schools.
Learn more: Kathleen E. O’Shea Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Marion Noon Lions Club Fund | $2,424 to Prevent Blindness Ohio Affiliate
The Lions Club service organization has a long history of supporting sight conservation, including helping the sight-impaired in Marion County; and funding local, regional, and national treatment, training, and research of sight conservation. This grant will support the work of Prevent Blindness Ohio Affiliate.
Learn more: Marion Noon Lions Club Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Virgil Jerome Nature Education Fund | $557 to River Valley Local Schools
This memorial fund honors Virgil Jerome and his love of the outdoors. Its awards are intended to engage people, primarily youth, with nature and the outdoors and focuses on education, training, learning, outdoor activities and events which build awareness and appreciation for the environment. This award is being made as part of Marion Community Foundation’s TEACH Grants Program to support River Valley Local Schools’ “Power of Place-Marion City/County Parks Project.” The Power of Place project connects students to their local environment via a STEM project for 8th and 9th grade science students to learn about and promote local parks.
Learn more: Virgil Jerome Nature Education Fund – Marion Community Foundation
Jane Ann Caton Dean Fund | $3,500 to Wings of an Angel
The Dean Fund is a memorial fund intended to assist people, especially teens and families, in Marion County with learning, intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities and special needs. Awards support programs which address issues of education, health, quality of life, and student achievement, as well as those providing resources, environments, and support to improve equity and independence for those with disabilities. This year’s grant supports the work of Wings of an Angel, a local organization whose programs ensure people with disabilities achieve their life goals, improve their quality of life, and support self-sufficiency and well-being.
Learn more: Jane Ann Caton Dean Fund – Marion Community Foundation
