Marion Community Foundation’s vision is a generous, educated, healthy, collaborative & vibrant community.
To achieve this vision, equity and justice must be one of the core values of a community. In that spirit, Marion Community Foundation offers the Racial Equity & Justice Grant Program for Marion County, Ohio.
This grant program has $50,000 available, which may be distributed in full to one organizational recipient or several smaller grants to multiple organizations. A volunteer committee of Marion Community Foundation and its Board of Directors make determinations of how much and to whom the grants will be awarded.
Any charitable non-profit 501(c)(3) organization or equivalent – which includes churches, schools & governmental entities – looking to improve racial equity and justice in Marion County (Ohio) is eligible to apply. Grants may be to new or existing programs.
APPLICATIONS for this grant program are available annually in February-March. For the 2026 grant program, the application period is February 2-March 2, 2026. The application is online with a DEADLINE of Noon on Monday, March 2, 2026.
Grants will be awarded to charitable, educational, governmental & religious programs [501(c)3 or equivalent] directly serving Marion County (Ohio) that meet one or more of the following purposes:
Advancing matters of fairness and justice that affect communities of color
Building the capacity of nonprofits and community organizations to bring about impactful, measurable improvements in racial equity
Increasing the amount and effectiveness of resources aimed at combating institutional and structural racism
Transforming the lives of people of color
Educating all people about racial equity and racial justice
Promoting solutions to race-related challenges, address racial inequalities, and storytelling initiatives to help understand marginalized experiences
Reducing barriers to opportunity
The goal of Marion Community Foundation with our Racial Equity and Justice grants is to foster innovative programs for leaders at every level to use their power, platforms, and resources to help people overcome challenges and build a better community.
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 applications and make award recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Click below to learn more:
2025 Racial Equity & Justice grant awards
2024 Racial Equity & Justice grant awards
2023 Racial Equity & Justice grant awards
