Best Grants for Community Centers in Tennessee

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Alex Family Scholarship

Created in 2007 from the estate of Helen L. Alex, this fund makes annual awards in support of higher education for seniors from Marion Harding High School. The fund honors Helen’s son, Nicholas, a former faculty member at Harding who passed in 2008.

The Alex Family Fund was established by another of Helen’s sons and Nicholas’ brother, James L. Alex. The family, which includes a rich Greek heritage and numerous relatives in Greece, belonged to the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Mansfield, Ohio. 

Recipients of the Alex Family Scholarship must rank in the upper 25th percentile of their graduating class. Those demonstrating excellence in the study of history or pursing a college major in history are given special consideration.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Alex Masters Memorial Scholarship

Following the unexpected passing of their son, Alex Masters, a memorial scholarship fund was created at the River Valley Education Foundation by Randy and Kathy Masters and Morgan Masters Quickel, Alex’s sister. In 2013, the fund was migrated to Marion Community Foundation and became the Alex Masters Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Alex never knew a stranger and loved to discuss and debate any subject with others. He loved baseball and football, was an avid reader, and was pursuing a career in medicine. But, perhaps his biggest love—outside of his family—was his love for music. It is his family’s hope that his song will live on through this scholarship.

The fund honors Alex’s memory and supports the educational goals of graduating seniors from River Valley High School. According to Kathy, the family created the scholarship with the intention of supporting those who have encountered adversity and to overcome and cope with life’s challenges through education.

Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network

The RDCRN was established by Congress under the Rare Diseases Act in 2002. The network is an initiative of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), led by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences through is Division of Rare Diseases Research Innovation (formerly the Office of Rare Diseases Research). It is funded by collaborating NIH institutes, centers, and offices.

Now in its fifth funding cycle, RDCRN supports 20 rare disease research groups (consortia) that partner with 127 affiliated patient advocacy groups. In total, 180 diseases are currently being studied at 273 active clinical sites, both in the United States and internationally.

Developmental Synaptopathies Consortium - Request For Pilot Project Applications

The pilot feasibility core of the Developmental Synaptopathies Consortium (DSC) is pleased to announce that it will fund an estimated $100,000 total costs for a pilot project to stimulate additional research through the DSC NIH grant for one/all of the following disorders: Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), PTEN Hamartoma Syndrome (PHTS), Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (PMS) and SYNGAP 1-related disorders. The funding will be coordinated, dispersed and evaluated for progress through the DSC infrastructure. This project will be a two-year project with half of the funds ($50,000) allocated in each year, starting in October 2026. 

New England Foundation For The Arts

Our work at NEFA is simple: to cultivate and promote the arts in New England and beyond. Our programs support artists across many forms of expression and many geographies, connecting them with collaborators and communities, fueling creative exchange and public discourse, and strengthening the arts and culture ecosystem.

Each program and project brought to life at NEFA builds a stronger and more dynamic infrastructure for the arts. Through grants, convenings, and online tools, NEFA continues an almost 50 year history of pioneering partnerships and programs supporting the arts.

Public Art Learning Fund

The Public Art Learning Fund aims to strengthen the field of public art in New England by providing professional development support directly to artists.

The Public Art Learning Fund provides grants to support professional development opportunities for New England artists to strengthen their public art practices. Through the Public Art Learning Fund, NEFA intends to foster the continued development of more equitable, inclusive, and vibrant public spaces and public life throughout New England.

Artists may utilize the Public Art Learning Fund to: pursue a specific professional development opportunity to strengthen their own public art practice in New England and beyond. Examples may include but are not limited to attending a conference, workshop, training, or discussion related to building creative or administrative skills related to their public art practice. 

Program Values & Goals

NEFA’s Public Art programs acknowledge the necessity of addressing the intersectionality of spatial justice and racial justice in cultivating a more vibrant and equitable public art ecosystem.  

The Public Art Learning Fund aims to strengthen the public art field in the region by supporting artists in further developing the skills, resources, and connections they need to build a more vibrant and equitable community of practice in the region. Learning in partnership with grantees, NEFA strives to learn how we may be able to better support a more equitable and sustainable public art ecosystem throughout the region. 

Funding Priorities

Public Art Learning Fund equips artists with skills, resources, and connections to strengthen public art practices that contribute to more equitable, inclusive, and vibrant public spaces and public life throughout New England. 

The Public Art Learning Fund gives priority to timely opportunities that are: 

• Specifically expanding an artist’s public art practice. NEFA will look for clarity on desired learnings and application to artist’s public art practice.
• Equitably contributing to more just and inclusive public artmaking in the region. Artists at various stages in their public artmaking practice from urban, suburban, and rural communities across all six states in New England are welcome to apply.

NEFA values diverse cultural and artistic expressions as essential to more equitable and vibrant public spaces and recognizes that some artists may experience barriers to accessing professional development opportunities due to race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, class, age, and geography. The Public Art Learning Fund intends to prioritize equity in funding opportunities.

Angels Over Sandpoint

Mission: It is the mission of the Angels Over Sandpoint to honor the memory of the Angels who have gone before us by helping those in need in our community.

A New Direction Grant

Amber Coffman Campbell Memorial Fund

Amber and her generous heart took time to genuinely listen, as good friends do. She saw the bright side of everyone and believed in the goodness in each person. Her blue eyes were luminous and her smile made everything right in the world. Bubbly and effervescent, Amber was a soul of happy endless optimistic youth.

In 2007 Amber and Darby Campbell were married at their new home on Sunny Side Road. She fell for his dashingly romantic side and was swept away with his humor and creative ideas. He adored her passionate energy and bright spirit. They loved the sun and surf …and each other. Amber always had an interest in beauty. She was a model in her younger days and on Maui she found the Esthetician school from which she graduated in 2003. She creatively blended the idea of beauty with the natural world and brought about a new spa in 2008. Her creation of Wildflower Day Spa took off. It was an unfolding of her dream.

Amber was passionate, inspiring and generous of spirit. She brought forth an idea that there was always something about to unfold, something magical just in front of us, that something beautiful would happen this very day. And it always did, she would find something delightful in her path, even the littlest thing and embrace it.

Although Amber left this world too soon, she has given us a gift of her unbidden joy that we carry around with us in our hearts. 

A New Direction Grant is offered to Bonner County residents seeking to better themselves by attending a college, university or trade school. 

You may use funds for tuition/registration to any college, university, technical school.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Beatrice Prior Memorial Scholarship

The Beatrice Prior Memorial Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to the academically highest ranking graduating female students of Marion Harding High School.

This fund was created from the Mary Evelyn Prior Trust. Mary Evelyn (1924-2008) was a Marion resident. The fund honors her aunt, Beatrice, who was a 1905 graduate of Marion High School (which pre-dates Harding High School) and taught in Lakewood, Ohio, as well as the Marion City Schools’ elementary grades for many years.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Aris Kasotis Memorial Scholarship

Aris Kasotis was a young man who liked to see people included. “He made friends easily,” said his mother, Joan Kasotis, Marion County Auditor, “and he liked to make sure that no one was overlooked.”

Aris’ enjoyment of life and his desire to share with others prompted his parents, Joan and long-time local restaurateur and caterer, George Kasotis, to establish a memorial scholarship in Aris’ name following his untimely death in an automobile accident. More than 100 memorial contributions from friends and family helped to establish this scholarship fund in 2007.

The Kasotis Fund provides an annual scholarship for a senior from Marion Harding High School who ranks in the upper 50 percent of his or her senior class, but not the top 10 percent. Special consideration is given to applicants who have participated in Harding Singers, interscholastic wrestling, and/or interscholastic football—school activities that Aris enjoyed.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Allen “Bus” Augenstein Memorial Scholarship

Originally the Claridon Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, this endowment (created in 2021), was renamed in 2023 to honor the late Allen ‘Bus’ Augenstein. The scholarship supports seniors and graduates of River Valley High School, with special consideration for students who pursue an education in the fields of engineering, health care, or education (especially science education). Awards also favor students active in band, choir, FFA, or school sports, especially golf and cross country.

Allen lived in Marion for more than 90 years. His father, A.B. Augenstein, served as Superintendent of Claridon Schools and River Valley School District, 1960–1965, and is well remembered for, among other accomplishments, starting football (6 man) in the district. His mother, Hazel, taught mathematics at Claridon during World War II.

The U.S. Hillman Prize for Newspaper Journalism, awarded by the Sidney Hillman Foundation, recognizes outstanding journalism that serves the common good. Open to global journalists, entries must be published in English and accessible to U.S. audiences within the last year. Winners receive a $5,000 honorarium and a certificate at a New York City ceremony. The foundation also honors work related to racial and economic justice through additional awards. Entries should focus on impactful stories.

The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, established in 1975, supports public charities with a focus on Asian art, performing arts in Richmond, VA, and graduate theological education. The Foundation prioritizes requests from organizations with historical ties to the Carpenters and those promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion and community health. It aims to enhance cultural exchange through art exhibitions, particularly in the US and China, while excluding support for private education and large public charities.

The U.S. Hillman Prize for Magazine Journalism, awarded by the Sidney Hillman Foundation, recognizes outstanding journalism that serves the common good. Open to global journalists, it requires works to be published in English and accessible to a U.S. audience within the past year. Winners receive a $5,000 honorarium and a certificate at the annual ceremony in New York City. The foundation prioritizes stories with U.S. impact across diverse topics.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Andrew Wigton Memorial Scholarship

Andrew Wigton lost his young life in an automobile accident during his senior year at Pleasant High School. His parents and family created this scholarship in 2006 to honor his memory. Special consideration is given to applicants who have been members of the varsity basketball or varsity soccer team, two sports that Andrew loved.

In addition to memorial contributions, this fund is supported by the proceeds of the Dre 5K Run and a golf outing and by Andrew’s parents, friends, and family members.

Seniors of Pleasant High School in the upper 25th percentile of the graduating class are the focus of the Andrew Wigton Memorial Scholarship.

Council on Foundations

The Council on Foundations is a nonprofit membership association that serves as a guide for philanthropies as they advance the greater good. Building on our 75-year history, the Council supports over 1,000 member organizations in the United States and around the world to build trust in philanthropy, expand pathways to giving, engage broader perspectives, and co-create solutions that will lead to a better future for all. 

Council Awards

Our awards program recognizes excellence in philanthropy and honors leaders for their dedication to explore creative ways to advance the common good and fund solutions for complex issues. The Council Awards recognize exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact across the philanthropic sector.

Building Together Award

The Building Together Award grew out of the Council on Foundations’ strategic focus on Building Common Ground. The award:

• Celebrates work that builds the heart set, mindset, and skill set to connect and collaborate across differences. This may include efforts that foster dialogue, promote understanding, create belonging, transform conflict, and engage in collaborative problem-solving.
• Recognizes those doing the courageous and complex work of bringing people together across lines of difference. This includes creating space where diverse voices can be heard, finding shared purpose, and shaping a collective future.  

Award Criteria

Nominators will be asked to share a story (with quantitative and/or qualitative evidence) about how the philanthropic organization, initiative and/or collaborative:

• Meaningfully and intentionally advances belonging, pluralism, collaborative problem-solving, and social cohesion and
• Demonstrates the heart set, mindset and skill set to connect and collaborate across differences.

The nominee will provide evidence of meaningful outcomes and impact for the following criteria:

• Intentionally advanced values: meaningfully and intentionally advanced values such as tolerance, pluralism, and social cohesion.
• Heartset: meaningfully and intentionally institutionalizing the HEARTSETS of building common ground.
• Mindset: meaningfully and intentionally institutionalizing the MINDSETS of building common ground?
• Skillset: meaningfully and intentionally institutionalizing the SKILLSETS of building common ground? 

One supplemental material upload is required (no more than five total items) may be uploaded to provide documentation and support of achievements. These supplemental materials may include, but not limited to: reference letter, endorsement, or letter of support for the nomination from the community leadership (i.e., nonprofit, grantee partner, or a government leader), videos, news articles, report, or publication, organizational strategic plan or annual report, or individuals resume.

The Council on Foundations prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, sex, ethnicity, religion, or national origin, to each such award.

Robert B. Baumann Memorial Scholarship Fund

The scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to senior and graduates of any Harvey County, Kansas High School or be a resident of Harvey County, Kansas graduating from a neighboring area high school. Applicants must be pursuing career path in a mechanical or building trade (i.e. carpenter, electrician, auto mechanic, HVAC installer, carpet installer, heavy equipment operator, insulation installer, landscaper, painter plumber, machinist, mechanical drafter, locksmith, mechanical insulator, elector mechanic, mechanical installer, machine and manufacturing field, welder, diesel technologist, and heavy equipment operator). Qualified candidates may plan to attend a 2- or 4-year college or university, community college, trade, technical or vocational school. 

If recipient is interested in reapplying, they must reapply annually. No reminder will be sent to recipients. Consecutive awards are not guaranteed.   

Earl Wineinger Memorial Scholarship Fund

The scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to current graduating Marion County high school seniors who are furthering their careers through higher educational or vocational pursuits. 

Final candidates may be invited for a personal interview in Hillsboro, Kansas. The dollar amount given is based on money available. Recipient will be notified of their award status.

Arizona Community Foundation

For more than four decades, the Arizona Community Foundation has worked in tandem with generous individuals, families, and organizations to address some of the biggest challenges facing our state.

Scholarships

In partnership with our generous donors, we award millions of dollars annually to help students achieve their educational goals. Through our online system, students complete one application and are matched with available scholarships, based on their eligibility requirements.

Alexandra Ryan Swanson Live Your Dream Scholarship

This scholarship was created to support residents and participants in United Methodist Outreach Ministries (UMOM) Housing Programs earn a GED, College Degree, or certificate from a trade or vocational program. Applicants must list out program and supply expenses in the additional questions. Previous recipients may continue to apply in subsequent years through the same application process.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Collier Scholarship

The Collier Scholarship Fund was established in 2016 by Dr. Wayne Collier to honor the memory of his parents, Herbert & Freida Collier. He is an optometrist and noted community philanthropist in Bucyrus, Ohio, having been named the community’s 2015 Citizen of the Year.

The Collier Scholarship supports promising students and graduates of high schools in Crawford County—Bucyrus, Wynford, Colonel Crawford, and Buckeye Central—where he now lives, as well as his alma mater, Bellevue Senior High in Bellevue, Ohio. Special consideration is given to applicants who participated in music programs in high school or college.

Ellwood City Community Health Foundation Scholarships

The Ellwood City Community Health Foundation will issue scholarships each year to individuals who enroll in higher education to pursue a career in the medical field. The individual needs to be a resident of either Ellwood City, Lawrence County, or Beaver County, Pennsylvania. 

About Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County.

Individuals, families, businesses and organizations create permanent charitable funds that help our community meet its needs and challenges. The Foundation invests and administers these funds.

Whirlpool Corporation One Power STEM Scholarship

Whirlpool Corporation, in conjunction with One Energy LLC, created a scholarship fund at Marion Community Foundation in 2017 to support education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). For each wind turbine installed as part of a Wind for Industry® project, Whirlpool/One Energy scholarship partners are giving back to the community with scholarships. These scholarships will impact Marion County high school seniors and graduates pursuing studies in STEM fields.

Annually, this scholarship fund awards one $5,000 scholarship to a student attending any eligible educational institution. An additional $10,000 in scholarships is available to students attending The Ohio State University at Marion, Marion Technical College, or other eligible educational institutions.

Arizona Community Foundation

For more than four decades, the Arizona Community Foundation has worked in tandem with generous individuals, families, and organizations to address some of the biggest challenges facing our state.

Scholarships

In partnership with our generous donors, we award millions of dollars annually to help students achieve their educational goals. Through our online system, students complete one application and are matched with available scholarships, based on their eligibility requirements.

100 Club of Arizona Scholarship

The 100 Club of Arizona scholarship program provides financial education assistance to immediate family members-children, spouses, or stepchildren (cousins, aunts/uncles or other extended family are not eligible) of sworn or certified public safety or fire employees of any local, municipal, county, state, federal or tribal agency in Arizona.

The Jim Blount Memorial Scholarship, administered by the Marshall County Community Foundation, aims to support graduates from Bremen, John Glenn, LaVille, and Plymouth High Schools in Indiana. This fund provides annual scholarships to assist students pursuing education in vocational and technical fields. By fostering local talent, the foundation connects community members with opportunities to make a meaningful impact in their careers and lives.

The Crest Oral-B Laboratories Dental Hygiene Scholarships, sponsored by Procter & Gamble, support students enrolled in accredited dental hygiene programs in the U.S. These scholarships aim to promote professional excellence and quality research in dental hygiene. Applicants should have completed at least one year of their curriculum and be a member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA). Award amounts are typically $1,000, with the number of awards varying annually.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Community’s Memorial Scholarship

Memorial scholarships are one of the top categories of funds created at Marion Community Foundation, but not all donors who wish to memorialize a loved one in this distinctive and perpetual way start their own fund. The Community’s Memorial Scholarship Fund was created to memorialize a number of individuals collectively. All of the persons memorialized are recognized during Marion Community Foundation’s annual Scholarship Program.

The Mary H. Hollaway Trust provided seed money for this special purpose. Mary was well known in Marion, due to her long career with Fahey Bank. Upon her passing, she had arranged for several funds to be created from her estate, this scholarship among them. Other organizations she chose to support include the Marion Area Humane Society, Marion Palace Theatre, and the Marion Family YMCA.

The Community’s Memorial Scholarship is available to graduates and seniors from any Marion County high school who rank in the upper 50 percent of their class.

The Dr. Esther Wilkins Scholarship, offered by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), supports students pursuing advanced degrees in dental hygiene education. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited program and have completed at least one year of study. The scholarship awards $2,000 annually and emphasizes the importance of professional membership in ADHA. This initiative fosters career development and enhances educational opportunities for future dental hygiene educators.

About Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County.

Individuals, families, businesses and organizations create permanent charitable funds that help our community meet its needs and challenges. The Foundation invests and administers these funds.

John & Jackie Watkins Scholarship

This scholarship recognizes the long history of Marion County as an agricultural area and the importance of farming in our community. John and Jackie Watkins both grew up in Delaware County and attended Radnor schools. They knew the value of education and its lifelong benefits.

Following Jackie’s passing in 1998, the family established the John & Jackie Watkins Scholarship Fund in her memory to assist the youth of Marion County to attend college—specifically to study agriculture. The Watkins Fund makes awards to graduating seniors from any high school in Marion County who are pursuing an education in agriculture, with special consideration given to those who have participated in FFA.

The NIH Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) is designed to support the career development of individuals with clinical doctoral degrees committed to patient-oriented research. Key deadlines for standard applications include June 12, October 12, and February 12 from 2024 to 2027. Renewal and AIDS-related grant applications also have specific deadlines. This initiative aims to enhance research focused on improving patient care.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

John T. & Lois Schmidt Scholarship

The John T. & Lois Schmidt Scholarship Fund was created in 2017 to support seniors and graduates of Marion County high schools who are also members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans, or children or grandchildren of those on active duty or veterans. The Schmidt Fund favors applicants from Elgin High School and those with GPAs of 2.5 or better.

The Schmidt Scholarship honors John and his military service. John served in the U.S. Army during World War II, from January 1943 to January 1946 and was stationed in several overseas and exotic locales, including New Guinea, Netherland East Indies, Morotai, and Mindanao in the Philippine Islands. At the end of his service, he received an honorable discharge as a staff sergeant and had earned the Bronze Star for valor and the Bronze Arrowhead—awarded to those present on D-Day on the beaches of Normandy, France.

Prior to his military career, John graduated from Agosta High School (1941) and shortly after his service, married Lois (Kraner) in 1948. He was employed by Marion Power Shovel, Marion Industries, and retired after 29 years with Whirlpool. He was a member of the Marion County Farm Bureau, Disabled American Veterans, and VFW Post 7201. John passed in 2009 at the age of 86.