In her first year as grant writer for the City of Marion, Zoe Brown has brought the city almost $2 million for public projects.
Brown secured seven grants in 2025 for projects like extending walking paths, providing additional lighting in parks and changing traffic patterns around town.
As the city faces a financial crisis, Brown hopes to bring in even more funding for the city in 2026.
“We’re just thrilled,” Public Service Director Mike Bodine said. “It’s not only just receiving the grants, but her follow-through and her thoroughness to find these and work with me and our team.”
More grants needed during budget crisis
The City of Marion currently faces an uncertain financial future as it tries to pass a budget for 2026. While the mayor’s administration has created a budget where the general fund does not exceed projected revenue, the city still faces $8.9 million in deficit fund balances.
In anticipation of the 2026 budget, Mayor Bill Collins directed each of the city’s departments to take a 10% cut. Some departments made cuts in training or supplies, while others paused projects.
“We can still do some of the projects that, if we weren’t going after grants, we wouldn’t be able to do them,” Brown said, “so while we’re still facing a budget crisis and we can’t fund things we wanted to fund, we can still do little projects … we still have opportunities to do things.”
Collins explained many of the city’s services are grant funded, including free membership to the Rec Center and medical transportation for seniors. If the grants were to run dry, the city would likely not be able to continue them.
“A lot of the extra things that we’re able to do from now until two years from now are going to be grant-generated,” Collins said. “Luckily, we have a very good grant writer.”
Brown began her new role in early 2025, but was working on grant applications a few months earlier. Her supervisor Bodine set a goal of $500,000 for her first year.
Brown quadrupled it.
“That is nothing short of amazing,” Bodine said.
Bodine explained that many of the projects funded through the grants wouldn’t have been possible even if the city wasn’t struggling financially. He pointed to the traffic-calming grant, which amounted to over $1.5 million, as one way that Brown keeps the city’s momentum moving forward.
“Without her being there, I mean, we’d be a city just sitting here trying to fix our money problem,” Bodine said. “Now, we have her and that gives us hope that not only do we fix the financial problem, but we can still have progress at the same time.”
Brown is making the best out of a tight budget; over the next year, she expects to apply for grants to help departments, including the Marion Police Department, offset some cuts that had to be made. She’s also begun working with the county’s new grant writer, who started in 2026.
“Her drive and initiative,” Bodine said, “it’s just something I hope the city can benefit from years to come.”
What grants did Marion win?
There were seven projects funded through grants in 2025, but not all of them were completed during the year or will be completed in 2026.
NatureWorks grant – $51,075
This funding was used to complete Phase 2 of the Lincoln Park Trail Project. The grant required the city to match 25%, which the city achieved through an in-kind match. Instead of using funding alone, the city relied on using city labor and city equipment to construct the trail.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant – $75,000
This funding was used to replace stadium lights at Maynard Kennedy Fields.
Tire Collection Event grant – $2,500
The funding from this grant was used to put on a free tire collection event in July 2025 for residents of Marion.
Transportation Alternatives Program grant – $1,584,000
The funding for this grant will be used for traffic calming in Marion’s downtown. The project will see a lane reduction along Center Street and Church Street, and an adjustment of lane widths. A bike lane will be added with a raised island separating the bike lane from the rest of the street. Sidewalks will be widened to create more room for pedestrians. Construction on this project will begin in late 2027 or 2028.
Community grant – $13,000
This funding is being used to provide free Rec Center memberships to teens for 2025 and 2026.
Dedicated Funds grant – $120,000
This funding will be used to create a U-turn at the intersection of Barks Road and OH-423 in the spring or summer of 2026. The grant required a 20% match, which the city will meet using funds from the Barks Road TIF funds.
Recreational Trails Program grant – $81,540
This funding will be used to finish Phase 3 of the Lincoln Park Trail project. Construction will be done in 2026, connecting Phase 1 and 2 and creating a loop around the park. Similar to Phase 2, the grant required a 20% match, which the city will meet by using its own labor to build the trail.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: In midst of financial crisis, Marion’s grant writer raises $2 million
Reporting by Abby Bammerlin, Marion Star / Marion Star
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