Justin and Lynn Marotta Fund
The Justin and Lynn Marotta Fund was recently established as a means to promote horticulture in our region.
“I love the horticulture industry and want to continue to support and promote it. Lynn and I want to draw attention to the beautification and the operation, application, and maintenance of it while also directing our charitable dollars,” said Justin Marotta.
The Marottas want to provide grants to help Ashland University, the Ohio State Agricultural Technical Institute or other institutions that focus on the promotion and development of horticulture while benefitting the community.
From 1986 through 2015, as former owners of the Possum Run Greenhouse, the Marottas donated annual flowers to their Alma Mater, Ashland University, to add to the beauty of the campus.
“At the time, we were unable to make a monetary donation, but we were excited to donate flowering annuals as a gift-in-kind. As students, we remembered seeing blooming annuals on campus and how nice it looked. We wanted to bring that beauty back and that is how we were able to help. Now in our retirement years, Justin and I want to continue giving back. We knew that a donor advised fund with the Richland County Foundation was the best mechanism to carry out our charitable wishes,” said Lynn Marotta.
A donor advised fund can be established with a $10,000 gift. Donors can help decide which organizations receive grants from their fund and they will receive a charitable tax benefit.
The Foundation staff manages the fund and completes the paperwork associated with it.
“When people like Justin and Lynn Marotta establish a new fund it helps spread the word about donor advised funds and philanthropy in Richland County,” said Foundation President Brady Groves.
