The Trust gives higher priority to grants which fund "program" rather than "capital" projects. The Trust also prefers to have funding for new projects viewed as seed money. The Trust will often fund a project for a given period of time - one to three years. During this time it is planned that the project will build a firm financial foundation, gain additional funding sources, and demonstrate its effectiveness. Hopefully, the project can then operate independently from the Trust, and the McElroy Trust can then move on to funding projects in other areas of interest.

Finally, the Trust has a tradition of approving challenge grants and will continue to do so when appropriate. This type of grant serves several purposes. Ideally, it leverages many more dollars for the organization, and enables the recipient to go to other grant makers with tangible proof of the Trust's interest. It also assures the Trust that other appropriate funding sources are sharing the costs.

All organizations considering seeking funding from the R.J. McElroy Trust are asked to contact the Executive Director, Stacy Van Gorp, before applying. Call 319-287-9102.