About R J Mcelroy Trust
The R J McElroy Trust appears to be a Waterloo, Iowa–focused donor that makes a small number of large grants to community institutions. Recent awards show priority support for local public recreation/parks and higher education in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls region, plus at least one very large scheduled/undisclosed commitment. Their giving is community-centered and institutionally focused rather than broad-based or grassroots.
Focus Areas
Municipal parks and recreation (Waterloo Leisure Services / community leisure infrastructure)Regional higher education fundraising and capital/support for University of Northern IowaLarge scheduled/undisclosed institutional commitments (multi‑million planned grants or endowment allocations)
Who They Fund
students (scholarship recipients)early-career scholars/fellowsteachers and educatorslibraries and educational institutionshealthcare organizations and patientsnonprofit organizations (general program/operating recipients)
About R J Mcelroy Trust
A $2,223,400 scheduled grant in 2024 stands out in the R J Mcelroy Trust’s recent giving and signals the scale at which it makes institutional commitments. The trust’s grants are largely directed to organizations serving young people in northeast Iowa, with a clear emphasis on education, youth development, and community support. Recent awards also show repeated support for Waterloo-area public institutions, including recreation, schools, and libraries, alongside regional higher education and childcare organizations. The trust’s giving pattern is community-centered rather than national in scope. Waterloo Leisure Services received two large grants, one for $615,000 in 2025 and another for $213,500 in 2024, both for program or operating support. In higher education, the Uni Foundation received $280,000 in 2024 and $140,000 in 2025 for program support, while Hawkeye Community College Foundation received scholarship and program support in both 2024 and 2025. The trust also backs youth-facing nonprofits and public-facing institutions such as Waterloo Community Schools, Waterloo Public Library, Boys & Girls Club Cedar Valley, and YWCA.
What R J Mcelroy Trust Funds
Youth development is the most consistent theme in the trust’s general grant programs, which are described as support for programs, projects, or endeavors that help young people in northeast Iowa. Those awards are open to nonprofit charitable organizations and governmental entities, and some grant rounds accept letters of inquiry and full applications on an ongoing basis. Education appears in several forms. The Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching recognizes 10 teachers each year in Black Hawk County, with each recipient receiving $1,000 in cash and $1,000 for the classroom. The trust also runs the McElroy Fellowship for recent graduates of selected Northeast Iowa colleges pursuing a Ph.D.; each fellowship provides $12,000 per year and may be renewed for up to two additional years. Library and institutional support also show up in the recent grant list, including $91,100 to Waterloo Public Library and $50,000 to Waverly Public Library, both for program support.
How R J Mcelroy Trust Gives
The trust’s typical grant size is modest relative to its larger commitments: the 25th percentile is $1,000, the median is $8,750, and the 75th percentile is $20,788. That spread fits a pattern of small awards alongside occasional large institutional grants, including multi-hundred-thousand-dollar commitments. Its recent grant record also shows repeat support to the same organizations across 2024 and 2025, indicating recurring relationships rather than one-time awards only. Structurally, the trust funds both organizations and individuals. It supports operating support, program support, scholarships, and fellowship stipends. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications or letters of inquiry, while the fellowship and teacher-recognition programs are structured and not open to unsolicited applications.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.1M
Total Assets
$39.7M
Total Revenue
$2.3M
Total Expenses
$2.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $1K and $21K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$21K
Geographic Reach
Local7 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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