During the past seventy-five years, the Foundation has made grants totaling over $18,300,000 to a number of charitable causes. In our most recent grant session, over 95% of grants were made to organizations within 20 miles of Dubuque, Iowa. Those recipients located outside of the area were organizations with a personal relationship with a Foundation Trustee. At our 2023 Annual Meeting, we received requests from 32 organizations, asking for a total of $332,000. We made grants totaling just over $211,000.

Grants were made for basic human needs such as: emergency financial assistance for families, domestic violence and sex trafficking prevention, food and housing for the needy, scholarships for low-income students, crisis care for children, and support for people with disabilities. No grants are made to individuals. Only 4% of funds were for the Arts. Rejected requests were primarily from outside the Dubuque area, funding related to staffing, or projects that did not support basic needs such as food, shelter, education, or medical care.

Some past recipients include: Catholic Charities of Dubuque, Clarke University, Finley Hospital, Salvation Army, Dubuque Rescue Mission, Hills & Dales, Hillcrest Family Services, Opening Doors, Luthor Manor, Dubuque Dream Center, Holy Family Catholic Schools, St. Stephen’s Food Bank,  Dubuque Y Crisis Services, and MercyOne Dubuque. Most recipients were also recipients in prior years, and have proven to be wise stewards of the funds they have received in the past.