Martha Ellen Tye Foundation

The Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation operates as Marshalltown's dominant hometown foundation — a private non-operating grantmaker with $27.9M in assets dedicated exclusively to making Marshalltown, Iowa thrive. Founded to perpetuate the giving philosophy of Martha-Ellen Tye, the foundation is currently led by Executive Director Karn Gregoire ($135,000 compensation) alongside a volunteer board including President Matthew Fisher, Vice President David Tank, and Secretary/Treasurer Sharon Greer.

The foundation recently underwent a significant strategic evolution. It has abandoned the traditional open quarterly application model (historically deadlined March 1, June 1, September 1, December 1) in favor of a Letter of Intent (LOI) process. Under this approach, organizations submit a brief LOI first; staff evaluate fit and invite only selected applicants to submit a full proposal. First-time applicants should treat a pre-submission phone call or email as effectively mandatory — the foundation explicitly encourages outreach to Program Manager Deb Borton at connect@marthaellentyefoundation.org or 641.752.8340 before drafting anything.

The foundation's grantmaking centers on three interconnected strategic pillars: Develop Community Champions (leadership development, civic talent pipeline), Elevate Pride, Identity, and Belonging (arts, cultural celebration, community identity), and Strengthen Civic and Cultural Infrastructure (capital projects, institution-building, the Marshalltown Arts & Civic Center). Applicants should map their work to one of these explicitly.

Relationship continuity is a defining feature of how this foundation operates. Nine of the top ten grantees by cumulative giving receive multi-year 'annual contributions,' indicating the foundation rewards trusted long-term partners. The Fisher Governor Foundation has received $1,215,500 across eight grants; Greater Des Moines Community Foundation received $413,000 across nine. For first-time applicants, a realistic entry point is a smaller, well-framed project grant ($5,000–$25,000 range) designed to establish credibility before growing the relationship.

One critical geographic note requires verification before applying: while older IRS records list San Antonio, Texas as a secondary focus area, the foundation's current website grants page explicitly states it will not fund 'projects outside Marshalltown, Iowa.' Applicants based in San Antonio or elsewhere should confirm current geographic eligibility directly with staff before investing time in an LOI.

The Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation distributes grants across a wide dollar range, from modest recurring library support (~$4,950/year) to transformative civic investments exceeding $750,000 in a single grant. The typical grant median is $5,250, while the average is $30,588 — a significant gap reflecting a small number of very large outlier grants skewing the mean upward.

Annual giving trend (2019–2023): - FY2023: $1,349,589 (grants paid: $885,113) - FY2022: $1,597,887 (grants paid: $1,070,633) - FY2021: $1,746,147 (grants paid: $1,269,310) - FY2020: $1,525,879 (grants paid: $1,068,484) - FY2019: $1,566,516 (grants paid: $1,115,467)

Giving declined approximately 20% from the 2021 peak, though total assets grew from $23.9M (2022) to $27.9M (2024), indicating the reduction reflects strategic recalibration rather than financial pressure.

By program area (estimated from grantee analysis): - Civic infrastructure and economic development (~45%): Fisher Governor Foundation ($1.22M cumulative), City of Marshalltown ($225K), Greater Des Moines Community Foundation ($413K including endowment transfers) - Arts and culture (~20%): Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance ($394,820), San Antonio Symphony ($74K), Opera San Antonio ($70K), The Magik Theatre ($45K) - Education (~18%): Marshalltown Community Schools ($300K), Marshalltown Education Partnership ($170K), Marshalltown Community College Foundation ($90K), MCC direct ($60K) - Human services (~10%): UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown Foundation ($250K), Christian Assistance Ministry ($60K), House of Compassion ($36K), YMCA-YWCA ($32K) - Libraries (~5%): Seven separate Marshall County library grants totaling ~$98K (Friends of Marshalltown Public Library, Gutekunst, Albion, Melbourne, Gilman, Le Grand, Union)

Director's Grants are a distinct discretionary category — typically $7,500–$15,000 — used by the Executive Director for organizations outside the primary application process, including performing arts groups in Seattle (Pat Graney Dance Company, Pacific Northwest Ballet, UW Dance Dept), as well as Animal Rescue League of Iowa and Equal Justice Initiative.

Geographically, 109 of 169 tracked grants went to Iowa recipients, 22 to Texas (San Antonio arts organizations), 12 to DC, and 11 to Washington state (director's grants).

The Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation occupies a distinctive niche as Marshalltown's preeminent private foundation — far exceeding its local peers in assets while maintaining a hyper-local focus that sets it apart from larger Iowa statewide grantmakers.

The Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation's $27.9M asset base is approximately five to six times larger than the Community Foundation of Marshall County, making it the dominant private grantmaker for Marshalltown-area nonprofits. Unlike the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust or GDMCF — which operate at statewide or multi-regional scale — Martha-Ellen Tye concentrates its full grant portfolio on a single city, enabling transformational per-capita investment that community foundations with broader mandates cannot match. The shift to a LOI-invited model aligns it closer to invite-only foundations like Carver than to open community foundations, reinforcing the importance of relationship-building before submission.

No major press releases or formal announcements were published in 2025–2026, but several meaningful developments are documented in IRS filings and directory records. The most prominent ongoing investment is the multi-year Marshalltown Arts & Civic Center (MACC) project: the Fisher Governor Foundation — the primary vehicle for MACC renovation — received $750,000 in FY2021, $250,000 in FY2022, and $80,500 in FY2023, bringing cumulative MACC-related giving to well over $1.2M.

On the leadership front, Karn Gregoire succeeded Heidi Dalal as Executive Director; Gregoire's FY2024 compensation was $135,000, up from Dalal's $117,500 in FY2023. Two new personnel were added per February 2026 IRS filing updates.

The foundation demonstrated responsive disaster grantmaking following Marshalltown's August 2020 derecho, funding Habitat for Humanity Iowa for equipment ($23,630 across two grants), Marshalltown's tree replacement project ($10,000 via MHS Bobcat Alumni Fund), and restaurant/bar relief through Marshalltown Main Street Partnership ($104,405 across six grants during COVID-19 and derecho response).

In early 2026, the foundation co-funded grants with the Community Foundation of Marshall County: $10,000 for L.U.C.C. and S.E.A.L. youth programs and $15,000 for child and adolescent support services. The transition to an LOI-first process and explicit 2027 planning cycle represents the most structurally significant recent change, signaling a more strategic, curated approach to grantmaking going forward.

1. Begin with a conversation, not a document. The foundation actively encourages pre-LOI contact. Call 641.752.8340 or email connect@marthaellentyefoundation.org before writing anything. Ask Program Manager Deb Borton whether your project aligns with current priorities and the 2027 cycle — this step separates informed applicants from the field.

2. Anchor your LOI to one of the three strategic pillars. 'Develop Community Champions' suits leadership academies, mentorship programs, and civic talent pipelines. 'Elevate Pride, Identity, and Belonging' suits arts programming, cultural festivals, and identity-centered community work. 'Strengthen Civic and Cultural Infrastructure' suits capital campaigns, facility upgrades, and institution-building. Explicitly name which pillar your project serves.

3. Your LOI must cover five elements. Program purpose, community partners (name specific local organizations), expected outcomes (quantify where possible), budget summary (total project cost + amount requested), and alignment language tied directly to the foundation's stated priorities and core values.

4. Position for a long-term relationship. The foundation's top 10 grantees average 4+ grant awards each. If you're a first-time applicant, frame your request as the start of a partnership, not a one-time transaction. Request an amount in the $5,000–$25,000 range to establish credibility, even if your ultimate need is larger.

5. Prove Marshalltown rootedness. Core values include Place-Based Commitment and Community Engagement. Your LOI should name your local board members, volunteer base, and community partnerships — not just the services you deliver in Marshalltown.

6. Avoid disqualifying language. Do not call your request an 'annual campaign,' 'general operating support,' or frame it as unrestricted. These signal the kinds of requests the foundation explicitly excludes.

7. For capital requests, cite the MACC precedent. The foundation has funded multi-year, seven-figure civic infrastructure investments. If your project involves facility renovation, civic space, or institutional capacity, note the foundation's track record with the Marshalltown Arts & Civic Center as contextual alignment.

8. Confirm the current timeline. The old quarterly deadline model (March 1 / June 1 / September 1 / December 1) may have been revised with the LOI transition. The foundation is currently accepting LOIs for 2027 projects — confirm the exact submission window and review cycle with staff before filing.