All projects supported by The Steele-Reese Foundation fall under the following criteria. When considering whether a project is suited to this foundation’s guidelines, prospective grantee organizations should consider whether their work meets these classifications:

- Rural
- Helping people to help themselves
- Modest in aim
- Narrow in function
- Unglamorous
- Based on experience
- Enjoying community financial support
- Essential, rather than merely desirable
- Yielding a direct, rather than a remote, benefit to people
- Run by competent, practical managers

The foundation will not consider proposals for support of projects to assist with the following:

- Capital campaigns and endowment funds
- Emergencies
- Community funds and charity drives
- Conferences and workshops
- Documentaries
- Efforts to influence elections directly or indirectly
- Planning, research, experimental, or untested projects
- Athletic facilities, athletic or academic competitions, or related travel
- Efforts to promulgate religious or political beliefs or agendas