After 1973, higher education and cultural institutions were added as major beneficiaries. In 1978, the Foundation published its first public annual report under the direction of its new president, Charles U. Daly. Included in that report was a description of the Foundation's programmatic interests in culture, education, environment and conservation, government, health and social services. It changed the social service category to jobs and housing and narrowed the focus of environment and conservation to specific midwestern conservation issues. Currently, the Joyce Foundation's interests are primarily in the fields of education, employment, environment, gun violence prevention, money and politics, and culture.
Preference is given to organizations that are based or have a program in the Midwest.
Craig Kennedy served as the Foundation's fourth president from 1986 to 1992. In July 1999 Paula DiPerna became the sixth president of the Foundation. Ms. DiPerna launched the Joyce Millennium Initiatives , meant to mark the millennium by supporting significant intergenerational work. The first three Millennium Initiatives were announced in May 2000. The Joyce Foundation.