Bravo / ICON Public Art Grant

The Bravo/ICON Public Art Grant, administered by Bravo Greater Des Moines in partnership with ICON Water Trails, provides financial support for new public art projects located at ICON access points. These access points are defined by ICON and its 28E government partners. The grant seeks to expand artistic and cultural expression within the Greater Des Moines region while also enhancing the public’s safe and meaningful interaction with rivers, creeks, and water trail sites. Public art under this program must be semi-permanent or permanent, freely accessible, and capable of activating community spaces in dynamic ways. Examples of eligible works include stand-alone installations as well as integrated or applied artistic features. The current grant cycle, GC26, is anticipated to be the final round of this program in its current form. Applicants must be government partner communities with an active 28E Agreement with both Bravo Greater Des Moines and ICON Water Trails. Each applicant must meet with Bravo and ICON staff about their proposed project by September 19, 2025, in order to remain eligible. Only one application per government partner community may be submitted per cycle, though communities may apply for both this grant and Bravo’s standalone Public Art Grant if the projects are entirely distinct. Communities awarded funding in GC24 remain eligible in GC26, although priority may be given to new applicants that have not previously received support. Eligible projects include both concept development and the creation or installation of public artworks, provided the projects have a minimum useful life of six months and total costs of at least $10,000. Projects may be integrated with permanent infrastructure such as bridges, buildings, or landscapes, though grant funding is restricted to the artistic elements only. Allowable expenses include artist fees and stipends, design and concept development work, site preparation and development directly tied to the installation, and construction or installation of the artwork. Ineligible projects include gardens and landscapes, signage of any kind, amphitheaters, bus shelters, play equipment, “Freedom Rocks,” and non-artistic revitalization efforts. Furthermore, projects that do not meaningfully involve artists or artisans in their development are not eligible. Ineligible expenses include staff salaries, equipment not integral to the artwork, maintenance of existing public art, endowments, debt service, operational expenses such as marketing or merchandise, and non-artistic programming associated with artworks. Applicants may request funding for up to 75 percent of eligible project costs. The remaining portion must be covered through other funding sources, but no minimum matching amount is specified in the guidelines. Bravo and ICON reserve the right to award partial funding. Projects must be completed within 24 months of receiving funds, with all grant funds expended during the 2026 calendar year. The application process includes required attachments in PDF format: a detailed one-page budget, a fundraising list of confirmed and potential sources, a project timeline highlighting milestones and opportunities for community engagement, and up to three images that illustrate or support the project concept. Applications will be evaluated by an anonymous review panel, with final award decisions made by the Bravo and ICON Boards of Directors. Awards are competitive, and applicants should not contact board members directly. Successful applicants will be notified on December 9, 2025, and will be required to sign grant agreements by January 30, 2026. Grant agreements will stipulate that awards are disbursed in full upon signature, with a final report required at the close of the grant period. Final artistic renderings may also be required prior to project approval. All projects must be completed by December 31, 2027. The timeline for GC26 is as follows: the application will open on August 18, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Applicants must meet with staff by September 19, 2025, and submit applications by September 26, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. Notifications will be sent December 9, 2025. The grant period will run from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026, with signed agreements due January 30, 2026. Projects must be fully completed by December 31, 2027. For assistance, applicants may contact Bravo Greater Des Moines by email at grants@bravogreaterdesmoines.org or by phone at 515-243-0388.

Applications that provide compelling visuals and clear project descriptions perform better