Iowa Arts Grants

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Linn County for projects that preserve historic artifacts, structures, and educational programs related to local history.

The Cultural Capacity Building grants provide general operating support over a three-year period to eligible arts, cultural and humanities organizations in Iowa. Donor Name: Iowa Arts & Culture State: Iowa County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: Organizations with annual operating expenses above $10,000 that demonstrate a commitment to enhancing their cultural and managerial excellence and community service are eligible to apply. Funding for the program is made possible by an annual appropriation from the Iowa Legislature to the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Funding Information Grant recipients will receive up to $5,000 in each fiscal year, for a total maximum award of $15,000 over three years, to support opera ng expenses that are incurred within each eligible funding period. Funding Period The three-year funding period will be in effect from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027. Who Qualifies? Iowa 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations whose primary mission and purpose is focused on arts or culture and arts or cultural divisions of a municipal government. Eligible entities must maintain a cash operating expense budget of no less than $10,000 per year. Applicant must have a minimum of one dedicated staff or volunteer position that works for the organization year-round and is responsible for oversight and management of the organization. For more information, visit Iowa Arts & Culture.

Humanities Iowa's Mini Grants Program for Not-for-profit Organizations aims to support the furthering of humanities across the state of Iowa by collaborating with communities, non-profit organizations, and humanities scholars. The program provides grants, builds community partnerships, and creates programming that reaches over 250,000 Iowans annually. Projects funded by the program cover a wide range of activities including community roundtables, intergenerational storytelling projects, documentaries, rural archives restoration, the Iowa Poet Laureate program, the statewide Speakers Bureau series, and the journal Voices from the Prairie.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Linn County, Iowa, for projects that directly benefit local residents, focusing on long-term impact and collaboration.

Humanities Project Grants offer support for public humanities projects that encourage contemplation, spark conversation and engage the community. Donor Name: State Historical Society of Iowa State: Iowa County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: Eligible projects will use the humanities as the central resource to involve and benefit diverse groups of Iowans through educational programming that explore the human experience. Funding for the Humanities Project Grant is made possible by an appropriation from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency, to the Iowa Department of Administrative Services. The program is administered by the State Historical Society of Iowa on behalf of the department.  Funding Information Applicants may request funding for eligible one-time project expenses that are incurred and expended within the eligible funding period.  Minimum Grant Request: $2,500 Maximum Grant Request: $30,000 Funding Period All project activities and incurred expenses must occur within the eligible funding period of November 1, 2024–October 31, 2025. Eligible Projects Eligible projects should focus on the humanities and must demonstrate public value to Iowans through deliberate public engagement and access to project activities. Types of eligible projects could include community discussions, lecture series, workshops, films, interpretive exhibits, podcasts, etc. Projects that involve the creative or performing arts could be eligible as long as they are a catalyst in a project in which humanities are central, and include interpretation and/or discussion of performances, concerts, literary and art works. Humanities must be central to the project. Subject areas include archaeology, comparative religion, cultural anthropology, ethics, folklore, gender studies, history, jurisprudence, languages, law, linguistics, literature (including novels, poetry, drama, and other forms of written expression, both modern and classical), philosophy, and the interpretation (not the creation) of the arts. Aspects of the social sciences, such as political science and sociology, that can help to explore the humanity and discover meaning in the lives and community are also included.  Eligibility Criteria Eligible applicants must be one of the following types of entities. Entities who do not meet these requirements are not eligible to apply. Organizations Federally tax exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization incorporated and physically located in Iowa Physical location of the organization is defined as maintaining a current home office and registered agent address in Iowa defined by Iowa Code 490.501 as well as maintaining a primary staff presence physically located and working in Iowa Federally tax exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization physically located in a border state community immediately adjacent to Iowa. The organization must be registered to do business in Iowa with the Secretary of State’s office. An eligible border state organization must demonstrate that the funding request significantly impacts the cultural vitality of Iowa and predominantly serves Iowans. Unit of local, county or federally-recognized tribal government physically located in Iowa Units within institutions of higher education that are physically located in Iowa that have the humanities as their core mission and offer public programs are eligible. However, institutions of higher education are limited to one application, from one unit, and may neither apply for nor receive grant funds for multiple units. Individuals Individual filmmaker or humanities expert A humanities expert is defined as someone with an advanced degree in a humanities discipline or someone who is otherwise well-qualified to bring a humanities perspective, such as a historian, library or museum professional, culture bearer, or individual who is an acknowledged cultural expert within their community. Current, legal Iowa resident who is 21 years of age or older and physically located in Iowa Residence is defined by Iowa Code 422.4 and Iowa Administrative Code 701.38.17 (422) An application from an individual must support a project that is initiated and managed by the individual, not an organization. The project must be designed to benefit the individual and may not benefit an organization with which the individual applicant has a formal affiliation such as employment or volunteer service. Applicants who represent a group must apply as an individual and clearly state their individual role in the project proposal  For more information, visit State Historical Society of Iowa.

This program provides $1,000 grants to local businesses in Carroll County to improve their storefronts and attract more customers through various facade enhancements.

Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa’s Black Hawk County Grants one-time grants awarded to organizations and projects that benefit residents of Black Hawk County, Iowa. Donor Name: Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa State: Iowa County: Black Hawk County (IA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Areas Arts and Culture Access- Programs that offer new and expanded access to arts and cultural opportunities. Infrastructure– Programs and projects that protect history and make long-lasting impacts in the community. Talent Development- Programs that help grow the visual and performing creative class in their community Community Betterment Economic Development– Programs that create or expand businesses, create new jobs opportunities, and leverage outside financial support. Civic Engagement– Programs that support civic action, service learning, and cross-cultural understanding. Shared Amenities- Through the creation or expansion of public amenities like parks and trails, libraries, farmers’ markets, etc. Education and Youth Development Child Care-Programs that address the academic, health, and social/emotional needs of children pre-kindergarten. Mentorship-Through K-12 programs that provide guided and continuous mentoring, coaching, and teaching during or outside regular school hours that improve academic performance. Career Readiness- Through 9-12 programs that support postsecondary attainment and workforce readiness. Environment and Animal Welfare Conservation- Through projects that protect ecosystems and minimize their use of natural resources. Restoration- Through projects that work to re-establish the healthy functions of ecosystems. Education- Programs that foster a stronger awareness and understanding of environmental and sustainability issues. Health Case Management- Programs that provide guided and continuous behavioral healthcare and wellness services. Prevention- Programs that focus on education, physical health screening, and suicide prevention. Access- Programs that expand access to high-quality physical and mental healthcare Human Service Case Management- Through programs that help people overcome barriers to self-sufficiency. Prevention- Programs that focus on prevention of child abuse, violence, and substance abuse. Basic Needs- Programs that meet basic human needs of food, shelter, housing, transportation, and emergency assistance. The Community Foundation prioritizes requests that align with their community initiatives and program areas and embraces organizations that work to address two or more of these. The Community Foundation has identified community initiatives to provide focus on what we fund and how they spend the time in community initiatives and leadership. Those include: Advancing Racial Equity – They are committed to supporting organizations and initiatives that are BIPOC-led and/or support BIPOC populations. Expanding Child Care – They strive to increase equitable, accessible, and sustainable child care opportunities. Enhancing the Arts – They work to enrich and enhance an inclusive arts community that amplifies diverse voices and viewpoints. Strengthening Workforce Readiness – They support the community-wide need to create a more qualified, prepared workforce for the future. Building Nonprofit Capacity – They want to build the capacity of their nonprofit partners so their work is strengthened to serve their community well. Funding Information The majority of competitive grants range from $5,000 to $25,000. Eligibility Criteria Organizations must provide benefits to the people of Black Hawk County and meet the following criteria: Be classified as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or be a government entity. Tax-exempt organizations classified as other than 501(c)(3) are also eligible if and only if the project is deemed charitable. For groups, projects, or initiatives that do not meet the above eligibility requirement, we will consider projects submitted through a fiscal sponsor. Fiscal sponsors must be classified as a 501(c)(3) or a government entity. CFNEIA prefers the fiscal sponsor’s mission closely align with the sponsored project. Applicants must be current with all state and federal reporting requirements. In addition, the following conditions must be met: Applicants must not have any past due grant reports for previous CFNEIA grants. Applicants with a separate supporting, eligible organization (like a “friends of” or a foundation) can apply through either the organization or through its supporting organization, but not both. The Foundation encourages applications to be submitted through the supporting organization. The Foundation will consider requests for capital campaigns but will not provide multiple grants (in subsequent years) for the same campaign. For more information, visit CFNEIA.

The Operations and Program Grant program is to provide general operating support or program support for successful ongoing efforts Donor Name: Quad Cities Community Foundation State: Illinois, Iowa County: Rock Island County (IL), Scott County (IA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: General operating support is crucial to the long-term success of nonprofit organizations. This grant program aligns with the Community Foundation’s strategic effort to use effective grantmaking practices including: Flexible Funding: requests for general operating support are eligible for funding, and are given preference.  Reliable Funding: One-year or Two-year requests will be considered.Nonprofit organizations may apply for a grant from several different Community Foundation funds through the Operations and Program Grant program. To save time and effort, applicants submit one application and are considered for multiple funding sources. The Operations and Program Grant program continues to follow the original purposes of each fund and the intent set up by its donors. All specific fund purposes fall into one or more fields of interest: Animals & Environment; Arts & Culture; Community Development; Education; Health; and Youth Development. Fund Categories Amy Helpenstell Foundation Fund: General Operating and Program requests only. Non-501(c)3 organizations and K-12 schools not eligible to apply for these funds. Must be located within a 60-mile radius of Rock Island, IL. Chip Sunderbruch Memorial Risk Management Fund: Focuses on risk management and safety in Scott County, IA. John J. Quail Fund: Focuses on arts and culture. Roy E. Murray Fund: Focuses on youth. Funding Information Organizations submitting a 2-year grant request should request between $5,000 and $20,000 for each year (so a total request amount of between $10,000 and $40,000) Eligibility Criteria An organization must: Be located in Scott County, IA or Rock Island County, IL (Organizations that are not in those counties but are located within a 60-mile radius of Rock Island, IL are eligible for a grant from the Amy Helpenstell Foundation Fund only.) Organizations must NOT have received a two-year grant from the CFOI process in the prior calendar year. Organizations must comply with the Diversity and Non-Discrimination Policy.  Additional Eligibility Information 1-Year and 2-Year requests will be accepted Requests must cover the grant period of October 1– September 30 Requests must be between $5,000 and $20,000 ($40,000 total for 2-year requests) Applications from nonprofits that do not have 501(c)3 status and K-12 schools are not eligible for funding from the Amy Helpenstell Foundation Fund. Evaluation Criteria Preference will be given to applications requesting general operating support. Preference will be given to applications supporting existing successful organizations or programs. Organization/program meets an identified community need in at least one of the six fields of interest. The organization/program demonstrates effectiveness in achieving its goals relative to the dollars used. The grant will contribute strongly to organization/program’s overall success. Organization/program advances racial and other forms of equity in the Quad Cities region through its actions and its leadership. Organization/program has a track record of success and a positive community impact. Funds that are part of the Operations and Program Grant opportunity will still be awarded in the name of that fund, and according to their individual purposes, eligibility requirements, and evaluation criteria. For more information, visit QCCF.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and government entities that aim to improve the quality of life for residents in Floyd County, Iowa, through projects in areas such as arts, education, health, and community betterment.

The Endowment Challenge Grants supports nonprofit organizations with a matching grant to help start and build endowment funds for sustainability. Donor Name: Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation State: Iowa County: Linn County (IA) Type of Grant: Grant | Matching Grants Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/13/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 5 Years Details: The matching endowment fund is opened and held at the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. Nonprofit endowment funds invest in the mission and the future of the organization by providing general operating support, stability during cyclical income variances, and income for areas of high importance to the organization. Funding Information $25,000 and five years to meet the match. Eligibility Criteria Nonprofit organizations that are at least seven years old (based on the date of the IRS letter of determination) and hold 501(c)(3) status may apply if they meet two or more of the following criteria: The organization is based in Linn County, Iowa The organization serves residents of Linn County, Iowa An awarded Endowment Challenge Grant will only serve residents of Linn County, Iowa The organization currently holds one or more nonprofit endowed funds at the Community Foundation. The fund(s) must have been opened AND have a balance at or above the $10,000 fund minimum at least one year prior to the date of application. For more information, visit GRCF.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and government entities to support projects that enhance community life in Worth County, Iowa, across various sectors such as arts, education, health, and environment.

This program provides financial support for a variety of arts-related projects in Iowa, targeting organizations and initiatives that promote regional and statewide arts events or align with strategic arts goals.

The City of Marion has established a Hotel/Motel Grant Program funded by a seven percent room tax on overnight stays. This program redistributes these funds through the annual budget process and grants to organizations that aim to boost tourism in Marion. Eligible entities are those working towards increasing local tourism, including City of Marion events, commissions, and partners, which receive allocations during the annual budget process and do not require separate grant applications. A committee assesses applications to recommend funding allocations to the council. Funds are granted for the fiscal year only, with unclaimed funds reverting to the Hotel/Motel Fund. Marion City Council has budgeted $50,000 for the Hotel/Motel Grant Program for FY24-25. The grant application process will open on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual opening: April

This grant provides funding to eligible local government partners in Greater Des Moines for the creation and installation of public art projects that enhance community engagement with water trails and public spaces.

This program empowers high school students in Black Hawk County to distribute funds to nonprofit organizations, fostering youth philanthropy and community engagement.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and government entities that aim to improve the quality of life in Butler County, Iowa, through projects in areas such as arts, education, health, and community betterment.

Veridian Credit Union® has partnered with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa to provide the Veridian Credit Union’s Successful Financial Future Grants to nonprofit organizations whose work plays a vital role in creating successful financial futures in Veridian Credit Union’s service area in Iowa and Nebraska. Donor Name: Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa State: Iowa, Nebraska County: Cass County (NE), Douglas County (NE), Lancaster County (NE), Sarpy County (NE), Saunders County (NE), Washington County (NE) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The purpose of these grants is to provide support to nonprofits whose work is primarily focused on addressing barriers to financial stability by educating individuals in financial literacy and/or employment readiness. Grants are not for projects or programs but are for organizations fully engaged in work centered around financial literacy or employment readiness. Priority Funding priority will be given to the following applicants: Organizations that have a proven track record of success in helping improve financial literacy and/or by helping individuals increase employability Organizations that use evidence-based approaches and/or data-driven decisions in its work Healthy organizations (demonstration of financial and organizational strength) Organizations that demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion Organizations that do work in a collaborative manner Funding Information The Veridian Credit Union’s Successful Financial Future Grants are general operating grants of up to $5,000 and are made available to nonprofits that are strengthening communities by helping individuals become more financially stable. Eligibility Criteria Organizations must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to be considered for a Veridian Credit Union’s Successful Financial Future Grant: Applicants must be classified by the IRS as 501(c)(3) public charities. Applicants must be serving residents in Iowa and/or in the following Nebraska counties: Cass, Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy, Saunders, and Washington. If the applicant has received past funding, all grant reporting must be up to date and in good standing. The following groups are NOT eligible to apply: Government entities Applications submitted through a fiscal sponsor Organizations whose primary purpose is to raise funds for other organizations (this includes “friends of” and “foundation” arms of nonprofits) Organizations that require participants to participate in religious programming. Religious activities include religious worship, instruction, or proselytization or activities that promote specific religious doctrine. For more information, visit CFNEIA.

The Monona County Community Partners Foundation (MCCPF) grant program aims to address present and emerging needs within Monona County, Iowa, by awarding grants in areas such as Arts & Culture, Civic, Education, Environment, Health, and Human Services. The grants are available to nonprofit organizations, units of local government, and public education institutions that serve Monona County and are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The application process opens on December 1, and the deadline is March 1, with final determinations made in the first week of April. Grants typically range from $250 to $15,000, focusing on projects with potential for long-term impact and collaboration with other community groups. The MCCPF provides funding every other year. Applicants funded in 2024 are not eligible for the 2025 cycle. Priority is given to projects that collaborate with other nonprofits and have potential for long-term community impact.

The River Bluff Community Foundation in Iowa is offering the Impact Grant, ranging from $1000 to $10,000, to nonprofit organizations that aim to improve the quality of life in Clinton and Camanche through initiatives in health, education, community development, environment, family services, and arts and culture, with applications due by September 30, 2024.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and government entities that enhance the welfare of residents in Fayette County, Iowa, through projects in areas such as arts, education, health, and community development.