Iowa Diversity Equity and Inclusion Grants

Our grantees work to build on the entrepreneurial spirit, strong community ties, and untapped potential within Native nations, communities of color, rural communities, and other resilient communities who have fewer opportunities to thrive on their own terms. We envision strong, vibrant communities where people are connected to good jobs and have the financial capability to build their assets and provide a secure future for their families and communities. A Need to Close the Opportunity Gaps Our economic system doesn’t work for everyone. It widens income and opportunity gaps, restrains economic mobility, and traps people and communities in a cycle of poverty and injustice. A disproportionate number of Native Americans, people of color, refugees, immigrants, and rural Americans are living in crisis—or just a paycheck away from it. Nationally, six in 10 families of color don’t have the cash on hand to cover basic expenses—like rent, medical emergencies, or the need to fix a car—for three months.

This scholarship provides financial support for students in Iowa who have been directly affected by childhood cancer, either as patients or siblings, to help them pursue higher education.

This funding opportunity is designed to support local nonprofits, government entities, and public school agencies in Buena Vista County with various project needs.

The Forecast Public Art’s Midwest Memory Grant, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, is open to non-profit organizations in rural Midwest communities, aiming to elevate and preserve the stories of BIPOC communities through monuments, with a focus on addressing systemic inequities and advancing racial justice.

The Rural Housing Assessment Grant program supports the use of publicly available, online information and rural community efforts to interpret publicly available hard data to implement changes through development codes, local ordinances, and housing incentives specific to individual community needs. Donor Name: Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) State: Iowa County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/30/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: In partnership with Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach’s Rural Housing Readiness Assessment workshops, program funding will empower communities to assess the current development environment and enact changes resulting in the creation of policies and procedures attractive to potential developers. The program is administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s (IEDA) Center for Rural Revitalization in consultation with the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative Task Forces and ISU Extension and Outreach. The Rural Housing Assessment Grant Program provides funding for housing assessment data collection and ISU Extension and Outreach Rural Housing Assessment Readiness Workshop. Funds may be used to fulfill that process at the discretion of the grant recipient but must contribute to the completion of the housing assessment report, workshop or implementation of the workshop outcomes within the contract period. Funding Information Grant Recipients will be awarded up to $20,000. Funding Period All project activities and incurred expenses must occur within the eligible contracted funding period of October 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026. Eligible Project Requirements Requirements for Rural Housing Assessment Interpretation and Implementation grant awards include, but are not limited to the following: Applicants must demonstrate the capacity for grants administration. Applications must demonstrate the feasibility of completing the proposed activities with the funds requested and contract period. Applications must identify and describe any other sources of funding for the proposed activities. Applications must provide $5,000 cash match for each city or full county partnering on the application. Applications must agree to utilize information available on the Iowa Profile tool. Applications must agree to contract with ISU Extension and Outreach for the facilitated Rural Housing Assessment Readiness Workshop. Applications must identify any additional partner organizations that will be utilized in additional data collection or implementation processes. Eligibility Criteria Local city and county governments, or federally recognized tribal governments physically located in Iowa. Projects/programs must exist in and benefit a community in Iowa with a population of 20,000 or fewer and not contiguous to a city with a population of 40,000 or greater. If a countywide project, must be in one of the 88 least populous counties. For more information, visit IEDA.

Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant Applications for the new Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant program are now open through May 7! Program Overview: The Iowa Department of Education has received $900,000 to support the enhancement and expansion of summer meal programs in currently underserved and eligible areas. Program Details: Funding Source: $900,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Purpose: Enhance and expand summer meal programs in underserved areas. Target Audience: Iowa children ages 18 and under. Programs Supported: Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO). Grant Opportunity: Provides additional revenue source for summer meal programs beyond federal meal reimbursement. Allowable Expenses: Enhancing meal quality, incorporating locally grown foods, updating program equipment, conducting program outreach, and operational/administrative personnel expenses not fully covered through meal reimbursement. Eligible Sites for Expansion: Possible new meal site locations include: Schools Community buildings Libraries Apartment complexes Parks Swimming pools Splash pads Churches Other public sites where children gather Non-Congregate Distribution: Non-congregate distribution may be an option for State agency approved sponsors in rural areas unserved by a congregate meal service. Application Deadline: May 7 Don't miss this opportunity to expand summer meal programs and ensure Iowa children have access to healthy meals during the summer break! Apply now!

This grant provides funding for innovative community-based projects that promote joy as a vital element of social justice for Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and AMEMSA communities in the Upper Midwest.

Community Impact Grants are awarded from the unrestricted funds of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque to improve policies and practices affecting the Greater Dubuque community and have the greatest possible impact. Donor Name: Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque State: Iowa County: Clayton County (IA), Clinton County (IA), Dubuque County (IA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/14/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Community Impact Grant program is designed to support capacity-building efforts among nonprofits serving Clayton, Clinton, and Dubuque counties. Project proposals can focus on a variety of areas, including: Community programming Individual and team leadership Organization-wide planning and development Equity, diversity and inclusion Network development Communications Evaluation and learning planning Digital and physical security. Funding Information The Community Foundation will make awards between $3,500-$20,000. Eligibility Criteria  Nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations, churches, schools, or government organizations that provide services in Clayton, Clinton and Dubuque counties. Organizations that do not have a 501(c)3 status are encouraged to find a qualifying agency to serve as their fiscal sponsor. Ineligible for Grants Individuals Lobbying activities Debt retirement or budget deficits Tuition, scholarships or core operating expenses for public schools, charter schools, private schools, or universities and colleges Annual campaigns, fundraising campaigns or events Religious organizations for religious purposes Political activities Purchases or activities that occur prior to grant decisions Grants that are solely focused on capital improvements. For more information, visit CFGD.

This grant provides funding for nonprofit organizations in Marshall County, Iowa, to support initiatives focused on mental health, substance abuse services, or capital projects that improve the community's quality of life.

The Aegon Transamerica Foundation Grant Program aims to support youth and families in the communities where it operates by investing in charitable organizations. The foundation provides grant funding to non-profit organizations in the categories of Arts & Culture, Civic & Community, Education & Literacy, Health & Welfare, and United Way initiatives. Additionally, a special fund may be established for employee donations, often matched dollar-for-dollar, and provided to an organization assisting in disaster relief efforts.

The Arts & Culture Capacity Building Grant Program provides funding to support initiatives that aim to create a more sustainable and effective organization. Donor Name: City of Dubuque State: Iowa City: Dubuque Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/10/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: Eligible organizations may apply for grants of up to $8,000 to support capacity-building initiatives. The organization must maintain a cash operating expense budget, exclusive of other City of Dubuque grant support, of no less than $10,000 per year. A total of $35,000 in funding is available. Examples of capacity-building initiatives include: strategic planning creating a development plan and/or fundraising strategy donor experience improvements staff and/or board member nonprofit 101 training leadership development project or program development program management volunteer management Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) training. Grant Period Funding is available in fiscal year 2025 (FY25), which runs from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. Eligibility Criteria Applicant is an arts and culture organization as defined by grant guidelines. Applicant is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with at least two years of programming documentation and two Form 990s. Applicant’s official business address is located in the city limits of Dubuque (P.O. Boxes will not be accepted). Applicant serves residents of Dubuque and programming occurs within the city limits. Applicant will have a clean record of compliance and be in good standing with the City of Dubuque’s Arts and Culture Grant Program(s). For more information, visit City of Dubuque.

The 501vc® Investment Fund is seeking to invest $200,000 to $300,000 in early-stage climate tech startups in the Greater Midwest region, focusing on sectors like advanced materials, renewable energy, and agriculture technologies.

PRISM (Promoting Rural Interconnections for Sexual Minorities) grants support rural LGBTQ+ organizations from across PFund’s five-state service area. Donor Name: PFund Foundation State: Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 09/09/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: The PRISM program works to increase the capacity and connection of rural LGBTQ+ serving organizations through grants, trainings and cohort collaboration. PFund Foundation is awarding its second round of funding LGBTQ+ leaders and organizations from across rural Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Native Nations therein. Known as PRISM (Promoting Rural Interconnections for Sexual Minorities), the program creates networks for LGBTQ+ organizations and groups to share resources, learn as a community, and respond to the unique set of issues and challenges facing queer people in small towns and rural areas in the upper Midwest. Funding Information The size of the grants will range between $10,000 and $20,000. Grant Period The grant period will be for 12 months. Eligibility Criteria To apply for a PRISM grant, organizations must meet the following qualifications: Primarily serve LGBTQIA2S+ populations in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and/or the Native Nations therein. Been in operation at least 1-year as of September 1st. Organizations must be based in a rural community or serve rural populations (defined as small and mid-sized towns under 50,000 people). Registered as 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the IRS. Informal groups with a nonprofit organization serving as a fiscal sponsor are also eligible to apply. Have a senior organizational representative able to participate in monthly, virtual cohort meetings. An informational webinar was held on August 6th at 10 am central. Use this link to access a recording. For more information, visit PFund Foundation.

This grant provides funding to charitable organizations, schools, and government units in Muscatine and Louisa Counties to promote racial justice, equity, and inclusion for marginalized communities.

Human Needs Recovery Grants for Linn County are available for organizations addressing important community needs aligned with fund priorities. Applications will be reviewed based on criteria including the organization's connection to a system of care, capacity to achieve goals, and equity impact. Five points are possible for each criterion, and successful applicants will receive funding to support their proposed initiatives.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, local governments, and public schools in selected states to implement sustainability initiatives, workforce development, and community resilience programs that enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in their communities.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, universities, and government entities in Illinois and Iowa that focus on educating the public about climate change and natural resource depletion or conducting research for sustainable solutions.

This grant provides financial support to grassroots community organizing groups in the Midwest that focus on empowering low- and moderate-income populations, particularly those historically excluded from civic participation, to drive systemic change and promote social justice.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Rock Island County, Illinois, and Scott County, Iowa, to address community needs in areas such as education, food security, housing, and immigration support, while empowering high school students to engage in philanthropy.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and service groups in Jackson County, Iowa, for projects that address community needs and improve quality of life.