Deadline: 3-Oct-22
The Community Foundation’s Leadership Grants are now open for projects that improve the quality of life in Greater Des Moines.
They have intentionally evolved their grantmaking priorities and cycles to center grant awards around equity and support opportunities that create “tidal waves” of impact around community needs, challenges and opportunities.
The Leadership Grant program awards grants to launch or scale up initiatives positioned to strengthen their community in seven key focus areas drawn from community priorities. They focus their grantmaking on organizations serving Greater Des Moines, and their Better Together philosophy embraces projects that leverage the strengths of diverse stakeholders.
Characteristics of a well-aligned Leadership Grant project:
- Addresses one or more of the 2022 grant making priorities noting how the project utilizes equity-centered strategies for strengthening the community.
- Leverages other funders, partners, and/or stakeholders in a project that has broad community benefit in Greater Des Moines.
Funding Information
- Leadership Grants range from $25,000 to $250,000 although there is no formal minimum or maximum.
Grant making Focus Areas
- Arts and Culture
- Community Betterment
- Education
- Health
- Social Capital
- Strengthening Individuals and Families in their Community
- Workforce Development
Equity centered Strategies
Projects within any focus area(s) should utilize Equity-centered strategies for strengthening community:
- Advance regional cultural priorities through initiatives that leverage arts for social impact.
- Increase availability and improve access to effective mobility & transportation solutions.
- Increase availability and improve access to safe and affordable permanent housing solutions
- Prioritize inclusive economic development strategies that address inequities and foster community resiliency.
- Partner for academic achievement through collaborative initiatives that support students and families, particularly those identified with multiple barriers to educational attainment and success.
- Advance access to physical and mental health resources through systemic efforts that support populations facing inequitable barriers.
- Empower and engage diverse community voices to lead initiatives that develop and coordinate solutions to critical community needs.
- Connect support systems for vulnerable individuals and families.
- Develop progressive strategies and systemic solutions that address homelessness, reduce instances of food insecurity, expand safe and affordable housing, and increase access to care and/or open stronger financial futures.
- Expand opportunities for individuals who have experienced workforce disruption to upskill and re-skill through education/certification attainment, job training and employment connections.
Leadership Grant Program Timeline
- Grant Cycle 2: Letter of Intent due (October 3 at 4pm), Finalists notified (approximately October 14); Full application Due (November 7 at noon); Grants approved (December 8).
For more information, visit https://www.desmoinesfoundation.org/filesimages/2022/Grantmaking/2022%20Leadership%20Grant%20Application%20Overview.pdf