Small Grants Program

Our Neighborhood Grants for Growth program, known as our Small Grants Program, helps Des Moines-based, resident-led volunteer groups with little or no budget and limited access to other funding carry out activities that build connections and help neighbors and neighborhoods. Our small grants support projects that

• Enable people in our community to build relationships
• Encourage community participation
• Strengthen resident leadership

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Project Criteria

We look for projects that:

• Increase the participation of individuals and families in their neighborhood.
• Increase the number of adults and/or youth who want to organize community projects.
• Increase the people who are connected to and/or actively participating in
      community-based organizations.
• Increase the number of people who feel more connected to their neighbors.
• Are started and carried out by at least three people from a neighborhood
      within Des Moines' city limits.
• Build on residents' knowledge and resources.
• Provide creative solutions to problems in our community.
• Are short-term lasting no longer than seven months.

Examples of what we fund:

• Block parties
• Neighborhood festival
• Community art
• Classes for neighbors, such as learning another language, parenting skills, literacy, cooking
• Innovative neighborhood communication tools
• Programs for neighborhood youth
• Neighborhood clean-ups
• Neighborhood activities for families
• Community beautification projects such as landscaping of public green spaces
      (vacant lots, parks, street corners, medians, parkways, front yards)
• Neighborhood film festival
• Anti-litter or anti-graffiti campaign

Application Process

Grants are awarded three times a year for applications received by February 15, April 15, and July 15. Groups and residents interested in obtaining a small grant need to complete an application by the stated deadline. A committee made up of residents from the city of Des Moines selects grant recipients. Maximum amount for each grant is $1,000.  Submit application online or Download application.

Neighborhood Grants for Growth are funded by Making Connections Des Moines and United Way of Central Iowa, and supported by the Neighborhood Health Initiative.

Informational brochure