Art Project Grant for Organizations Program Guidelines

Background

The Art Project Grant for Organizations program is administered by the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority (the IEDA). Through the program, the IEDA provides financial incentives to nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations; schools; local, county, state and federal governmental agencies; and tribal councils to support a wide variety of arts-related activities. To be eligible, projects must include artistic excellence and service to Iowans.  Priority is given to first time and infrequent applicants as well as projects that advance the goals of the Iowa Arts Council 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (8.15 MB) .pdf .

For this special round of funding, only projects engaging Creative Abundance Consulting and an Iowa artist(s) to bring arts programming to Iowa populations with disabilities will be considered.

The program is funded through an appropriation by the Iowa Legislature to the IEDA and a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Applicants must comply with federal requirements, including but not limited to 2 CFR Part 200. 

Operating and grant policies set out at 261 Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 305 and rules pertaining to organization and operation of the Iowa Arts Council found at 261 Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 304 apply to the program. Rules specific to the program can be found at 261 Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 307. Additional eligibility requirements and priorities are set out in these guidelines published by the IEDA. 

Questions

Potential applicants, especially first-time applicants, are encouraged to review all published material, including the administrative rules and published guidelines, and contact Grants and Operations Manager Elizabeth Ferreira well in advance of application deadlines if they have any questions regarding the program. 

Accessibility

IEDA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to eligible applicants. For technical support submitting the online application, please contact Accessibility Coordinator Elizabeth Ferreira at least two weeks in advance of the application deadline.

Timeline

May 2026 | Fiscal Year 2027 Special Round – Creative Abundance Application Open

The program will open for submission of online applications in May 2026 for the funding period July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until April 15, 2027 or until funds are expended.

Funding Notification

Typically, applicants are notified of funding decisions within eight to twelve weeks after submission.

July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 | Eligible Funding Period

The eligible funding period is July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027. All grant project expenses must be incurred and activities must be completed within the eligible funding period and after execution of the grant contract.  Start of funding period may be adjusted based on when grant contract is executed.

August 2, 2027 | Final Report Deadline

Grant recipients are required to complete a final report by August 2, 2027.

Grant Amounts and Disbursement

One-Time Project Expenses

• Applicants may request funding for eligible one-time grant project expenses that are incurred and expended during the eligible funding period. All funding must be used to bring arts programming to Iowa populations with disabilities.
• Eligible grant request: $15,000 

Grant Payment

Grant recipients will receive the full grant amount award upon full execution of the grant agreement. Recipients will need to complete a final report at the end of the eligible funding period outlining how the grant funds were spent. Recipients will be required to provide documentation of expenditures and proof of purchase on forms provided by Authority as part of the Final Report. Any unspent grant funds will need to be returned to the IEDA within 30 days after the final report deadline.

Application Requirements

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants must be one of the following types of entities. Entities who do not fall into one of these categories are not eligible to apply.

• An active Iowa nonprofit organization registered with the Iowa Secretary of State that is exempt from federal taxes pursuant to Internal Revenue Code § 501(c)(3) and maintains a staffed office physically located within the State of Iowa.
• A nonprofit organization physically located within a  Border City (168.88 KB) .pdf , but otherwise meets the eligibility requirements in these guidelines, that is applying for a project that will service Iowa audiences.
• Educational institution, organization or K-12 school whose primary orientation, mission and purposes are education and/or awarding academic credits.
• Unit of local, county, state or federally recognized tribal government physically located in Iowa.

An organization whose primary purpose is to channel resources (financial, human or other) to an affiliated organization may only apply if the affiliated organization does not submit its own application. This prohibition applies even if each organization has its own 501(c)(3) status. For example, the "Friends of ABC Museum" may not apply if the ABC Museum, itself, has applied. 

Accessibility - Americans with Disabilities Act

Applicant must demonstrate that the project is in compliance or actively working to be in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. These laws prohibit discrimination against individuals with physical and/or mental disabilities. Both programmatic and structural accessibility must be addressed in the application.

Universal Entity Identifier (SAM-UEI)

Entities applying for the IEDA’s programs must be registered with the U.S. Government's System for Award Management (SAM), at www.sam.gov. Entities that register in SAM.gov are assigned a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), which is required for doing business with the federal government. All applicants for the IEDA’s programs except for individual applicants are required to have a UEI and maintain a SAM.gov registration for the duration of the application process and, if awarded a grant, for the life of the award. 

Ineligible Applicants

Ineligible applicants include the following types of entities.

• For-profit corporation or business.
• Individuals.
• Political party.
• National service/professional organization.
• Organization that has received grants, loans or other incentives through the Iowa Arts Council or other program administered by the IEDA that are not in compliance with reporting or other requirements or that are listed on the IEDA’s funding moratorium list.
• Fiscal agent whose role is to hold or administer funds but otherwise will have no substantive involvement with carrying out the project. 

Art Project Requirements

Eligible Projects

For this special round of funding, only projects engaging Creative Abundance Consulting and an Iowa artist(s) to bring arts programming to Iowa populations with disabilities will be considered.

Eligible projects must involve an arts experience, arts learning activity, or arts professional development activity and must demonstrate public value to Iowans through deliberate public engagement and access to project activities. Types of eligible projects include community events, performances, exhibitions, festivals, conferences, or workshops dedicated to arts related activities, including conferences that are likely to demonstrate best practices for the artistic field. Grant projects may represent a phase of a larger project with a longer timeline. However, all grant project activities must have a clear beginning and end date during the eligible funding period.

Applicants may apply for support of an annual event or series only if they can demonstrate how the event or series is unique to the eligible funding period and worthy of support. Project content must change from year to year. 

Applicants may apply for support of a public art project only if they can demonstrate broad-based community engagement and programming surrounding the project. 

Ineligible Projects

Projects that fall outside of the identified eligible project will not receive funding through this program.

Budget Requirements

Eligible Grant Request Expenses

Art Project Grants support project expenses that are essential to the completion of the proposed project. The grant request must be dedicated to eligible one-time, direct project expenses, and legitimate parts of the proposed project and must be incurred and expended within the eligible funding period. Expenses identified in the grant request should be based on competitive, current market pricing. 

Expenses eligible for reimbursement include direct project costs such as:

• Creative Abundance Consulting fees ($20,000)
• Artist fees (e.g. creation, preparation, participation in training)
• Domestic travel (e.g. mileage, accommodation, per diem)
• Materials (e.g. paint, costumes, props)
• Access accommodations (e.g., audio description, sign-language interpretation, closed or open captioning, large-print brochures/labeling)
• Overhead and Administrative Costs that are directly allocable to the project (e.g. a percentage of space/facility costs, the percentage of staff time for the administrative support of a project)*
• Personnel time dedicated to the project** (e.g. planning, execution, evaluation time, administrative closeout costs) 

* Overhead and Administrative Costs must be reasonable and consistent with best practices in financial management. It should not simply be a percentage of the project budget. Applicants must be able to calculate the actual costs included in the line item.

**Applicant must demonstrate how personnel time is specifically dedicated to the proposed project. Personnel benefits, such as health insurance and paid time off, are not eligible for reimbursement. State of Iowa agencies cannot include personnel costs in the grant request, but such expenses may be included as part of the cash match requirement. 

Indirect Costs

Applicants who are unable to calculate direct Overhead and Administrative Costs associated with the proposed project can include indirect costs instead.

Indirect Costs are overhead, administrative, or general operating expenses that are not readily identifiable with or are difficult to assign to a specific project. Examples of Indirect Costs include the expenses associated with operating and maintaining facilities and equipment, rent, utilities, supplies, and administrative salaries. The indirect cost rate is either the current and appropriate indirect cost rate negotiated with the applicant’s Cognizant Federal agency or a de minimis rate of 15%.

The indirect cost rate is applied to the Modified Total Direct Costs noted in the grant budget, which include project expenses like salaries and wages, materials and supplies, services, and travel. Modified Total Direct Costs do not include project costs like purchasing equipment, rental costs, among others.

Ineligible Grant Request Expenses

Expenses that fall outside of the identified eligible expenses for the project may not be included as part of the grant request. 

Ineligible grant request expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Budget shortfalls
• Capital expenditures, including the purchase of fixed assets or tangible personal property, including information technology systems, having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit cost that is equal to or greater than $10,000
• Costs of goods for resale, including concessions or promotional merchandise such as clothing or items purchased for sale, and any staffing, technology, or facilities costs related to retail activities
• Contingency for major project scope changes, unforeseen risks, or extraordinary events
• Costs for the creation of new organizations
• Deficit or debt reduction
• Donations or contributions to other organizations
• Expenses incurred prior to or after the eligible funding period
• Food, beverage and alcohol. Food and beverage may be included if they have a clear programmatic purpose.
• Foreign travel
• Funding cash reserve or endowment accounts or instruments
• Fundraising or benefit activity expenses, including events or other activities only open to donors
• Gifts and Prizes
• Lobbying activity
• Personnel benefits
• Project costs supported by any other federal or state funding
• Property construction, maintenance, restoration or renovation expenses
• Purchase and/or use of gift cards and gift certificates to support project costs
• Purchase of a vehicle
• Rental of any property owned by any individuals or entities affiliated with the recipient, including commercial or residential real estate, for purposes such as a home office is unallowable
• Tuition, fees or project activity that results in an applicant's undergraduate or graduate course credit, degree or certification
• Unallowable expenses for federal awards as defined in 2 CFR 200 Subpart E - Cost Principles
• Unrealized ticket or event revenue, i.e., providing free tickets or scholarships to attend an event
• Visa costs paid to the federal government

Match Requirement

Applicants are required to demonstrate investment in the project by providing one to one matching funds to the total grant amount requested from the IEDA. For example, an applicant that requests $15,000 in grant funds needs at least $15,000 in matching funds for a minimum total grant project budget of $30,000.

The required matching funds must be dedicated to one-time project expenses that are legitimate parts of the proposed project. For this special round of funding, the $15,000 of matching funds must be all cash with the exception of domestic travel costs (e.g. mileage, accommodation, per diem) and materials (e.g. paint, costumes, props), which may be in-kind.Applicants will need to include any in-kind contributions as direct costs in the project budget to balance the budget. The applicant is not required to secure the matching funds at the time of application but must secure them by the end of the eligible funding period and identify them in the final report due August 2, 2027. 

• Cash match is actual cash, like cash donations, grants, organizational reserves, and revenues that are received for the project.
• In-kind match is non-cash goods or services provided at no charge to the project by a third party.  The use and value of third-party contributions must be properly documented. All third-party contributions must be necessary and reasonable for the project.
• Expenses used for matching funds must adhere to the same expense eligibility requirements as detailed in the budget requirements section of these guidelines.
• Federal funds cannot be used to meet the match requirement.
• State funds may be used to meet the match requirement provided they are not from another program administered by the IEDA and are not in violation of any other grant agreement or terms of any other award.
• Funds provided by units of county or local government may be used to meet the match requirements

Funding Priorities

Priority is given to first time and infrequent applicants (applicants not funded in the past two fiscal years) to Iowa Arts Council grant programs as well as projects that have high-quality arts production or arts experiences and projects that advance the goals of the  Iowa Arts Council Strategic Plan Framework 2022-2026 (8.15 MB) .pdf .

Review Process

Eligibility Review

Submitted applications are reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility, and adherence to published guidelines. Applications are reviewed as submitted, provided that the IEDA may contact applicants if any additional information is required. New application information or subsequent application clarification submitted after an application is submitted is not considered unless requested by an IEDA program manager. Staff will also review an applicant’s record of compliance and good standing with the Iowa Arts Council, the IEDA, other state agencies, including but not limited to the Iowa Department of Revenue, and federal government agencies or departments. Applications or applicants determined by staff to be ineligible or incomplete will not move forward to panel review. A determination as to eligibility or completeness is final agency action. 

Competitive Panel Review

Applications by eligible applicants that are complete and adhere to program requirements will be referred for a competitive review by a panel of professionals with expertise related to the purpose of the program. Applications will be scored and ranked based on the published scoring rubric. Recommendations for consideration and approval are submitted to the Director of the IEDA.  

Decision Notification

Applicants are typically notified of funding decisions, including decisions to decline to fund applications, within eight to twelve weeks after application submission. Applicants are encouraged to refrain from contacting staff for application status updates during the funding decision process.

Application Submission

Applicants must submit applications via the Iowa Arts Council’s SlideRoom, an online application portal. Applications will not be accepted in any other format. Late, incomplete or ineligible applications will not be accepted. Applicants can access the current online application requirements at iowaartscouncil.slideroom.com. Applicants must create a login to view the full application requirements for the program. Applicants can visit help.liaisonedu.com for assistance related to the online submission.

Application Questions and Scoring Rubric

The Art Project Grant for Organizations program scoring rubric will be used by the review panel to evaluate grant applications. The following application questions are provided for reference only. Applicants must review and complete application requirements in the SlideRoom portal. Each section has criteria and corresponding point values to ensure an unbiased review process. The rubric is on a scale of 45 points.

Applicant Overview

This section is not scored

Mission Statement 

Enter applicant’s mission statement. 

Applicant Profile

Describe applicant’s organizational history and the community it serves. Provide a broad overview of the programs and services the organization offers. 

Project Description

Describe the project activities that will take place during the funding period, including:

• What the project activities are and how they will be accessible by the public.
• Where the project activities will take place.
• The process for selecting the artists participating in the project activities.
• Why applicant is proposing to do this project.
• If this is a public art focused request, include a statement regarding permission to use the site where the art will be located and why that site was chosen.  

Is the project part of regular ongoing programming, like an annual event or exhibit/performing arts series? (Yes/No) If yes, describe how the grant funds will be used to supplement, enhance, or otherwise provide additional opportunities that the applicant has not been able to offer in the past with the existing programming.

Schedule of Key Project Dates 

Provide a timeline of when project activities outlined in the Project Description will occur. Be sure to include when key artistic decisions will be made, project phases, and events, as applicable. Grant projects may represent a phase of a larger project with a longer timeline. If, for context, you describe activities that occur outside of the eligible funding period, indicate by adding an asterisk (*). Deadlines can be listed as the month it is set to be complete, such as “September 2026”, rather than a specific date. 

Community Involvement

Describe the intended communities, participants, and/or audiences involved in the project activities, including:

• Key Demographics.
• Specific plans to engage the identified groups in the project activities.
• How they will benefit from project activities.
• Plans to provide equitable access to project activities. 

Project Partners & Key Individuals

Complete the table below outlining at least one and up to ten key individuals (such as staff, artists, teaching artists, collaborators, consultants, mentors) and/or partner organizations involved in the project. Because all projects require matching resources from non-federal or state sources, organizations that only provide money are not considered partners. Funders are not excluded from being partners, but they must also supply human resources or information capital or actively participate in another way to be considered partners. Include the individual or Partner Organization’s Name and if they are tentative or committed to partnering on the project.

Project Partner & Key Individuals Description

Describe why the applicant had chosen the identified partners for this project, what their role will be, and their biographical experience or knowledge relative to this project.

Project Goal and Monitoring

State at least one distinct and measurable goal for the project. Effective goals are specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant to the project. They will articulate what the applicant or the intended audience will learn or experience by participating in the proposed arts activities. For example: “We will introduce new youth studio art classes to advance our goal of attracting more families with children to visit the art center.”

Describe how the applicant will monitor and evaluate progress toward the stated goal. Examples of evaluation activities include, but are not limited to, surveys of program participants, measuring attendance and third-party program evaluations. If applicable, include plans to share learnings and outcomes. 

In addition, select one Iowa Arts Council strategic goal that best aligns with applicant’s stated goal(s).

• Foster arts programming that seeks to advance individual and community health and well-being.
• Intentionally engage artists in community development initiatives.
• More Iowa K-12 students have access to meaningful arts learning opportunities and career and learning pathways in the arts.
• Nurture and support cross-sector partnerships that include the arts and artists as a core partner to address community needs
• Promote access to the arts by addressing barriers to promote accessibility and engage new arts participants.
• Reinforce and elevate the essential role artists as citizens serve in their communities.
• Bridge urban, rural and suburban parts of our state through shared resources and greater collaboration.

Project Budget

This section is not scored, but it will be reviewed by staff for compliance.

Direct Project Expenses

Itemize the eligible direct grant project expenses covered by both the requested Iowa Arts Council funds and the Matching Funds in the table below. These are costs that are expended specifically for the project during the period of performance. Review the list of eligible and ineligible expenses found in the grant program guidelines. Do not include expenses that will be incurred outside the eligible funding period. Include a brief description of each expense and place the numeric dollar amount for that expense in the next column. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not include dollar signs, decimals or commas.

Total Indirect Costs

Enter the amount of indirect costs being applied to the Grant Project. Only include this number if the applicant has an appropriate indirect cost rate negotiated with the applicant’s Cognizant Federal agency.

Alternatively, you can use a de minimis indirect cost rate of up to 15% of your modified total direct costs if you do not have a federally negotiated rate and did not include Overhead and Administrative Costs under the Direct Project Expenses. Modified Total Direct Costs include salaries and wages, materials and supplies, services, and travel. Modified Total Direct Costs excludes equipment, capital expenditures, rental costs, among others.

Total Project Costs/Expenses

Enter the total direct costs and indirect costs (if applicable) outlined in the tables above. For this special round of funding, the total should be $30,000, representing the expenses covered by the $15,000 of Iowa Arts Council grant funds and the $15,000 of matching funds. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not include dollar signs, decimals or commas.

Enter the Amount Requested from the Iowa Arts Council

Round to the nearest dollar. Do not include dollar signs, decimals or commas. For this special round of funding, the amount requested from the Iowa Arts Council should be $15,000.

Matching Funds - Cash

Itemize each source of funding for the cash match, the amount from each source, and whether the funds have been secured. The funding source is where the cash match is coming from. This may include sources like private foundations; corporate or individual donors; ticket sales; or the organization's operating budget. Be as specific as possible in listing the source. For this special round of funding, the $15,000 of matching funds must be all cash with the exception of domestic travel costs (e.g. mileage, accommodation, per diem) and materials (e.g. paint, costumes, props), which may be in-kind.

Matching Funds – In-Kind

Itemize third-party contributions to the project. These are non-cash goods and services that are necessary and reasonable for the project. Do not include goods, facilities, or services contributed by your own organization as these are considered part of your own organization’s cash cost share/match. The in-kind contributions must also be included as direct costs in the Direct Costs form above to balance the budget. For this special round of funding, only domestic travel costs (e.g. mileage, accommodation, per diem) and materials (e.g. paint, costumes, props) may be in-kind.

Total Project Revenue

Enter the total of the amount requested from the Iowa Arts Council and the matching funding outlined above. This amount should be equal to the Total Project Costs/Expenses. For this special round of funding, the total should be $30,000, representing the $15,000 of Iowa Arts Council grant funds and the $15,000 matching funds. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not include dollar signs, decimals or commas.

Additional Project Budget Notes

Provide information to clarify any item included in the project budget.

Artistic Work Samples

Submit 3-5 artistic work samples that are as relevant to the proposed art project as possible. Artistic work samples should demonstrate the quality of the artistic work highlighted in proposed project or the quality of the applicant’s past work as it relates to the proposed project. Artistic work samples should be recent, high quality, and must represent an artistic work or performance. Samples can also include images or videos of past events or classes. For festival events, samples can include maps of the festival grounds. Artistic work samples DO NOT include links to websites, bios, testimonials, news articles or marketing material such as brochures, fliers or posters.

• Provide 3-5 items.
• Video and audio files should not exceed three minutes each.
• PDF files should not exceed three pages each.
• Each PDF should only represent one work sample (i.e. one poem would be considered one work sample).
• Panelists will not be required to view more than three pages of a work sample or more than three minutes of an audio or video file.
• If the artist(s) for the project is not yet selected, submit representative samples of work by artists the applicant has presented in the past.

Include a description with each sample, including:

• Title of the sample
• Date of the work or activity
• Names of artist(s) featured if applicable
• Relevance of the work sample to the proposed project
• If an audio or video sample is longer than three minutes, indicate the three-minute segment the panel should view.
• If a visual art sample, note the artistic medium being presented in the sample and the dimensions of the actual piece. 

Optional Support Material 

Submit up to two pages of document support material for the proposed project. Support material may include an evaluation tool, sketch of a proposed artwork, letter of support, marketing material, press clipping, lesson plan or artist bios. A list of web links is not acceptable.  

Overall Application

The following scoring criteria reference the quality of the proposal and application as a whole and not a particular question. Support materials will be considered in overall artistic excellence, merit, and case for support. 

Glossary Terms and Definitions

Applicants should refer to the online glossary (168.88 KB) .pdf for clarification of program terms and definitions.