Investment
INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY
Bravo Greater Des Moines leverages community resources to maximize the impact of arts, culture and heritage to advance regional priorities. A primary way we do this is through our Community Investment programs.
Since 2006, Bravo has awarded more than 1,200 grants to 100+ arts, culture and heritage organizations and programs, with total funding exceeding $55 million. Bravo Greater Des Moines’ grant funding is made possible by the generous contributions of hotel/motel taxes from the following local government partners: Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Indianola, Johnston, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Polk County, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines and Windsor Heights.
GRANT PROGRAMS
Investing in arts, culture and heritage. Investing in your community.
OPERATING
GRANT
Provides general operating support funding to eligible arts, culture and heritage organizations.
Application Deadline:
CLOSED
CAPITAL PROJECT
GRANT
Provides financial support for capital projects that enable eligible arts, culture and heritage organizations to deliver programming and services more effectively, such as equipment purchases and repair or space acquisition and expansion.
Applications Open:
March 10, 2025
PUBLIC ART
GRANT
Offers financial support to local government partners for new public art projects or comprehensive plans that generate more artistic and cultural expression in the region.
Application Deadline:
CLOSED
BRAVO/ICON PUBLIC ART
GRANT
In collaboration with ICON Water Trails, this grant offers financial support for public art projects that are on or adjacent to creeks and rivers or within applicable parks included in the Greater Des Moines Water Trails and Greenways Master Plan.
Application Deadline:
CLOSED
CULTURAL PARTNERS
Bravo cultural partners include more than 85 nonprofit arts, culture, heritage, and interpretive science organizations that are funded by Bravo each year. These organizations deliver essential programs from music and dance, to theatre and history, and help advance every regional priority.
Discover and learn more about each cultural partner below:
Alex Brown Foundation
Ankeny Art Center
Ankeny Community Chorus
Ankeny Community Theatre LTD
Ankeny Historical Society
Art on the Lake
ArtForce Iowa
ASAP After School Arts Program
Ballet Des Moines
Big Creek Historical Society
Blank Park Zoo
Capital City Pride - Des Moines
Carlisle Area Historical Society
Carousel Theatre of Indianola
Central Iowa Blues Society, Inc.
Central Iowa Jazz Association
Central Iowa Wind Ensemble
City Sounds The Des Moines Piano Project
City Voices
Civic Music Association
Class Act Productions, Inc. (CAP Theatre)
Clive Historical Society
CultureALL
Dance Without Limits, Inc.
Des Moines African Youth Festival Awards (DAFESTA)
Des Moines Art Center
Des Moines Arts Festival
Des Moines Children's Museum
Des Moines Choral Society
Des Moines Community Orchestra
Des Moines Community Playhouse
Des Moines Community Radio Foundation (KFMG-LP)
Des Moines Concert Handbells
Des Moines Diversity Chorus
Des Moines Film / Varsity Cinema
Des Moines Gamer Symphony Orchestra
Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus
Des Moines Metro Opera
Des Moines Performing Arts
Des Moines Symphony and Academy
Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble
Des Moines Young Artists' Theatre
Downtown Events Group
Filipino American Society of Iowa
Fort Des Moines Museum & Education Center
Girls Rock Des Moines
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
Greater Des Moines Community Band
Greater Des Moines Music Coalition
Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation
Harmony Central Chorus
Heart of Iowa Classical Guitar Society
Heartland Youth Choir
Hip Hope, Inc
Hoyt Sherman Place
I'll Make Me a World in Iowa, Inc.
Iowa Architectural Foundation
Iowa Asian Alliance Foundation
Iowa European Cultural Connection
Iowa Gold Star Military Museum
Iowa Jewish Historical Society
Iowa Latino Community Center
Iowa Stage Theatre Company
Iowa Youth Chorus
Isiserettes Drill & Drum Corp
Italian-American Cultural Center of Iowa
Japan American Society of Iowa
Johnston Historical Society
Latino Resources, Inc.
Living History Farms
Mainframe Studios
Music Under the Stars, Inc.
North River Arts Council
Pyramid Theatre Company
Salisbury House and Gardens
Science Center of Iowa
SEEDS Nonprofit Org.
State Historical Museum of Iowa
Tallgrass Theatre Company
Taste of the Junction, Inc.
The Des Moines Urban Experience
Urbandale Community Theatre
Urbandale Historical Society
Waukee Area Historical Society
West Des Moines Historical Society
White Eagle 7th Generation Multicultural Pow Wow
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