Photo credit: Heartland Youth Choir's Meet the Composer Festival

GRANT INFORMATION
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. Bravo’s grant recipients draw tourists, increase resident satisfaction, help attract and retain talent and generally make Greater Des Moines a premier place to live, work, play and visit.

Since 2006, Bravo has awarded more than 1,400 grants to more than 100 arts, culture and heritage organizations and programs totaling more than $54 million. Bravo is almost entirely funded through Hotel/Motel taxes invested by our 17 partner local government communities.

GC24 Operating Grant Applications and requirements are designed to acknowledge the capacity and breadth of organizations Bravo serves. All eligible applicants will apply for general operating support through SurveyMonkey Apply. To help your organization prepare, preview your application below. Please click on the appropriate link below to access a PDF of all application tasks and questions:

• New to Bravo Applicants - For organizations of annual operating budgets over $1,000 that have not previously received annual operating support from Bravo. New applicants are required to meet with Bravo staff to verify eligibility at least two weeks prior to the application deadline. 
• Organizations with annual operating budgets between $1,000 - $50,000 must have received Bravo funding in at least one previous grant year.
• Organizations with annual operating budgets between $50,000 - $200,000 must have received Bravo funding in at least one previous grant year.
• Organizations with annual operating budgets between $200,000 - $2,000,000 must have at least one year-round, full-time employee or full-time equivalent; a completed, current SMU DataArts Funder Report; AND at least three years of consecutive Bravo funding. 
• Organizations with annual operating budgets over $2,000,000+ must have at least 5 full-time employees; a completed, current SMU DataArts Funder Report; AND at least five years of consecutive Bravo funding. 

RESOURCES

Have Questions? Refer to these Additional Operating Grant Resources:

• SurveyMonkey Apply - Frequently Asked Questions
• Eligible Expenses for Operating Grants
• Tips for Submitting Strong Applications
• SMU DataArts Instructions for Specific Organizations
• Zoom Open Office Hours: Drop-in during these times and ask staff questions about the GC24 process or application:
       - Tuesday, September 19, 2023 from 4 - 5 p.m.
       - Monday, September 24, 2023 from noon - 1 p.m.

GC24 Fall Grant Cycle Timeline

Bravo Greater Des Moines offers general operating support to all eligible arts, culture and heritage organizations in the Greater Des Moines region. The 2024 grant period (GC24) runs January 1 - December 31, 2024

Eligible Operating Grant Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a 501(c) organization exempt from tax under the Internal Revenue Code with at least 6 months of active programming history or be an agency, division or department of the State of Iowa which operates a facility open to the public.
• Have headquarters in and conduct most of its activities within one of Bravo’s partner local governments.
• Demonstrate a primary organizational purpose of arts, culture, interpretative science, and/or heritage that focuses on the collection, preservation, production, presentation and/or promotion of artistic expression, traditions, customs, or stories within creative, educational, or historic contexts. Mission language, programming, public access, support materials, partnerships, and budget must all clearly illustrate arts, culture, interpretative science or heritage as the organization’s primary purpose (at least 60%) in Greater Des Moines.

*Eligibility does not guarantee funding. Specific eligibility requirements may be waived at Bravo’s discretion.

Ineligible applicants for operating support include but are not limited to:

• Individual artists
• Fiscally sponsored organizations
• Private organizations, clubs or groups that do not offer public programming
• Political, religious, or academic organizations
• Public libraries
• Those formed with the express purpose of fundraising on behalf of, supporting and/or promoting applicants that are not otherwise eligible for funding (e.g. friends societies, etc. for libraries, political, religious or academic organizations)
• Nonprofit organizations whose primary mission and work advances other sectors such as social services (food, housing, childcare, schools, mental health and wellness, etc.), economic development, business and entrepreneurship, financial services, sports and recreation, technology, etc., even if arts and culture programming is used to deliver some of the organization's mission.

GC24 SPRING Grant Programs

Check back in February 2024 for more information. Program details are likely to change.

• Capital Project Grant (CPG) - Support for eligible capital projects by eligible organizations that received Bravo funding in the GC24 Operating Grant cycle. Projects must have a total cost of at least $15,000 and must have a useful life of at least 3 years.
• Public Art Grant (PAG) - Funding for Bravo’s local government partners for public art projects or the creation of a municipal public art plan. Applicants must have a current 28E Agreement with Bravo.
• Bravo/ICON Public Arts Grant (Bravo/ICON PAG) - Bravo, in collaboration with ICON Water Trails, offers financial support for new public art projects that are on or adjacent to creeks and rivers included in the Greater Des Moines Water Trails and Greenways Master Plan. Eligible ICON PAG applicants must have a current 28E Agreements with Bravo Greater Des Moines and with ICON.