Grants for Nonprofit Organizations

The Community Foundation has announced three competitive nonprofit grant programs made possible by contributions to the Better Together Fund: Leadership Grants, Capacity Building Grants and Strategic Alignment Grants.

  • Leadership Grants are centered around equity to significantly influence community outcomes and opportunities, as well as strengthen an efficient and effective nonprofit sector in Greater Des Moines.
  • Capacity Building Grants seek to strengthen an organization’s effectiveness. Funding is provided for strategic initiatives in areas related to governance or management. 

  • Strategic Alignment Grants provide funding for the exploration and/or implementation of strategic alignment strategies between two or more nonprofit organizations in coming together to enhance systemic support around a community issue/priority, align operations/programming, or deepen partnerships.

Interested applicants are encouraged to reach out to the Community Impact team to discuss project goals and alignment prior to applying. Please contact Ellie Burns to schedule a conversation.

Funding needs not aligned with our competitive grant programs that meet our focus on creating impact for Greater Des Moines may be a fit for our GIVEdsm portal. Visit GIVEdsm to get started.

Leadership Grants

The Community Foundation plays a key role in providing significant funding to projects that improve quality of life in Greater Des Moines. The Leadership Grant program awards grants to launch or scale up initiatives positioned to strengthen our community in seven key focus areas drawn from community priorities, collected here. We focus our grantmaking on organizations serving Greater Des Moines, and our Better Together philosophy embraces projects that leverage the strengths of diverse stakeholders.

Leadership Grant Details & Cycle: 

  • Review 2024 Leadership Grant Guidelines and Instructions.
  • Leadership Grants are centered around equity to significantly influence community outcomes and opportunities, as well as strengthen an efficient and effective nonprofit sector in Greater Des Moines.
  • Grant Cycle 1: Letter of Intent due April 5 at Noon; Finalists notified approximately April 23; Full application due May 21 at Noon; Grants approved June 12
  • Grant Cycle 2: Letter of Intent due October 4 at Noon, Finalists notified approximately October 24; Full application due November 15 at Noon; Grants approved December 12

Capacity Building Grants

Capacity Building Grants seek to strengthen an organization’s effectiveness. We provide funding for strategic initiatives in areas related to governance or management.  

Capacity Building Grant Details & Cycle: 

Strategic Alignment Grants

Strategic Alignment Grants provide funding for the exploration and/or implementation of strategic alignment strategies between two or more nonprofit organizations in coming together to enhance systemic support around a community issue/priority, align operations/programming, or deepen partnerships. Strategic alignment could be defined as coordination (formal relationships around specific efforts or programs that leverage efficiency and effectiveness for individual organizations) or collaboration (pooled or jointly secured resources with defined and measured outcomes that have social impact beyond one organization). 

Strategic Alignment Grant Details & Cycle: