Iowa Community Cultural Grant
Grantwriting Tips
- The focus of the ICCG program is to develop Iowa's cultural and historic resources while creating jobs for Iowans. How will your project contribute to this goal?
- Don't procrastinate! If you would like help or advice with your grant application, contact the Iowa Community Cultural Grant Program manager as soon as possible. Do not wait until the week before the deadline to call for assistance!
- Make sure to complete each section of the application. Incomplete applications are ineligible for panel review.
- Make sure to submit ONLY support materials noted on checklist (evaluations, timeline, support letters, detailed budget). Any other support materials will be discarded.
- Make sure to include correct contact information: contact name, phone, email, and fax. Without this information, we cannot reach you if we have questions.
- Make sure to address the obvious—explain awards, acronyms, or local information. The DCA selects grant reviewers for their expertise in Iowa arts, history, culture, and tourism; do not expect them to have any specific knowledge of your organization and/or project.
- Make your narrative section as compelling as possible! Address the who, what, when, where, and why of your project. Be clear about what funds are for and why your project deserves them.
- Planning—make sure to include information about your organization's project planning and time table. Contact potential contributors, partners, community groups and potential employees related to the project as early as possible. Form a planning committee and secure contributions and commitments from partners. Give yourself time to develop a quality project that is likely to succeed and then complete the grant application.
- For recurring events or festivals, explain how you plan to sustain the event over the years to come.
- For long-term projects such as the renovation of a historic building, describe the phases or stages of development. Explain what the entire project entails, what work or phases have already been completed, and for what purpose the ICCG funds will be used.
- Partnerships—panelists expect to see evidence of strong partnerships, collaborations and sponsorship from within the project's community or region. Letters of support as well as cash and in-kind donations from these partners demonstrate this support. The more involvement and cooperation an organization has with its community, the more likely it will be financially supported by that community.
- Proofreading--ask people unfamiliar with your project to read the final grant application. Ask them if the project and its goals are easy to understand and if they fit within the goals of the Iowa Community Cultural Grant program. Ask if the narrative and responses to each question appropriately and clearly address the criteria. Also ask them to review the math in the budget and match requirement sections.
