Iowa Great Places

    Iowa Great Places Program

    If you live in a unique community with a strong vision for innovation, and enhancing vitality and quality of life, while staying true to what makes your community unique, the Iowa Great Places Program can recognize your efforts and help bring those visions to reality. The program provides designation and supports the development of new and existing infrastructure intended to cultivate the unique and authentic cultural qualities of neighborhoods, communities and regions in Iowa.

    For guidance on community visioning or to find resources from other state agencies, view the corresponding resources.

    • Who: Nonprofits, Communities
    • What: Designation, professional development and funding eligibility
    • When: FY22 funding cycle for eligible Iowa Great Places opens May 4th, 2021

    How to Apply

    The Iowa Great Places designation program is not currently accepting applications. Access the FY21 designation guidelines for the most recent program details. Further information about future designation and redesignations will be released Fall 2021.

    Manage Your Designation

    Download the handbook to learn how to manage your designation, including Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) compliance and publicity. View the Creative Communities and State Department Resources web pages for additional guidance.

    Iowa Great Places Promotion

    Please use the most recent versions of Iowa Great Places and Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs logos on materials promoting your Iowa Great Place. Find information on how to acknowledge the department's support in the handbook.

    Annual Report

    As a designee, you must complete the annual report form at the end of each calendar year and share the impact of the designation on arts and culture in Iowa.

    Iowa Great Places and Projects

    2020 Iowa Great Places
    Interactive Iowa Great Places Map

    2021 Endorsed Iowa Great Places Projects
    The Iowa Great Places Citizen Advisory Board annually reviews and endorses projects taking place as part of an Iowa Great Place community’s vision. Endorsed projects are eligible to receive scoring increases from other State of Iowa programs. Interested applicants to other State of Iowa programs should review this list to see if their project qualifies for Iowa Great Places scoring increases.

    Grant Award History

    Displaying 21 - 36 of 36
    Searches project title, applicant name, city, county, and fiscal year
    Project Title Applicantsort descending City County Fiscal Year Grant Amount
    Chris Larsen Park Redevelopment Project City of Sioux City Sioux City Woodbury 2021 $400,000.00
    Jen Jensen Park Danish Villages Elk Horn Shelby 2014 $650,000.00
    Building a Connection to the Rivers Grow Cedar Valley (Waterloo-Cedar Falls) Waterloo Black Hawk 2021 $150,000.00
    Fort Dodge Historic Downtown Gateway Features Hamilton-Webster Counties Fort Dodge Hamilton, Webster 2015 $125,000.00
    Amazing Space Linn County Cedar Rapids Linn 2015 $475,000.00
    Wapsipinicon River Scenic Overlook - Pinicon Ridge County Park Linn County Conservation Board Toddville Linn 2018 $400,000.00
    John Wayne Birthplace Museum Exhibits and John Wayne Birthplace Trail Madison County Winterset Madison 2014 $97,500.00
    John Wayne Birthplace Museum and Trail Madison County Winterset Madison 2017 $41,500.00
    Madison County Conservation Center Madison County Chamber of Commerce Winterset Madison 2020 $310,000.00
    Rebuilding of Cedar Covered Bridge Madison County Chamber of Commerce Winterset Madison 2018 $275,770.00
    Malvern City Entrance Beautification Malvern Area Betterment Association Malvern Mills 2019 $40,525.00
    Harvester II Arts & Culture Center Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment Council Bluffs Pottawattamie 2018 $400,000.00
    Raccoon River Valley Trail Public Art & Cultural Corridor Initiative Raccoon River Valley Trail Waukee Dallas 2015 $295,000.00
    3 Stars Plaza Sound System, Wayfinding Signage System, Parking Lot Enhancements and Landscaping, and Surf marquee improvements Surf District Clear Lake Cerro Gordo 2014 $101,000.00
    Trail Expansion - Elgin to Gilbertson Park Turkey River Recreational Corridor Elgin Fayette 2018 $216,000.00
    Steeple Square Community Revitalization Washington Street and North End Neighborhoods Dubuque Dubuque 2017 $399,665.00

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