Program Guidelines Derecho Recovery

    2020 Grant Guidelines

    The Iowa Arts & Culture Emergency Relief Fund provides short-term financial relief to those in the arts, cultural, creative and humanities fields most impacted by state disaster declarations, natural disasters, and other forms of emergencies.

    Grants from the Iowa Arts & Culture Emergency Relief Fund - Derecho Recovery program are intended to support Iowa humanities organizations including museums, historic properties, preservation & historical organizations, and community & cultural organizations located in the 16 counties designated as FEMA disaster relief areas due to the August 2020 derecho storm. The program is administered by the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

    Funding is made possible through a National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman’s Grant for Disaster Mitigation to the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Applicants must adhere to the funding policies of the Iowa Arts Council.

    Timeline

    Application Deadline
    Applications will be accepted starting October 1, 2020, and considered on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.
    Funding Notification
    Applicants will be notified of funding decisions within 1 week of submitting an application.
    Final Report Deadline
    Grant recipients are required to complete a final report by November 1, 2021.

    Funding

    Grant Request Amount

    Minimum Grant Request: $1,000
    Maximum Grant Request: $5,000

    There is no match requirement for this program. 

    Funding Period
    All incurred expenses must occur within the eligible funding period of August 10, 2020 – September 30, 2021.

    Eligible Applicants

    • Organization is located and incorporated in Iowa, under the Iowa Nonprofit Corporation Act, and holds federal 501(c)3 tax-exempt status
    • Unit of local, county or federally-recognized tribal government physically located in Iowa
    • The above eligible applicants must be located in one of the following 16 counties included in the FEMA-designated disaster relief area:
      Benton, Boone, Cedar, Clinton, Dallas, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, and Tama counties.

    Ineligible Applicants

    The following types of entities are not eligible to apply.

    • Individuals
    • Institutions of higher education
    • For profit entities
    • Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs grantees who have an outstanding final report or who have been placed on a department funding moratorium

    Eligible Use of Funds

    Funds can be spent on expenses related to damage or loss incurred due to the August 2020 derecho storm for the preservation of humanities collections and/or activities including:

    • Cleanup
    • Conservation 
    • Professional consultation
    • Rental of temporary meeting space
    • Basic institutional and operational costs, such as purchasing equipment and replacing inventory, shelving, and roofing
    • Other assistance to ensure continuity of organizational operations and programs

    Ineligible Expenses

    • Expenses from storm damage that are not directly related to the preservation of humanities activities and/or collections 
    • Expenses that are covered by FEMA or insurance
    • Foreign Travel
    • Fundraisers or benefits
    • Lobbying activity
    • Prizes and awards
    • Religious activity
    • Programs that promote a particular political, religious, or ideological point of view; advocate for a particular social or political action; or support specific public policies or legislation

    Online Application Submission

    Applicants must submit applications via the Iowa Arts Council’s SlideRoom, an online application portal. Applications will not be accepted in any other format. Late, incomplete or ineligible applications will not be accepted. Applicants can access the current online application requirements at iowaartscouncil.slideroom.com. Applicants must create a login to view the full application requirements for the program. Applicants can visit help.liaisonedu.com for SlideRoom assistance related to the online submission.

    Review Process
    Applications are reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility and adherence to published guidelines. Applications are reviewed as submitted. New information or subsequent clarification submitted after application is submitted is not considered. Staff will also review an applicant’s record of compliance and good standing with the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State and Federal government. Applications or applicants determined by staff to be ineligible or incomplete will not be considered for funding and are specifically denied any appeals process.

    Review Criteria
    Eligible applications will be reviewed and awarded to the extent that funding is available. To maintain equitable access to available funds, the following funding priorities will be considered:

    • Extent of storm damage on humanities-related activities and/or collection
    • Distribution of funds throughout the 16 counties included in the FEMA-designated disaster relief area 

    Glossary of Terms and Definitions
    Applicants should refer to the glossary for clarification of program terms and definitions.

    Contact
    Potential applicants are encouraged to review all published material and contact Arts Learning Manager Jennie Knoebel at jennie.knoebel@iowa.gov with questions in advance of application deadlines.

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