Every state and county offers unique grant opportunities to make its communities more attractive, more active and offer a better quality of life for residents and tourists. From publicly funded money for State organizations to grants from casinos and businesses that thrive because of the people in a community, your project can benefit from grants. You just have to know where to look and how to secure the funding.
Barnes Manufacturing Services has worked on several architectural steel structures for parks and community gathering places that have been possible with the help of public and private grants.
Every Community Has Community Project Funding Available
Every state and county offers unique grant opportunities to make its communities more attractive, more active and offer a better quality of life for residents and tourists. From publicly funded money for State organizations to grants from casinos and businesses that thrive because of the people in a community, your project can benefit from grants. You just have to know where to look and how to secure the funding.
Five Steps to Successful Grant Writing for Civic Projects
- Remember that there are real people reading the grant application. Speak to their senses and to what people want in a community that they live in.
- Get to know the decision-makers. What types of projects and organizations have they funded in the past? Is there a pattern to their decisions? Can you actually meet any of the board members and build relationships?
- Join professional organizations and take advantage of volunteer opportunities that put you in social circles with people from the organizations and companies that offer grants. Grant makers choose an area to fund and often want to partner with committees and organizations that do a good job of carrying out goals that relate to their funding goals.
- Remember that the influencers in an organization are not always the highest paid. Be nice to the receptionist and other people who may be able to impress upon the decision-makers that your cause is deserving and the people they deal with from your organization are professional and kind.
- Follow up with the board who decides whether to give the grant, whether it is accepted or rejected. Even if your project is rejected, thank the board for their time, and ask them for some pointers and reasons why the grant was rejected. You may learn something for the next grant application, and they may have more money to grant in several months or a year. Never burn your bridges and always leave a solid impression – no matter what the outcome.
Where Can You Get Grants For Civic Projects?
Communities and schools in Iowa and the Greater Cedar Rapids area can look to the following funding sources, but this is just a small list of available grant sources. If you are looking for funding in another geographical area, you may need to do some research.
- Community Attraction and Tourism Grants (State of Iowa)
- Iowa Arts Council (State of Iowa)
- Iowa Great Places (State of Iowa)
- Art place America (private foundation)
- Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation (Local)
- Hall – Perrine Foundation (Local)
- Many local corporations in the Cedar Rapids area have their own grant programs:
- Rockwell
- Alliant
- TransAmerica
- CRST
If you have an architectural steel project that you need help with planning before or after obtaining the funding, call Barnes Manufacturing Services for custom manufacturing projects of all types.
 
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