Community Foundation Awards $275,000 in Leadership Grants
Dec. 15, 2014
Community Foundation Leadership Grant Recipients Announced
$275,000 given to benefit local nonprofits
Through strategic Leadership Grants the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines plays a key role in providing significant funding leadership to projects that strengthen Greater Des Moines by proactively responding to community trends and opportunities. Leadership Grants are funded through donations to the Better Together Fund. Donors to the Better Together Fund give to support community needs now and into the future as identified through the Community Foundation’s grantmaking process facilitated by the organization’s expert staff, Grantmaking Committee and board of directors. The Community Foundation announces support of the following organizations with Leadership Grants:
DesMoinesArts, Inc.
A Leadership Grant of $100,000 was awarded to fund the acquisition and renovation of the former CenturyLink building (900 Keosauqua Way) into permanent affordable studio space for local artists. According to a demand study conducted by DesMoinesArts, 80% of local artists either currently work out of their homes or have no studio space. For artists and arts organizations, DesMoinesArts will provide an environment where artists can create, exhibit and market their work, develop their talents, become better known and generate income. This building is positioned to become one of the largest studio buildings in the country, and potentially the largest nonprofit studio building, setting Des Moines apart in yet another aspect of the arts community.
Orchard Place
A $25,000 Leadership Grant was awarded to Orchard Place for implementation of the Sanctuary Model which puts into practice the lessons learned with ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences data and implications) and Trauma Informed Care. Adopting the Sanctuary Model project will result in an organizational shift in the way Orchard Place conducts business and provides care to children and families. It is not a strategic plan; it is learning, adopting and implementing a successful national model- that several Iowa organizations have considered but not yet fully implemented- that would impact the way direct care workers, therapists, administrative staff, etc. work with children and their families who have experienced trauma.
Primary Health Care
A $150,000 Leadership Grant was awarded to Primary Health Care for a Centralized Intake System for Greater Des Moines. This is a collaborative initiative of 15 homeless service providers with Primary Health Care serving as the lead entity. When fully implemented, this system has the potential to be transformational in the way service is provided to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or near homelessness. This system will reduce the number of steps required for individuals and families to secure stable and permanent housing in our community by connecting them to the right resources in the most timely and efficient way.
About the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines improves quality of life for all by promoting charitable giving, connecting donors with causes they care about and providing leadership on important community issues…we’re simply better together. The Community Foundation manages assets in excess of $320 million, administers more than 1,200 charitable funds and distributed more than $21 million in grants in 2013. Visit www.desmoinesfoundation.org to learn more.
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