Iowa Cultural Trust Grant Deadline Postponed
For Immediate Release May 6, 2010
(DES MOINES, Iowa) –The Iowa Cultural Trust has postponed the application deadline for its Sustainability Challenge Grant program until fall.
The program is designed to help Iowa nonprofit arts, history and cultural organizations strengthen their long-term financial sustainability through endowment building. The deadline for this year's applications had been May 20, 2010. A new deadline is expected to be in September or October.
Over the past several weeks, the Cultural Trust has fielded numerous questions about the details of the new Sustainability Challenge Grant program, according to Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Cyndi Pederson. The application deadline has been postponed so the Cultural Trust can make the rules that guide this program more specific, clearly communicate any revisions, and give applicants additional time to submit or resubmit applications as appropriate.
Grant recipients will be selected in the fall and the two-year period for raising the required three-to-one matching funds will begin Jan. 1, 2011. The new deadline will be posted at www.culturalaffairs.org by May 31.
Applicants with questions about the program may contact Iowa Cultural Trust Coordinator Sandi Yoder at sandi.yoder@iowa.gov or (515) 281-8749, or Iowa Arts Council Administrator Mary Sundet Jones at mary.sundetjones@iowa.gov or (515) 281-4641.
The Cultural Trust was established by the Iowa Legislature in 2002 and is funded up to $1 million annually through 2015 via the Iowa Values Fund. Grants are awarded from the interest earned on principal.
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The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is responsible for developing the state’s interest in the areas of the arts, history and other cultural matters with the advice and assistance from its two divisions: the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa Arts Council. DCA preserves, researches, interprets and promotes an awareness and understanding of local, state and regional history and stimulates and encourages the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts and public interest and participation in them. It implements tourism-related art and history projects as directed by the General Assembly and designs a comprehensive, statewide, long-range plan with the assistance of the Iowa Arts Council to develop the arts in Iowa. More information about DCA is available at www.culturalaffairs.org.
