Polk County weighs grant changes after demand triples
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Polk County officials are considering new guidelines for the county's popular Community Betterment Grant program after demand for funding tripled this year, far exceeding available dollars.
Why it matters: The surge highlights growing financial pressures on local nonprofits, especially with recent federal funding cuts.
State of play: The grant program has supported everything from local Little Leagues to ADA playground swings with awards ranging from $500 to $10,000.
- But this year marks the highest volume of declined grant requests in at least 15 years, staff said during a recent Board of Supervisors workshop this month.
- Between 2013 and 2019, total annual grant requests have remained under $2 million. But they have risen since 2020, reaching over $2.5 million requests in 2024.
- Requests for human services, such as food and housing assistance, have prompted the jump, Lisa Moody-Tunks, the county's grant administrator, tells Axios.
What they're saying: "Sometimes people think it's just a Des Moines issue, and it really has expanded into the suburbs as well," Moody-Tunks says.
Driving the news: For the first time, supervisors are considering establishing eligibility rules to help applicants understand what qualifies for funds.
- They want to focus on programming that helps the public and shows measurable outcomes. Grants will not cover salaries, gift cards or mileage.
- They're also considering separating out funding for after-proms and chambers of commerce, so more dollars are available for public services.
Zoom in: More groups are turning to the county for assistance, especially as nonprofits face unexpected federal funding cuts, such as refugee services and arts and humanities groups, says Polk County Supervisor Chair Matt McCoy.
Plus: A new Iowa law approved in 2024 allows religious organizations to apply for county funds, which may increase demand.
- Those funds cannot go toward a religious activity, but they can support a public cause like a coat drive.
- Another new law passed this year does not allow county funds to support a DEI office or DEI employee. No existing grants are affected by that new law.
By the numbers: Each supervisor can allocate $200,000 for grants, totaling an annual $1 million budget.
- The average 2024 award was around $5,500.
What's next: Changes will be voted on July 1.