Plant Iowa Beautiful Grant - Keep Iowa Beautiful

Plant Iowa Beautiful

Photographer: Anji Bennett

Applications are open – Apply now!

Choose one of two application deadlines:

First-round deadline: Thursday, April 16th at 5 pm. Apply by this date for priority consideration.
Second-round applications (April 17-May 5): Reviewed on a rolling basis until Tuesday, May 5th or until all funds are dispersed.

Projects must be completed by June 22, 2026.

Scroll down to review award guidelines and complete the application form!

Award Guidelines

Keep Iowa Beautiful is offering “Plant Iowa Beautiful” mini-grants of $500-$1,000 to Iowa communities and organizations to support beautification projects! This program is made possible thanks to funding from Keep America Beautiful, as part of their “Greatest American Cleanup” initiative.

All projects must be completed by June 22, 2026.

Who is eligible to apply?

Nonprofit organizations, local government entities, and Keep Iowa Beautiful’s “Hometown Pride” committees. Both the applicant and project location must be in Iowa.

What projects are eligible?

We’re seeking projects that improve the appearance of Iowa communities, so they can look their best for the nation’s 250th birthday celebration on July 4, 2026.

Grant funds may be used to plant trees, flowers, and gardens in publicly accessible spaces, including, but not limited to:

Parks
Streets, trails, and medians
School grounds
Areas outside public buildings

Eligible expenses include:

Trees, flowers, plants and gardening supplies
Tools and equipment
Site preparation costs
Volunteer support expenses (such as snacks, safety vests or other supplies used during project work days)

Projects must include volunteers in some capacity.

Project Timeline

Projects must be completed and final grant reports submitted by Monday, June 22nd, 2026.

How are funds distributed?

Grant funds are provided on a reimbursement basis. To receive reimbursement:

The project must be fully completed before the deadline of June 22nd, 2026
Reimbursement requests must include:
- Receipts for approved, eligible expenses
- At least one photo of the completed project
Requests must be submitted through Keep Iowa Beautiful’s online reimbursement form

If total project costs exceed the awarded amount, reimbursement will be limited to the approved grant award.

How do I apply?

Complete the application form below.

“Plant Iowa Beautiful” Mini Grants – 2026

General Project Information
Organization Name*
Project City*
Project County*
Mailing Address/Contact Information
Please enter MAILING ADDRESS ONLY – the address to which program materials should be sent. In some cases, this may be different than the physical address of the organization. (Do not enter both a PO Box and a street address.)
Mailing Address Line 1*
Mailing Address Line 2
Mailing Address City*
Mailing Address State*
Mailing Address Zip Code*
Organization Web Address (if none, leave blank)
First Name of Person Submitting this Application*
Last Name of Person Submitting*
Email address of person submitting*
Phone number of person submitting*
What best describes your organization?*
- Nonprofit Organization
- Local Government Entity
- “Hometown Pride” Committee
If you are a nonprofit or governmental entity, please enter your tax ID number (EIN)
Please list the organization name as it should appear on the grant check, if awarded*
Project Details
Brief description of the project and location*
Describe the impact the project will have on the community. Please also explain the visibility of the completed project (who will see it?)*
Describe how volunteers will be involved in the project (volunteer involvement is required).*
Will your project include youth volunteers? (18 and under) *This question does not impact your score. It is for internal record-keeping only.*
- Yes
- No
- Don’t know
Expected schedule for the project (must be completed by June 22, 2026)*
Explain how funds will be spent – Please include all items that will be purchased and estimated costs for each.*
Funding Amount Requested ($500-$1,000)*
Please enter a number from 500 to 1000.
Will you accept partial funding if we are unable to award the full amount?*
- Yes
- No
Optional: Photo of project site or plans
Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, Max. file size: 128 MB.

A photo is not required. Only include if you believe it is necessary for clarification purposes.
I have read and understood the award guidelines above. I understand that projects must be completed, and reports submitted, by June 22, 2026. (Recipients who fail to comply with the award guidelines will not receive funds)*
- Yes

How are applications scored?

Applications are scored in 3 categories, with 10 points possible for each category:

Community Value and Visibility (Projects that are valuable to the community and have high visibility will be scored highest)
Volunteer Involvement (Projects must involve volunteers. Project that are volunteer-led and executed will be scored highest)
Project “Fit” and feasibility (Projects that fit the grant intentions, as stated above, and have a clear plan and timeline will be scored highest)

Hometown Pride committees will receive 4 bonus points.

Applications must score a minimum of 18 points to be considered for funding.

Applications will also be reviewed for eligibility based on timeline, applicant type, budget and other eligibility factors listed above.

Applications are open – Apply now!

Award Guidelines

Who is eligible to apply?

What projects are eligible?

Project Timeline

How are funds distributed?

How do I apply?

“Plant Iowa Beautiful” Mini Grants – 2026

General Project Information

Mailing Address/Contact Information

Project Details

How are applications scored?

Find out More

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