Ankeny Community Foundation General Grant Program

Geographic Scope: City of Ankeny, Iowa only

The Ankeny Community Foundation uses a competitive application process to award grants that help nonprofit organizations launch new programs and sustain their ongoing missions across the Ankeny community.

Fields of Interest (Primary Focus Areas):

• Educate Ankeny: K-12, adult, community, or higher education; library, preschool, or vocational programs
• Enhance Ankeny: Beautification projects, community events, parks, performing arts, public art, sports & recreation, or trails
• Serve Ankeny: Animal welfare programs, clothing closets, food pantries, health & human services, housing, public safety, or service organizations & initiatives

Funding Available:

• Total for 2025 cycle: $3,000
• Up to $1,000 per grant award
• Up to $1,000 available in each of the three focus areas
• Awards range from $1 to $1,000

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Requirements:

• Must be a nonprofit entity classified by the IRS as 501(c)(3) or as a 170(c)(1) governmental entity with up-to-date compliance
• If not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, must have a 501(c)(3) or 170(c)(1) fiscal agent who will be legally and financially responsible
• Must be a local Ankeny entity (located within the geographic city limits of Ankeny, Iowa)
• Must have only one application per organization
• Must not be a private foundation
• Must not re-grant the award money (funds cannot be redistributed through other grants)

Project Requirements:

• Project must originate and serve within the city limits of Ankeny
• Must address one of the primary fields of interest: Educate Ankeny, Enhance Ankeny, or Serve Ankeny
• Must be completable within 12 months of grant award date

What They Don't Fund

• Private foundations
• Organizations that intend to re-grant funds
• Projects serving areas outside Ankeny city limits
• Organizations without 501(c)(3) or 170(c)(1) status (unless using a fiscal sponsor)
• Organizations applying more than once per cycle

Scoring Criteria

Applications are scored based on:

• Local need: Addressing a need within Ankeny city limits in one of the three fields of interest
• Planning: Organization's local planning to make meaningful impact
• Impact: Scope, significance, and type of impact to be made
• Fund use: Planned use of funds and fiscal viability of the project
• Additional investments: Cash match and/or volunteer commitments needed
• Support: Evidence of broad-based community support
• Capacity: Organization's ability to implement and complete the project within 12 months

Contact Information

Ankeny Community Foundation

• Email: info@ankenycommunityfoundation.org
• Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1352, Ankeny, IA 50021
• Website: ankenycommunityfoundation.org

Recent Grant Awards

2024 Cycle ($4,000 total):

• Little White Schoolhouse Foundation - $1,000
• Ankeny Friends of the Art Center - $1,000
• Ankeny Service Center - $1,000
• Northview Middle School Crochet Club - $500
• Foster SQUAD - $500

2023 Cycle ($3,500 total):

• Friends of Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library - $500
• Ankeny Instrumental Music Foundation - $500
• New Horizons Adult Day Center - $1,500
• Ankeny Service Center - $1,000

2020-21 Cycle ($3,000 total):

• Ankeny Service Center - $1,000
• The Ankeny Klothing Exchange (TAKE) - $1,000
• New Horizons Adult Day Center - $1,000

2019 Cycle ($2,250 total):

• Friends of Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library - $1,000
• Children & Families of Iowa - Ankeny - $750
• Courage League Sports - Ankeny - $500

2025 Grant Application Instructions

Application Period: Opens August 15 annually

Deadline: 11:59 p.m. local/Central Time on October 1st (of each year)

Submission Method

All applications must be submitted and received via email to info@ankenycommunityfoundation.org

Portions not uploadable or otherwise included via the online application should also be submitted to info@ankenycommunityfoundation.org

Required Application Components

Please ensure each of the following areas have been included in your application and completed:

1. Cover page information
- Organization/Project name
- Federal tax identification number (EIN) of applicant or fiscal sponsor
- Contact information

2. Organization Description
- Brief description of organization
- Organization's mission and background

3. Project Summary
- Brief description of the project/initiative

4. Project Information
- Description of local need or problem addressed by the project
- Explanation of how the project will address the need
- What will be the project's impact? (Explain how the project will benefit citizens of Ankeny)
- What will be the project's legacy?
- Explanation of organization's ability to complete the project and ensure success

5. Project Timeline
- Describe the timeline of the project
- Project must be completable within 12 months of grant award date

6. Project Budget
- Total cost of project
- Amount requested ($1-$1,000)
- Project budget numbers and detailed description of how grant funds would be used
- Numbers & details can be added to application or provided separately via email

7. Type of Request (Select one)
- Program-based: Operational, activity, general programmatic support
- Capital-based: Building/construction or physical improvement

8. Project Focus Area (Select one)
- Educate Ankeny
- Enhance Ankeny
- Serve Ankeny

9. Supporting Documentation
- Copy of your 501(c)(3) IRS determination letter (via email to info@ankenycommunityfoundation.org)
- Fiscal sponsorship agreement with sponsor contact information (if fiscal sponsor is used)
- Additional supporting materials (optional)

Key Definitions

Fiscal Sponsor: A fiscal sponsor is an organization that is receiving the awarded funds on behalf of the grant applicant. The sponsor is responsible for disbursing the funds for the project as well as maintaining appropriate documentation. An entity must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or a 170(c)(1) unit of government to serve as a fiscal sponsor, and a fiscal sponsorship agreement must accompany the grant application if a fiscal sponsor is used.

Local Ankeny Entity: An organization located within the geographic city limits of the city of Ankeny.

Local Need: The need that the applicant organization/initiative/project is striving to meet must be located within the city of Ankeny. Grant funds must be spent to serve the community of Ankeny or to meet/address a need in Ankeny.

Review and Award Process

• Members of the Ankeny Community Foundation Board of Directors review and score all applications that meet the eligibility requirements
• The board's award decisions are final
• Applications are scored based on local need, planning, impact, fund use, additional investments, evidence of support, and organizational capacity