Black Hawk County Gaming Association – Fall Grant Cycle (FY27)

Grants Supporting Community Places, Spaces, and Critical Services in Iowa’s Cedar Valley

The Black Hawk County Gaming Association awards grants that help make the Cedar Valley a stronger place to live, work, and play. The Summer Grant Cycle supports projects that transform places and spaces, strengthen critical community services, and demonstrate clear impact, need, feasibility, and regional benefit.

Organization: Black Hawk County Gaming Association
Support Type: Community grants
Geographic Focus: Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, and Grundy counties in Iowa, with primary focus on Black Hawk County
Letter of Intent Deadline: September 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM
Full Application Deadline: October 20, 2026

About the Funder

The Black Hawk County Gaming Association is a qualified sponsored organization that distributes charitable gaming funds to support community improvement across the Cedar Valley. Because Black Hawk County is home to the Isle Casino, the Association’s primary focus is Black Hawk County, although limited funding is available for Bremer, Butler, and Grundy counties.

The Association invests in projects that demonstrate community impact, clear need, feasibility, and regional benefit.

What This Program Supports

The Black Hawk County Gaming Association focuses on two broad funding priorities:

Transform Places and Spaces
Projects that build better cities, neighborhoods, and community assets in Black Hawk County and the surrounding service area.

Transform Critical Community Services
Projects that help organizations strengthen skills, systems, processes, resources, and service delivery.

Strong applications should connect the proposed project to documented community needs, especially needs identified in community, city, or county plans developed with data and public input.

Eligible Support Types

Community improvement projects
Capital projects
Regional benefit projects
Capacity-building efforts
Projects strengthening community services
Collaborative community initiatives

Eligibility & Requirements

Eligible applicants must be:

Governmental entities
Nonprofit organizations with valid 501(c)(3) status
Nonprofit organizations with valid 501(c)(19) status

Applicants must be located in or serve one of the following Iowa counties:

Black Hawk County
Bremer County
Butler County
Grundy County

The Association’s primary focus is Black Hawk County. A maximum of 10% of funds may be allocated to Bremer, Butler, and Grundy counties combined.

Applicants may not share or borrow another organization’s nonprofit status. Nonprofit status will be verified through GuideStar or an IRS Determination Letter.

No distribution will be granted to any organization that has an employee, officer, or director who is a member of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

Preferences & Recommended Criteria

Applications may be strengthened by:

Connecting the project to community, city, or county plans developed with data and public input
Demonstrating a collaborative funding approach
Securing other funding sources before submitting a Letter of Intent
Showing multiple active community partners
Including government support or financial participation when applicable
Demonstrating that BHCGA funding will help complete the project as a “last dollar in” partner

Applicants outside Black Hawk County must apply to their local community foundation in the same calendar year for the same project before submitting a Letter of Intent to BHCGA.

New applicants are strongly encouraged to meet with BHCGA staff before the grant cycle opens to discuss eligibility and regulations.

Applicants requesting more than $100,000 must meet with BHCGA staff in person, preferably before the intended grant cycle opens.

Ineligible Requests

The Black Hawk County Gaming Association will not consider requests for:

Endowment funds
Political causes, candidates, or lobbying efforts
Individuals, including scholarships, fellowships, or personal benefits
Religious worship, education, or proselytizing
Debt incurred or purchases made before the award date
Capital requests of more than 50% of the total project budget

Funding Amounts

Grant amounts vary based on project scope, available funding, community need, and alignment with BHCGA priorities.

Requests of more than $100,000 require an in-person meeting with BHCGA staff before submission.

Capital requests may not exceed 50% of the total project budget.

Timeline & Review

📅 Online Grant System Opens for LOI Submissions: September 1, 2026
📅 Letter of Intent Deadline: September 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM
📅 Full Applications Due: October 20, 2026
📅 First Board Review: November 2026
📅 Grant Awards: December 2026

All Letters of Intent and applications must be submitted through the online grant system. Applications are due by 4:00 PM on the listed deadline date.

Application / Request Process

Applicants must submit materials through the Black Hawk County Gaming Association’s online application system.

New applicants and organizations considering larger requests are encouraged to contact BHCGA staff before applying.

Questions may be directed to:

Emily Hanson, Executive Director: emily.hanson@bhcga.org
Sarah Craft, Grant Coordinator: sarah.craft@bhcga.org
Phone: 319-433-1153

Apply / Learn More:
➡️ https://www.bhcga.org/how-to-apply/funding-guidelines/

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is a strong fit for organizations that:

Serve Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, or Grundy counties in Iowa
Have a project with clear community impact and regional benefit
Are improving community places, spaces, or critical services
Can show documented community need
Have secured or are developing collaborative funding
Can complete most grant projects within one year
Are prepared to submit a Letter of Intent before the full application

The Black Hawk County Gaming Association is especially well suited for nonprofits and government entities with community-driven projects that are feasible, collaborative, and strongly connected to local or regional priorities.

New to corporate grant fundraising?

Read our Corporate Grants for Nonprofits: Ultimate Guide to learn how corporate funding works.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Review Type: Competitive grant cycle
Letter of Intent Deadline: September 22, 2026
Full Application Deadline: October 20, 2026
Award Timing: December 2026
Best Suited For: Nonprofits and government entities in Black Hawk County and the surrounding Cedar Valley region
Geographic Focus: Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, and Grundy counties, Iowa
Primary Priority Area: Black Hawk County
Relationship Required: Staff meeting strongly encouraged for new applicants and required for requests over $100,000