Photo Credit: Benjamin Neff, Iowa Wildlife 2nd Place

13th Annual Keep Iowa Beautiful Annual Photography Contest Submission

November 2023 Newsletter

Last Chance: Submit Your Photos to the 14th Annual Keep Iowa Beautiful Photo Contest

Calling all photographers and nature enthusiasts: now's your chance to submit photos to Keep Iowa Beautiful's 14th Annual Photography Contest featuring over $2,000 in cash prizes and FIVE categories for entry:

Iowa Landscape
Iowa Water
Iowa Cities
Iowans in Action
Iowa Wildlife

“This is a great way for Iowans to share what they like about Iowa,” said Andy Frantz, Keep Iowa Beautiful Executive Director. “There are five categories to enter your favorite photo of what makes you proud to be an Iowan and captures the beauty and spirit of Iowa. Again, this year our contest will feature over $2,000 in cash awards.”

Submissions for this year’s contest are due Saturday, December 16th — don't wait!

To submit your photos and check out the contest rules, visit our website: https://keepiowabeautiful.org/photography-contest/

We can't wait to see your photographs of what makes Iowa beautiful!

Applications for 2024 Scholarships and

Paint Iowa Beautiful Grants Now Open

We are thrilled to announce the opening of applications for both the 2024 Paint Iowa Beautiful program and our annual scholarships! These initiatives embody Keep Iowa Beautiful's commitment to fostering vibrant communities and supporting the individuals who contribute to their beauty and vitality.

The Paint Iowa Beautiful program, in collaboration with Diamond Vogel Paint, is set to color communities across Iowa once again! This fantastic program offers free paint to a diverse range of community projects, enhancing the aesthetics of neighborhoods and public spaces. Administered by Keep Iowa Beautiful, this initiative invites communities to apply for grants to bring their creative visions to life.

Application Deadline: Monday, Feb. 12, 2024
How to Apply: Visit Keep Iowa Beautiful - Paint Iowa Beautiful

In addition to the Paint Iowa Beautiful program, we are pleased to announce the opening of applications for our 2024 scholarships. These $1,000 scholarships are a tribute to significant figures in Keep Iowa Beautiful history who have made remarkable contributions to Iowa communities.

Application Deadline: January 31, 2024
Notification of Winners: March 2024
How to Apply: Visit Keep Iowa Beautiful - Scholarships

Don't miss out on these incredible opportunities to contribute to the beauty and prosperity of Iowa. Apply today and be a part of the positive change!

Learn More

Paint Iowa Beautiful Project Spotlights

Keep Iowa Beautiful's Hometown Pride program brings coaches, community members and volunteers together to drive positive change in Iowa’s hometowns. Check out some of the great work happening in our Hometown Pride Communities!

Grand Junction Swimming Pool Boasts New Coat of Paint

The Grand Junction public swimming pool office and building in Grand Junction, Iowa, got a much-needed facelift thanks to a Paint Iowa Beautiful grant from Keep Iowa Beautiful and Diamond Vogel! Volunteers painted the inside and outside of the building, and compliments have been rolling in about the fresh coat of paint.

Painting Completed at the Decorah Senior Citizens Hospitality Center

The Senior Citizens Hospitality Center in Decorah, Iowa, looks great with a new coat of paints thanks to a Paint Iowa Beautiful grant from Keep Iowa Beautiful and Diamond Vogel. The center's restrooms underwent renovations to remain ADA compliant, and the new coat of paint was the cherry on top of this great project.

Union County Historical Village Receives New Paint

The Union County Historical Village in Creston, Iowa, has new life thanks to a Paint Iowa Beautiful grant from Keep Iowa Beautiful and Diamond Vogel! The project began in May with the depot, which was featured in the historical village's season opening on May 29, along with the recently-renovated caboose. At the season opening, three volunteers for the projects spoke about the renovations and the grant awarded from Paint Iowa Beautiful.

The Mill Shed painting began on Sept. 7 after the seasonal closing of the Union County Historical Village. Volunteers finished that portion of the project within a week.

Painting for the last building, the Blacksmith Shop, began on Sept. 26 and was completed within a week by the volunteers. This is a great example of the power of volunteerism in communities!

Keep Iowa Beautiful and Iowa Governor's Proclamation Recognize Iowa Recycles Day

Keep Iowa Beautiful was excited to join in the celebration of Iowa Recycles Day, a special occasion dedicated to promoting recycling awareness and sustainable practices in our beautiful state. Governor Kim Reynolds has officially proclaimed November 15th as Iowa Recycles Day, and we are proud to support this initiative alongside the Iowa Recycling Association.

We invite you to read the full proclamation from Governor Kim Reynolds, highlighting the importance of recycling and environmental stewardship. Click here to view the proclamation.

Let's all play a part in keeping Iowa beautiful by embracing recycling and sustainable practices. Happy Iowa Recycles Day!

Social Media Submissions

Keep Iowa Beautiful wants to share your community’s good news!

Are you proud of a completed project in your town? Do you want to show off a new mural in your downtown? Did you host a fun, exciting event for your community? We want to know about it!

Click on the button below to share short descriptions of events, projects, or news from your town! You can include pictures and captions as well. Keep Iowa Beautiful will share your post on our social media!

Submit Your Stories

You Can Stop Litter!

You can help reduce litter in Iowa!

When you see litter happening on Iowa’s roadways, call 1-888-NOLITTR (1-888-665-4887) to report littering from a vehicle.

Please provide as much detail about the incident as possible:

License plate number
Time and specific location (street & city)
What was thrown from the vehicle
A vehicle description (color, make and model)

Reported offenders will receive a warning letter from Keep Iowa Beautiful drawing attention to their offense. This sends the message that people, like you, are watching.

Your Support Matters!

Consider supporting Keep Iowa Beautiful to help us continue our work improving Iowa communities! Remember: donations to Keep Iowa Beautiful are tax deductible!

Donations can be made online or checks can be mailed to our office:

Keep Iowa Beautiful

2910 Westown Pkwy. Suite 302

West Des Moines, IA 50266

Donate

KEEP IOWA BEAUTIFUL

2910 Westown Parkway, Suite 302 | West Des Moines, IA 50266

www.keepiowabeautiful.org