WASHINGTON, D.C. – One by one, they gave their PowerPoint presentations to the small group of congressional staff members seated below a crystal chandelier in the ornate hearing room in the Russell Office Building on Capitol Hill.

As the last of seven summaries of local projects needing funding concluded, a member of Sen. Chuck Grassley’s office turned to the Greater Des Moines contingent and said, “We just love you guys, but it’s going to be a tough year,” referring to the tight federal budget. Federal budget constraints was a theme that resonated through each of the meetings held during the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s lobbying trip earlier this month, said Martha Willits, the partnership’s president and CEO.

“But we have such an incredible relationship with these offices,” she said. “They are always looking for creative ways to help us.”

As a follow-up to its Project Destiny task force reports compiled earlier this year, the Partnership this year made “quality of life” projects — Cultural amenities such as trails, libraries and art centers that will attract new people to the community — its featured priorities for funding. In total, seven organizations are seeking about $27 million in funding.

As is the case in any year, the Partnership staff won’t know for months whether the projects it’s trying to get funded will actually receive all or part of the money that has been requested.

Organized into three broad categories of recreation, historic preservation, and arts and sciences, the projects range from the Principal Riverwalk, for which the Partnership is seeking $5 million in transportation funds, to a $15 million request for grants to restore the Des Moines Public Library’s downtown branch as the headquarters for the World Food Prize Foundation. Among the the smaller requests are $500,000 for restoration of the Hoyt Sherman Place theater and $100,000 to support development of an eight-county plan for developing multi-use recreational trails.

Though they may all be quality-of-life oriented, these are still primarily bricks-and-mortar projects, which can expect to see about a 1 percent increase in funding over last year, Grassley said.

“I think the best way to say it is that most everything we appropriate money for in Iowa are to some extent capital programs,” he said. “With a 1 percent increase in expenditures in domestic programs, it seems to me where we were last year plus 1 percent.” By contrast, homeland security programs are receiving about a 10 percent increase in funding, while defense is receiving 7 percent more and education about 3 percent, he said.

Scott Brunscheen, executive director of the Salisbury House Foundation, said he’s grateful for whatever federal dollars his organization receives. The foundation is requesting $2 million for mechanical upgrades, such as modern fire and security systems to safeguard the building and its rare collections. About four years ago, the foundation received about $650,000 in federal funding through Sen. Tom Harkin’s assistance, he said.

“There are few programs for historic preservation, so we try to broaden out to get funding through other aspects,” Brunscheen said. “We need about $8 million to complete our restoration, so $2 million is a signficant piece of that. We really need the federal dollars to leverage the local dollars.”

Keeping each of these projects in front of the congressional delegation is an important follow-up aspect of every lobbying trip, said Kent Sovern, the Partnership’s government relations director.

“Principally, what we’ll be doing is encouraging the volunteer leaders on each of those projects to keep the congressional staff informed and up to speed and communicate with them regularly,” he said.

“And of course, we’re in very close contact with the Greater Des Moines Metroplitan Planning Organization and the Metropolitan Advisory Council with the trails initiative,” he said. Those organizations are working with the Partnership to secure $100,000 in federal funding for an eight-county regional plan for development and construction of multi-use bike and pedestrian trails. Additionally, representatives of the Principal Financial Group Inc. regularly meet with congressional staff in Washington regarding the Riverwalk project, he said.

“It’s just a matter of keeping our oar in the water, so to speak,” Sovern said.

Carmela Brown, a lobbyist for Mercy Medical Center who has participated in every Partnership trip since they began 25 years ago, said the war on terrorism adds a new element to the equation of securing funding for local projects.

“I think it is a very difficult time for Congress, because funds are being diverted to homeland security and defense; that is unique to the whole time we’ve been going to Washington. We still need a minimum amount of help for our communities, and Sen. Grassley and Sen. Harkin are extremely helpful in getting us that funding because of their positions.”

One of the added benefits of the trips has been the ability to get to know leaders from each of the communities, Brown said.

“During the flood of ‘93, we needed water for the hospital, and I was able to call the mayor of West Des Moines, whom I knew because of going on these trips. I don’t know if all the leaders get together for any other trip. I think that’s been a great benefit for the community. When you talk about 28E [intergovernmental] agreements, it’s very good to know the people that you’re doing business with.”

QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECT REQUESTS

Principal Riverwalk – $5 million in fiscal year 2005 to install recreational enhancements along the Des Moines River. The total project cost is $28.5 million, with the Principal Financial Group Inc. committed to investing $10 million.

Regional Multi-use trails – $100,000 from the fiscal year 2005 transportation appropriation legislation to be awarded to the Greater Des Moines Metroplitan Planning Organization for development of an eight-county long-range plan for construction of bicycle and pedestrian trails.

World Food Prize Hall of Laureates and Convocation Center – $15 million from federal grants to preserve and restroe the historic downtown Des Moines Public Library building for use as the world headquarters for the World Food Prize Foundation.

Salisbury House restoration – $2 million for the Salisbury House Foundation to fund continued restoration to preserve the Salisbury House and protect and conserve its collection of art, books, documents, furniture, tapestries and other objects that the mansion contains.

Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation theater renovation – $500,000 grant to complete phase II of a three-phase historic theater restoration and renovation project. Phase II renovations include updated handicapped accessibility, addressing exterior building repairs and adding more public restrooms.

Science Center of Iowa capital project – $2.7 million for the Science Center of Iowa to develop and build programs and exhibits for the new downtown center under construction.

The Des Moines Art Center – $825,000 through the Institute of Museum and Library Services program for art exhibition education and technology, and an appropriation of $445,150 throgh the Save America’s Treasures program for rehabilitation of historic structures.