The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden has been awarded a $980,000 Vision Iowa grant. The grant will go toward an $11.6 million capital campaign for the facility.

Money from the capital campaign will be used for landscape improvements such as a new entry garden and water garden, display gardens, reconfiguring the parking lot and preparation for future development. It will also be used for building enhancements.

The campaign has already received a lead gift of $3 million from E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DuPont).

The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is transitioning into becoming the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, led by a nonprofit group of the same name. That nonprofit formed out of the existing Friends of the Botanical Center group, a transformation led by J.C. “Buz” Brenton. Des Moines Water Works will operate the Botanical Center until it becomes the Botanical Garden on Jan. 1.