NEWS RELEASE

NACD Announces 2025 Friends of NACD District Grant Program Recipients 

Salt Lake City, UT – Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the 2025 recipients of the Friends of NACD District Grants Program during NACD’s Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, UT.   

The Friends of NACD District Grants Program supports voluntary, locally led conservation education, youth development, and food security projects proposed by conservation districts across the NACD network. Now in its sixth year, the program is funded through donations individuals and organizations make to NACD. Since Fiscal Year 2020, Friends of NACD has awarded approximately $96,000 in grant funding to 39 districts across the country. This year, eight conservation districts will receive awards up to $2,500 each to implement community-based projects.  

“We anticipate that this will be a long-term project with ongoing educational programs well into the future and are very grateful for the grant assistance and partners who helped bring this project to reality,” reflects Michele Windsor of the Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District in Maine. A 2023 Friends of NACD grant helped them initiate their Agroforestry and Climate Resiliency Demonstration Project on a portion of the Tenmile River Demonstration Forest. 

“Friends of NACD is excited to support innovative district-led projects,” says District and Partner Relations Committee Chair Franklin Williams. “These efforts educate and connect communities through conservation. Thank you to the generous members, donors, and sponsors who make this program possible.” 

The 2025 Friends of NACD District Grants Program recipients and their conservation projects are:  

Georgia – Gwinnett Soil and Water Conservation District  

In My Backyard: Streambank Stabilization “Train the Trainer” Workshop 

The Gwinnett Soil and Water Conservation District will partner with the Georgia Association of Water Professionals to teach small-scale solutions for eroding stream banks. Attendees will participate in hands-on streambank protection and invasive species treatment projects, including the installation of native plants to re-establish natural buffers. 

Indiana – Vermillion County Soil and Water Conservation District  

Watershed Discovery Hub: Exploring Your Local Water Story 

Vermillion County Soil and Water Conservation District’s educational exhibit will be a prefabricated unit featuring interactive maps, diagrams, flip panels, and a touchscreen monitor to support more efficient, effective, and engaging outreach efforts. Locally relevant features will aid users in experiencing, understanding, and appreciating the watersheds they live in on a new level. 

Kentucky – Warren County Conservation District  

Eco-Explorer’s Camp 

In partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Lost River Cave in Bowling Green, Warren County Extension, Stormwater, and local schools, the Warren County Conservation District will provide an annual day camp experience for grade-school students. 

Michigan – Cass and Berrien County Conservation Districts  

Knowing Our Water Project 

The Cass and Berrien County Conservation Districts will provide water quality monitoring services and educational workshops for community partners, producers, and other residents. Participants will have the opportunity to measure and better understand water quality and locally relevant resource issues as a result. 

Ohio – Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District 

Stormwater Basin Native Vegetation Project 

Working closely with maintenance staff, educators, and public officials, the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District will evaluate various seeding application methods of native vegetation within dry detention basins throughout the county to determine which method yields the highest rate of growth. 

Oklahoma – Kay County Conservation District  

Outdoor Classroom and Community Gardens Project 

Kay County Conservation District will renovate its outdoor classroom, install a community garden, and educate the next generation about agriculture and conservation in partnership with local schools, community partners, and tribal communities. 

Oklahoma – North Caddo Conservation District 

Greenhouse for Conservation and Community: Native Plant Nursery and Educational Partnership 

North Caddo Conservation District’s Greenhouse for Conservation and Community project will establish a native plant nursery in partnership with local schools, combining biodiversity conservation with educational opportunities while supplying native plants to the community for habitat restoration and sustainable landscaping. 

Pennsylvania – McKean County Conservation District  

Building Environmental Stewards Initiative – Northwinds 4-H Camp 

Through a partnership with Penn State Extension, the McKean County Conservation District will provide a hands-on climate resilience-focused educational program encompassing natural resource topics to youth within a five-county area. 

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About the National Association of Conservation Districts: 

The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 individuals who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.