The Diamond Conservation Fund awards grants to both individual property owners and community groups.  Interested applicants should review the information below and on the Application Form to determine if their project meets the intended scope of the Diamond Conservation Fund.  Grant Applications will be accepted at any time and grants will be awarded every six months.

To Apply:

Interested parties must complete a Grant Application.  The Grant Application form is available on this site.  If further information is required, you will be contacted by the Diamond Conservation Fund.

An applicant may submit one Application per project, per time frame.  Application deadlines and grant award dates for each calendar year are noted below:

Application Deadlines:

May 15
November 15

There are no restrictions on grant amounts awarded, however, the Diamond Conservation Fund seeks to award multiple grants per time frame.  Applications with leveraged funds will be given priority over those without.

     *Collaborative efforts between local, regional and national organizations.

    *Efforts using matching funds with leveraged dollars towards local conservation projects.

Priority consideration will be given to programs located within the following Iowa counties:  Dubuque, Jackson, Clayton, Delaware, Jones, Worth, Allamakee, Mitchell, Floyd, Cerro Gordo, Hancock or Winnebago;  however, the Fund does invite participation from other geographical regions.

The Diamond Conservation Fund issues specific project grants, not general support grants.  This allows the Fund to direct its efforts to the work of its core mission and track the results of its giving by measuring the success of specific projects and programs.

Grant Applications will be scored based on the following five criteria:

     1.  Permanence:  How has the applicant assured the installation will stay in place?  Has an easement been granted, has the program been put in a CRP contract, is the money for an acquisition for the wildlife area?

     2.  Wildlife Habitat:  How does the application improve habitat for wildlife?  Has a professional been brought in to assist in the planning?  Has the land owner been successful before in wildlife improvement?

     3.  Water Quality:  Does the project have any benefit to the improvement of water quality?

     4.  Youth Education:  Does the application reach out or involve children?  Does the project include youth volunteers or in any way help children understand the importance of conservation?

     5.  Leverage:  Are there other funds being used for this project?  Who is providing them?  Is the landowner personally putting funds into the project; CRP funds or any other form of contribution?

Each applicant will be judged on a 50 point scale.  Each of the above criteria will be ranked by the Board of Directors using a scale of 1-10.  Those applications receiving the highest rankings will be funded.

Each Grant Application is carefully evaluated to determine whether it falls within one of the Fund's core areas of support. Each core area of support is clearly addressed in the Application.  Applications that do not fall within these areas are not likely to receive grant support.  As a matter of policy, the Diamond Conservation Fund does not make grants to:

     *Planting of non-native food plots or annuals; or support habitats for non-native birds

     *Ongoing operating costs including completed projects, existing staff costs, or existing operational overhead

     *Lobbying efforts.

To Complete a Grant Application, CLICK HERE.

The Diamond Conservation Fund awards grants to both individual property owners and community groups.  Interested applicants should review the information below and on the Application Form to determine if their project meets the intended scope of the Diamond Conservation Fund.  Grant Applications will be accepted at any time and grants will be awarded every six months.

To Apply:

Interested parties must complete a Grant Application.  The Grant Application form is available on this site.  If further information is required, you will be contacted by the Diamond Conservation Fund.

An applicant may submit one Application per project, per time frame.  Application deadlines and grant award dates for each calendar year are noted below:

Application Deadlines:

May 15
November 15

There are no restrictions on grant amounts awarded, however, the Diamond Conservation Fund seeks to award multiple grants per time frame.  Applications with leveraged funds will be given priority over those without.

     *Collaborative efforts between local, regional and national organizations.

    *Efforts using matching funds with leveraged dollars towards local conservation projects.

Priority consideration will be given to programs located within the following Iowa counties:  Dubuque, Jackson, Clayton, Delaware, Jones, Worth, Allamakee, Mitchell, Floyd, Cerro Gordo, Hancock or Winnebago;  however, the Fund does invite participation from other geographical regions.

The Diamond Conservation Fund issues specific project grants, not general support grants.  This allows the Fund to direct its efforts to the work of its core mission and track the results of its giving by measuring the success of specific projects and programs.

Grant Applications will be scored based on the following five criteria:

     1.  Permanence:  How has the applicant assured the installation will stay in place?  Has an easement been granted, has the program been put in a CRP contract, is the money for an acquisition for the wildlife area?

     2.  Wildlife Habitat:  How does the application improve habitat for wildlife?  Has a professional been brought in to assist in the planning?  Has the land owner been successful before in wildlife improvement?

     3.  Water Quality:  Does the project have any benefit to the improvement of water quality?

     4.  Youth Education:  Does the application reach out or involve children?  Does the project include youth volunteers or in any way help children understand the importance of conservation?

     5.  Leverage:  Are there other funds being used for this project?  Who is providing them?  Is the landowner personally putting funds into the project; CRP funds or any other form of contribution?

Each applicant will be judged on a 50 point scale.  Each of the above criteria will be ranked by the Board of Directors using a scale of 1-10.  Those applications receiving the highest rankings will be funded.

Each Grant Application is carefully evaluated to determine whether it falls within one of the Fund's core areas of support. Each core area of support is clearly addressed in the Application.  Applications that do not fall within these areas are not likely to receive grant support.  As a matter of policy, the Diamond Conservation Fund does not make grants to:

     *Planting of non-native food plots or annuals; or support habitats for non-native birds

     *Ongoing operating costs including completed projects, existing staff costs, or existing operational overhead

     *Lobbying efforts.

To Complete a Grant Application, CLICK HERE.