Land & Water Conservation Fund

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Program is a federally funded grant program that provides 50% cost share for outdoor recreation area development and land acquisition. Iowa's cities and counties are eligible to participate.

The LWCF program provides an excellent opportunity to develop a wide range of outdoor recreational projects that are in high demand. Popular projects in recent years have included skate parks, playgrounds, new and renovated swimming pools, campgrounds and multipurpose trails.

The application and approval process for this program is lengthy; plan for 12-24 months from time of application before grant agreements are executed and construction can begin. If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Flatt at 515-975-8569.

Grant Application Submission and Deadline:
The LWCF grant application and materials are updated on a yearly basis by January 15th. The annual deadline for the LWCF grant applications is 4:30 pm, March 15th, or the closest working day thereof. Mailed applications must be post marked by the grant submission deadline.

Submit one complete grant application electronically to Jessica Flatt at jessica.flatt@dnr.iowa.gov AND mail one (1) originalto Jessica Flatt at:

Iowa Department of Natural Resources, LWCF Program
Wallace State Office Building
502 E. 9th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319

With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Federal financial assistance programs for infrastructure must comply with domestic content procurement preference requirements established in the “Build America, Buy America Act” at Section 70911 et seq. (“Buy America”). Buy America’s domestic content procurement preference applies to all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used for infrastructure projects under an award. For more information: “Buy America” Domestic Sourcing Guidance and Waiver Process for DOI Financial Assistance Agreements.

Guidelines and Application Documents:

• 2023 Land and Water Conservation Fund Guidelines and Application (required)  
  2023 grant cycle is closed

Reference Documents:

• Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)
  Applicants are required to show a relationship between their project and the SCORP priorities. This is the majority of the points awarded during the review and selection process.
• LWCF State Administrative Rules – Chapter 27 (Scoring Criteria)
• LWCF Federal Manual https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/lwcf-manual.htm
• LWCF General Provisions

The following are cities and counties that have submitted grants for LWCF for the current year and past years.

The amount of LWCF grant money available to cities and counties depends on population.

The population categories and respective grant amount ceilings are shown below: