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 2026 LWCF grant application will be available on SlideRoom beginning December 1, 2025.  The 2026 LWCF grant application is due at 11:59pm on March 6, 2026.

Questions should be directed to Jessica Flatt at jessica.flatt@dnr.iowa.gov or 515-975-8569. The LWCF grant application is available on the DNR SlideRoom portal.  Please see the LWCF State Guidelines and Open Project Selection Process document below for program details.    

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.

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Application Process

The application and approval process for this program is lengthy.

  • Applicants should 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.
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Guidelines & Application Documents

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Reference Materials

 

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Funded Iowa Projects

This map includes the locations of LWCF funded projects within the State of Iowa. Click on the blue dots to view the project number, project sponsor (city/county/state), park or project name, description and the funding received.

Federal LWCF Projects

Federal LWCF grants are competitive grants awarded to cities and counties across the state for acquisition and active outdoor recreational development projects.

Map of Past LWCF Funded Projects

Map of Past LWCF Funded Projects

 

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City & County LWCF Requests & Approvals

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

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