Council Receives Major Grants for Water Quality Work

The Iowa Environmental Council received good news last month on funding for its water quality work in 2016-2017 from the McKnight Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation. 

“We appreciate the ongoing support of both of these funders and consider them important partners in our long-term efforts on behalf of clean water here in Iowa and our collaboration on related efforts with like-minded groups all the way Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico,” said Executive Director Ralph Rosenberg.

The $129,000 from the McKnight Foundation continues support for the Council’s work to improve water quality in Iowa and the Mississippi River. This includes the Council’s participation in the Mississippi River Collaborative (MRC), which works cooperatively within the Mississippi River Basin to increase the organizational, legal and technical capacity of participating groups to meet  state and regional water quality challenges and to effectively implement new initiatives of the Collaborative. The McKnight Foundation is a Minnesota-based family foundation, founded in 1953, that seeks to improve the quality of life for present and future generations. Its program interests include regional economic and community development, youth development, Midwest climate and energy, Mississippi River water quality and rural livelihoods.

The $137,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation renews support for the Council’s efforts to strengthen implementation of Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy and to encourage agricultural solutions to nonpoint source water pollution challenges. Walton funding also supports regional collaboration with groups in the upper Mississippi River Basin to reduce nutrient pollution from agricultural sources. Walton is a family foundation that seeks to create opportunity in the areas of K-12 education, ocean and river conservation, and in Arkansas communities that have Walton family ties.

“We have been very fortunate to have this level of support from both McKnight and the Walton Family Foundation,” said Water Program Director Susan Heathcote. “We couldn’t do this work without these generous partners, who recognize that improving our water quality requires long-term commitment from a variety of stakeholders.” 

Additional support for the Council’s water quality efforts come from its individual and organizational members.

1. conservation
2. sustainable agriculture
3. water quality