News & Blog
KCCI: Polk County expands wetlands effort to tackle water quality concerns
February 3, 2026Most people think of Polk County as being the bustling Des Moines metro with downtown and the surrounding suburbs. But some areas [...]
Des Moines Register: Polk County gets funding for 5 wetlands to improve water quality
January 29, 2026Polk County is adding five new wetland habitats to its collection of more than a dozen in an effort to improve water [...]
2026 Conservation Acceleration Fund (CAF) Projects: A Look Ahead
January 15, 2026The Conservation Acceleration Fund (CAF) was established in 2023 to accelerate the pace and progress of our region’s conservation. Historically, a lack [...]
BUSINESS RECORD: 2026 Trends to Watch
January 6, 2026As Central Iowa leaders are required to assess issues and opportunities, both new and existing, at an increasingly quick pace, the Business [...]
Business Record: Meta invests in $1M Great Outdoors Foundation initiative
December 10, 2025The Great Outdoors Foundation announced that Meta has invested $240,000 into its Conservation Acceleration Fund for a nature-based water infrastructure initiative designed to improve [...]
2025 Year in Review
December 10, 2025The past year was the Great Outdoors Foundation’s 30th anniversary, and it was a big year of advancing conservation through collaboration, innovation, [...]
RELEASE: Great Outdoors Foundation Announces Meta Investment in Conservation Acceleration Fund
December 9, 2025DES MOINES, IA (Dec. 9, 2025) – The Great Outdoors Foundation (GOF) is pleased to announce that Meta has invested $240,000 into [...]
Giving with Tomorrow in Mind
November 14, 2025At the Great Outdoors Foundation (GOF), we are driven by our mission to advance conservation through collaboration, innovation, and stewardship. And this [...]
BUSINESS RECORD: Great Outdoors Foundation announces inaugural water quality summit
November 14, 2025The Great Outdoors Foundation recently announced that it will host Watershed26, a two-day summit focused on advancing water quality initiatives in the [...]
BUSINESS RECORD: Local competitors achieve fundraising record at Wild Prairie Showdown
October 24, 2025The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails announced the fifth annual Wild Prairie Showdown raised nearly $190,000 to support conservation and [...]
RELEASE: Local Competitors Achieve Record Fundraising at Wild Prairie Showdown
October 21, 2025DES MOINES, IA (Oct. 21, 2025) – The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails are pleased to announce that the Wild [...]
Recapping the 2025 Wild Prairie Showdown
October 20, 2025The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails partnered again to host the fifth annual Wild Prairie Showdown. This year, Team GOF [...]
