RELEASE: Google Provides $1.3 Million in Support to Conservation Acceleration Fund
DES MOINES, IA (July 11, 2024) – The Great Outdoors Foundation is pleased to announce that Google has provided $1.3 million in support for the Conservation Acceleration Fund (CAF), a dynamic fundraising mechanism designed to advance key sustainability initiatives. This support from Google will enable a 47-site grade stabilization project in partnership with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), various Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and Drake University. Google joins other key investors in the CAF with private contributions totaling more than $5 million to date.
“Google’s support for our Conservation Acceleration Fund exemplifies the efficacy and potency of public-private partnerships,” Hannah Inman, Chief Executive Officer of the Great Outdoors Foundation, said. “Of course, this will have a tremendous impact on the watersheds in the immediate footprint of the initiative, but more than that, it will impact the quality of water flowing into the Missouri River, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico, all critical to vibrant communities across our nation. We believe this partnership has the ability to enact significant improvement to our water quality, now, and in the future.”
“We’re committed to improving local watershed health in the communities where we operate, including southwest Iowa — a place we’re proud to call home,” said Ben Townsend, Global Head of Infrastructure and Sustainability at Google. “We’re excited to be a part of these high-impact grade stabilization projects with the Great Outdoors Foundation, helping improve flood control and water quality within the drainage area of the Missouri River, just downstream from our data center campus in Council Bluffs.”
“We’re incredibly grateful to Google for its foresight and vision as it pertains to its footprint here in Iowa,” Jen Cross, Vice President of Donor Relations for the Great Outdoors Foundation, said. “Because of the Conservation Acceleration Fund’s guaranteed 4:1 public to private match, these dollars will unlock an additional $5 million in conservation infrastructure, by conservative estimates, ultimately yielding even greater returns for our partners, our water, and our communities.”
“Due in large part to growing interest from farmers and landowners, Iowa continues to be a national leader in the adoption of proven conservation practices that improve our soil and water,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “Our team is continually enlisting new public and private partners to leverage financial and technical resources and accelerate this important work. I want to thank Google and the Great Outdoors Foundation for their strong support and continued investment in our conservation efforts.”
Construction on the sites is set to begin this fall with the portfolio treating a combined drainage area of 3,829 acres. Once complete, annual replenishment of the projects is expected to hit 948 million gallons annually, reducing surface runoff and erosion and improving flood protection, surface, and groundwater quality, and the overall aquatic habitat.
For more information or to become a Conservation Acceleration Fund investor, click here.
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About Great Outdoors Foundation
The Great Outdoors Foundation exists to advance conservation through innovation, collaboration, and stewardship. We are the foremost fundraising professionals in the conservation and outdoor recreation sector. Together, we activate meaningful, accessible initiatives that enhance our environment and improve quality of life. Over the last three years, we have invested more than $200 million in conservation and outdoor recreation initiatives, and we’re just getting started.
