In October, we launched our newest fundraising mechanism, the Great Outdoors Foundation Conservation Fund. This strategic, environmentally-focused investment tool is designed to expedite current water quality improvement initiatives by multiplying existing resources and funding. Check out our launch video below to learn how GOF is working to change the water...
RELEASE: Great Outdoors Foundation Awards First Conservation Fund Grant
DES MOINES, IA (Jan. 10, 2024) – The Great Outdoors Foundation is pleased to announce that it has awarded Polk County Public Works the first gift from its new Conservation Fund, a strategic, environmentally-focused investment mechanism. The $200,000 grant from the Great Outdoors Foundation Conservation Fund will be used to...
Let’s Change the Landscape, For Good
When I began my role with the Great Outdoors Foundation (GOF) in 2015, I was inspired by our board’s vision. After operating as a volunteer-led organization for nearly 20 years, the leadership recognized the need and opportunity to develop into a regional organization, utilizing recreation as a catalyst for conservation. ...
3 Reasons to Support the Great Outdoors Foundation with Your Year-End Giving
Today is GivingTuesday, the unofficial start of the giving season, and it's no surprise that the next month is incredibly vital for those in the nonprofit sector. According to a recent study, the average nonprofit raises more than a quarter of its annual revenue during the month of December alone....
IPR: Could Whitewater Trails in Downtown Des Moines Help Change the State’s Course on Water Quality?
A plan to make whitewater trails on the rivers in downtown Des Moines is about more than tourism. Supporters of the project say they also have water quality in mind. In downtown Des Moines, the Raccoon flows into the Des Moines River and then immediately runs into an obstacle —...
A Record-Breaking Wild Prairie Showdown
The third annual Wild Prairie Showdown was a smashing success, raising more than $120,000 for the Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails. Team GOF had an outstanding showing thanks to the efforts of Rona "Aloha Aina" Berinobis and Afton "The Rural Girl" Holt. This year's event set several records...
