News & Blog

  • Impact-Driven Conservation Investment

    There has never been a better time to invest in water quality solutions than right now. As top executives look to strengthen [...]

  • MidAmerican Energy Company Regional Fund Grantee Profile: City of West Des Moines

    On February 1, the Great Outdoors Foundation announced that the City of West Des Moines was selected as its newest grantee of [...]

  • Beautiful lake and landscape

    The Business Case for Conservation

    Milton Friedman’s declaration that, “The social responsibility of business is to increase profits” influenced corporate leadership for generations. In a free market [...]

  • Business Record: West Des Moines Receives MidAmerican Grant to Establish ICON Site at Raccoon River

    West Des Moines receives MidAmerican grant to establish ICON site at Raccoon River The MidAmerican Energy Regional Fund, a $5 million investment [...]

  • West Des Moines lake and landscape

    RELEASE: MidAmerican Energy Regional Fund Grant Awarded to City of West Des Moines

    DES MOINES, IA (Feb. 1, 2024) – The Great Outdoors Foundation is pleased to announce that the MidAmerican Energy Regional Fund, a [...]

  • Lovely stream flowing through Iowa forest

    RELEASE: Great Outdoors Foundation Receives Polk County Community Development Grant

    DES MOINES, IA (Jan. 30, 2024) – The Great Outdoors Foundation is pleased to announce that a $100,000 Community Development Grant from [...]

  • The Great Outdoors Foundation Conservation Fund

    In October, we launched our newest fundraising mechanism, the Great Outdoors Foundation Conservation Fund. This strategic, environmentally-focused investment tool is designed to [...]

  • GOF Awards First Conservation Grant

    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 [...]

  • Close up image of crops growing

    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 [...]

  • Beautiful sky view with clouds and trees

    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 [...]

  • 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 [...]

  • Record Wild Prairie Showdown

    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 [...]