The Iowa DNR's Wildlife Diversity program has two separate grant programs: 1) Habitat Management Grants, and 2) Small Grants. Please read below for information about each program and instructions for submitting applications. Successful applicants must be doing work in Iowa.
You must apply for each of these programs through the DNR's Slideroom Portal! Clicking on the heading for each grant program below will take you directly to the application for that grant.
Habitat Management Grants Program
The Iowa DNR's Wildlife Diversity Program is making small grants available for habitat management projects directly contributing to wildlife diversity conservation in Iowa. Approved projects will be funded on a single-year basis but can be submitted for additional funding in subsequent years, though after 3 years points will be deducted during scoring. Proposals will be accepted from any organization engaged in management for the benefit of wildlife conservation in Iowa. Projects should be closely related to the goals of Iowa's Wildlife Action Plan. The maximum allowable funding ask per proposal is $7,500. Deadline for proposals is midnight on November 1st of each year for the following year's monies. No match is required for these funds.
*NEW* Wildlife Habitat Management Grants for Cities
The Iowa DNR Wildlife Diversity Program has a small grant available for habitat management projects (improving areas for wildlife to live) in urban areas directly related to wildlife diversity conservation (non-game wildlife) in Iowa. Information on what species are considered to be non-game wildlife can be found in Iowa’s Wildlife Action Plan, but generally includes wildlife such as songbirds and raptors, bats, butterflies and bees, turtles, snakes, frogs, salamanders and other aquatic species such as mussels and crayfish. Approved projects will be funded on a single-year basis. The maximum allowable funding request is $5,000. Application deadline for 2024 is December 2. No match is required for these funds.
Small Grants Program Funds Available
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, funded by donations through Chickadee Checkoff and Natural Resource License Plate funds, has small grants available for research or education projects that directly contribute to wildlife diversity conservation in Iowa. Approved projects will be funded on a single-year basis but can be submitted for additional funding in subsequent years (limited to 3 years of funding). The maximum allowable funding ask per proposal is $5,000. If you are interested in applying for small project funding, please refer to the Small Grants Brochure for further information. Grant proposals are due by midnight on November 1st of each year for the following year's monies.
For both programs, grantees will be required to sign a Small Grant Agreement with the Iowa DNR. A generic example of this agreement is linked below if you'd like to review that before applying for a grant. Please note that reporting requirements at the completion of the grant will be slightly different for each program.