Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation
The Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation is a public charity based in Frankfort, Kentucky. Its 2024 filing describes a program that provides financial assistance to local conservation districts to hire soil conservation technicians, who help landowners implement soil and water conservation practices.
Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation at a glance
In short: Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation gave $816K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $28K), mostly in Kentucky. 3% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $815,582
- -26.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- -23.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $28,124
- -4.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $28,616
- Total assets
- $275,628
- -13.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 3% first-time grantees (1 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 4027, Frankfort, KY 40604
Phone: (502) 223-4196
Website: https://kyconservation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation
Who Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Webster County Conservation District ($52K). Together the top 10 received $360K.
Grant Size Distribution
147 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 145 grants of 147 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing’s listed grants went entirely to Kentucky recipients. The Foundation’s 2024 filing describes support for local conservation districts in Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation open to new grantees?
3%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 29 grantees (3%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $26K first-time, $29K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $278K (2021) to $1.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $816K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Webster County Conservation District Dixon, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $52,109 |
| Crittenden County Conservation District Marion, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $38,902 |
| Fleming County Conservation District Flemingsburg, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $36,420 |
| Adair County Conservation District Columbia, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $35,438 |
| Woodford County Conservation District Versailles, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $35,322 |
| Boone County Conservation District Burlington, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $33,563 |
| Harrison County Conservation District Cynthiana, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $33,044 |
| Casey County Conservation District Liberty, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $32,432 |
| Warren County Conservation District Bowling Green, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $31,560 |
| Carroll County Conservation District Carrollton, KY | Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians | $31,398 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $275,628 | $924,208 | $967,523 | $815,582 | 29 | $908 |
| 2024 | $318,944 | $1,212,327 | $1,122,517 | $1,112,835 | 38 | $926 |
| 2023 | $210,673 | $964,144 | $923,565 | $853,154 | 33 | $649 |
| 2022 | $209,926 | $402,422 | $384,151 | $354,294 | 26 | $178 |
| 2021 | $191,655 | $332,649 | $336,897 | $277,796 | 21 | $617 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
KACD’s stated mission is to exchange information about the administration and operation of conservation and watershed conservancy districts, foster cooperation with agencies and organizations working on soil and water conservation, promote the welfare of the districts and the people they serve, and maintain active membership in the state and national associations.
The Foundation’s 2024 filing describes financial assistance for local conservation districts to hire soil conservation technicians. The filing also describes an Envirothon contest for high school students, a statewide writing and art contest for students in grades 1–12, and college scholarships for students studying agriculture or natural-resources-related fields. The filing describes these education activities, but does not identify them as grants to outside organizations.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 29 grants totaling $815,582. Grant amounts ranged from $778 to $52,109, with a median of $28,616. The listed grant dollars went entirely to recipients in Kentucky. The largest grants were passthrough grants to hire soil technicians:
The Foundation’s website says the KACD–NRCS partnership provides funding to conservation districts to hire staff where additional capacity is needed. The website describes NRCS as providing more than $1 million annually for the agreement, which covers 90% of a Partnership Affiliate’s salary and a portion of benefits. This is agreement funding, distinct from the Foundation’s reported grants given.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Crystal Renfro as Executive Director and the following area directors: Rod Murphy (Area 1), Matt Rogers (Area 2), Vince Thompson (Area 3), Joe Bernard Luckett (Area 4), Jennifer Burgan (Area 5), Doug McLean (Area 6), Rodney Dick (Area 7), Doug Derossett (Area 8), and Doug Hensely (Area 9).
Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation is led by Crystal Renfro, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; none of the 14 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Crystal Renfro
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
20 hrs/week
$40K (2021) → $0 (2025)
Allen Bryant
President
President → Presidnet, 2024
Presidnet → President, 2025
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug Derossett
Area Director
Area Diretor → Area Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug Hensely
Area Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Burgan
Area Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Bernard Luckett
Area Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rod Murphy
Area Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rodney Dick
Area Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug McLean
Area Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Rogers
Area Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vince Thompson
Area Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shane Wells
Past President
President → Past President, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ted Jessup
Vice President
Secretary & Treasurer → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Coleman
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Ernie Ezell (2021–2023) — Area Director
- Former: Stephen Coleman (2021–2023) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Doug McLaren (2023) — Area Director
- Former: Vincent Thompson (2023) — Area Director
- Former: David Rowlett (2021–2022) — Past President
- Former: Rhodes Hester (2021–2022) — Area Director
- Former: Roy Reynolds (2021–2022) — Area Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $45K, to Crystal Renfro (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation
How much does Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation give each year?
Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation gave $816K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 38 grants.
What is Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation's typical grant size?
Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $28,616, and its average grant was $28,124, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation that year got $26K on average.
Where does Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation give grants?
Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation gives mostly in Kentucky: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there.
Does Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Passthrough grant to hire soil technicians" (29 grants).
Who are Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation's largest grantees?
Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Webster County Conservation District ($52,109), Crittenden County Conservation District ($38,902) and Fleming County Conservation District ($36,420), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation?
Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation reported $276K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $924K.
What does Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation fund?
KACD’s stated mission is to exchange information about the administration and operation of conservation and watershed conservancy districts, foster cooperation with agencies and organizations working on soil and water conservation, promote the welfare of the districts and the people they serve, and maintain active membership in the state and national associations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation?
Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check kyconservation.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation's EIN?
Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 80-0533467. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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