Leopold Conservation Award Program
Funding Amount
Not stated
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant Type
Foundation
Deadline history & next window
- Cycle
- Annual
- Tracked since
- April 2026
Source: the cycle recorded on this listing. Confirm dates with the funder.
Can we apply?
Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.
Other requirements
- Farmers and ranchers demonstrating long-term commitment to conservation
- Must show integration of profitable agriculture with ecological stewardship
- Must be actively farming/ranching
- Community involvement and mentorship considered
Overview
The Sand County Foundation's Leopold Conservation Award Program recognizes farmers and ranchers who have demonstrated exceptional land stewardship and conservation practices while maintaining productive agricultural operations.
Geographic Scope: Multi-state program with recipients from:
- California
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri (implied)
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Utah
Focus Areas:
- Soil health and conservation
- Water quality and watershed protection
- Rotational grazing and livestock management
- Native habitat restoration
- Erosion control
- Cover cropping and crop rotation
- Carbon sequestration
- Sustainable agriculture practices
- Pollinator habitat
- Community leadership in conservation
Award Type: Recognition award for individual farmers/ranchers or farm families
Eligibility:
- Farmers and ranchers demonstrating long-term commitment to conservation
- Must show integration of profitable agriculture with ecological stewardship
- Must be actively farming/ranching
- Community involvement and mentorship considered
Contact Information:
- Sand County Foundation
- 44 East Mifflin Street, Suite 1005
- Madison, WI 53703
- (608) 663-4605
- info@sandcountyfoundation.org
Additional Information:
- Annual awards are given by state
- Each state has platinum, gold, and silver sponsors
- Recipients serve as examples of Aldo Leopold's land ethic
- Award recipients often become mentors and educators in their communities
How to Apply
Application Process
No detailed application information found in the provided website content. The pages shown display award recipients and their conservation stories but do not include application instructions or requirements.
To Apply:
- Contact Sand County Foundation directly at (608) 663-4605 or info@sandcountyfoundation.org
- Visit Application Info section at sandcountyfoundation.org/our-work/leopold-conservation-award-program/application-info (not provided in content)
- Inquire about state-specific application deadlines and nomination processes
Past recipients of this program
Recent awards under this program (from The Sand County Foundation Inc's IRS filings)
Viramontes Farms
Deming, NM · 2025
$10K
Wiltse Family Farms
Maple Park, IL · 2025
$10K
Twin Maples Farm
Cashton, WI · 2025
$10K
Kerwin Hill Farm
Norwich, VT · 2025
$10K
Lufkin, TX · 2025
$10K
35 grants in The Sand County Foundation Inc's 2019–2025 filings reference “Leopold Conservation Award Program” in their stated purpose. Amounts and places as reported by the funder.
What The Sand County Foundation Inc actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2025
- Grants in 2025
- 19
- Total given
- $788K
- Median grant
- $10K
- Range
- $5,270–$334K
- By dollars: District of Columbia 42%, Wisconsin 32%, Iowa 13%. Top recipient cities: Campbellsport, WI; Washington, DC; Epworth, IA.
- 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
- 84% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.
Example grants
American Farmland Trust · Washington, DC
Involvement in rcpp farmer led project
$334K
Dubuque Soil & Water Conservation District · Epworth, IA
Involvement in rcpp farmer led project
$101K
Sauk County LRE · Baraboo, WI
Involvement in rcpp farmer led project
$86K
Green County Land and Water Conservation · Monroe, WI
Involvement in rcpp farmer led project
$67K
Environmental Policy Innovation Center · College Park, MD
Project support
$44K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Agriculture
- Environmental conservation
Categories
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