Yesterday, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) announced names of the seven participants selected to participate in the second cohort of the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI).

The 2022 NGLI cohort participants were selected through a competitive national application process. This will be the second cohort for the program since its launch in 2019.

Read the full announcement here.

This program is crucial in equipping the next generation of conservation leaders. In order to keep this great program running, NCF needs your support! Please help support NGLI as we move forward with programing for the 2022 and 2023 cohorts. 

NACD's 76th Annual Meeting, hosted in partnership with the Association of Florida Conservation Districts, will be held in Orlando, FL from February 12-16, 2022, at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista at Disney Springs Resort. The theme for next year's meeting is "Conservation Defined For All" and will be integrated into sessions and activities at the event!

Conference registration is open and includes entry into the Conservation Expo, NACD General and Concurrent Sessions, Monday’s Leadership Lunch and Live Auction, and NACD Training Sessions and Workshops. Tomorrow (December 22, 2021) is the last day that you can take advantage of early bird registration for the discounted price of $470. Regular registration will be available on December 23 at the full price of $520.

Visit NACD’s Annual Meeting webpage to learn more about scholarships, view the agenda, register and reserve your room.

The Sponsorship and Exhibitors registration deadline for the meeting has also been extended! If you are interested in reserving an exhibition booth, having an ad in the meeting program, or engaging in other sponsorship opportunities, you have until Wednesday, December 29 to do so.

Sponsoring NACD’s 2022 Annual Meeting is an investment in locally-led conservation. Each year, conservation leaders from across the country gather in one place to discuss conservation policy and implementation, network with conservation partners and members of industry, and learn about the newest technologies and most relevant issues affecting natural resources management and conservation districts. As a sponsor, your agency, company, or organization will be given a platform to showcase your support for conservation districts and our nation’s top conservation leaders.

If your agency, company, or organization is looking to introduce your programs, products, or services to leaders in the conservation community, the Conservation Expo is the place to do it! The Expo is a hub for meeting activities with targeted hours meant to maximize expo traffic.

Learn more about these and other sponsorship opportunities in our FY22 Prospectus. Please reach out to your NACD Team if you have any questions.

DONATE TO NCF'S AUCTION

During NACD's Annual Meeting, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) will host their auction to support Envirothon, the Next Generation Leadership Institute, and conservation education programs. The auction will be held in person and virtually on Monday, February 14 at 6:00 p.m.

The NCF Auction is a great opportunity to support conservation and we are accepting donations for the 2022 event now! The deadline for donations is Jan. 7, 2022.

To learn more about donating to the auction, see this webpage or email NACD Director of Education Keith Owen at keith-owen@nacdnet.org.

NACD has launched a new webpage detailing the new NACD + Mercer insurance benefits program.

When you renew your membership at the Gold level or above, you become eligible for benefits through Mercer. All Gold level and higher membership contributions for fiscal year 2021 will count for eligibility.

This program offers coverage for your health and wellbeing, including ACA-complaint health insurance, supplemental benefits, life insurance, auto/home protection and more.

Visit the website to learn more.

As urban and community agriculture continue to grow in importance for clients of conservation districts, NACD is proud to continue our partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in the delivery of our Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) Grant Initiative.

We are still accepting applications for up to $50,000 to support projects that promote the delivery of conservation technical assistance in urban and community-oriented settings, including for projects that serve rural populations. See the full RFP online, with applications due January 31, 2022, 11:59 p.m. local time.

To encourage districts who may be interested in starting urban agriculture conservation programs, but are not certain how to get started, NACD has created a new funding stream through the UAC grants for Fiscal Year 2022. Districts may apply for up to $10,000 through these new UAC planning grant, to begin early-stage program development. Districts may also apply for up to $50,000 for the traditional UAC grants, now called UAC implementation grants.

With over 100 example projects already completed or active in 35 states (see NACD’s Story Map), conservation districts have provided technical assistance to urban and smallholder farmers on soil health, pollinators and biodiversity conservation, native plants, irrigation and water management, and a variety of other technical topics.

Districts interested in NACD’s UAC grants may now watch a recording of a recent information session. Staff and leadership described the program and answered questions from potential applicants, and several past grantees shared more about their projects.

UAC grant applications are due January 31, 2022, with more information available on NACD’s Urban and Community Conservation website.  Any questions may be directed to NACD Pacific Region Representative Ariel Rivers at ariel-rivers@nacdnet.org.

In light of the upcoming holidays, NACD's offices will be closed Dec. 24-27, as well as Dec. 31-Jan. 3, 2022. Additionally, NACD will not be issuing an edition of eResource next Tuesday, Dec. 28.

As the year comes to a close, we want to wish you all a Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year! We are so thankful for each and every one of you, and we look forward to carrying out the conservation mission in the new year. From all of us at NACD, we hope you have a safe and happy holiday season, and we'll see you in 2022!

NACD welcomed Wesley Gibson as our new South Central Region Representative on Wednesday, Dec. 15.

Gibson comes to NACD from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), where he has served as a Project Manager since 2012. While at TSSWCB, Wesley worked with soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) to increase conservation through technical and financial assistance utilizing both state and federal funds. He also spearheaded the NACD Technical Assistance Grant and the Lesser Prairie Chicken Initiative through Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in the panhandle region of Texas. Gibson holds a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness from Texas A&M University- Kingsville.

Gibson once won a spicy chicken wing eating competition but usually in his free-time he enjoys backpacking, hunting, and fishing as well as time outside with his nieces and nephew.

Gibson is based in Temple, TX and can be reached at wesley-gibson@nacdnet.org

administrative support to the NACD CEO, Officers, and Executive Board. They will serve as the first point of contact for callers and visitors to the NACD office and will assume primary responsibility for office supplies and

This position will be based in the Washington, D.C. office. To learn more and apply, visit NACD's website. Apply by Friday, Dec. 31 for priority consideration.

NACD is seeking a full-time Director of Government Affairs. This position is responsible for providing assistance to NACD's member conservation districts and NACD Board of Directors to advance conservation, resource development and to assist in the implementation of the association’s federal policies. The role is the association’s primary liaison with Congress, federal natural resource agencies and groups with interests in responsible management and conservation of natural resources. 

This position is located at the Washington, D.C. office. To learn more and apply, visit NACD's website. Apply by Friday, Jan. 7 for priority consideration.

ICYMI: The Fall Edition of The Resource is Here!

NACD's Fall 2021 edition of The Resource has arrived! Click the cover above to begin browsing the latest publication.

In this latest edition, you'll find updates on NACD's projects, grants, and more, as well as stories highlighting the phenomenal conservation work being done by districts across the nation.

 

On behalf of all of us at NACD, we are proud to be your national voice. We hope you will enjoy this edition and can be inspired by your peers in the conservation district family.

Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day or more on NACD's Calendar of Events!