Conservation

Donations & Gift Certificates

Endowment Fund

Polk County Conservation's endowment fund is managed by the Great Outdoors Foundation. Together, the two organizations are building a fund that will help sustain special programs and projects across Polk County parks and wildlife areas. All contributions to this endowment fund are responsibly invested to provide a predictable, lasting funding source. Interest from these investments is then used each year to fund a variety of efforts including increasing programming and facility access for low-income Iowans, assisting school districts with park field trip costs, equipment updates, and wildlife habitat improvement. 

DONATE TO THE POLK COUNTY CONSERVATION ENDOWMENT

Commemorative & Memorial Gifts

Commemorative and memorial gifts offer a unique way to honor a special person, event, milestone, or may be given in remembrance of a loved one that has passed. You can sustain and enhance county parks today for present and future generations through a variety of park stewardship gifts.

Tributes

Leave a lasting tribute in your favorite park or trail in accordance with the values shared by the person you wish to celebrate. Tribute gifts will be placed in select locations agreed upon by the donor and Polk County Conservation staff. They will also be recognized with a personalized plaque.

  • Bike Racks
  • Taxidermy Mounts
  • Trees
  • Feed Songbirds for a Year
  • Park Bench or Park Bench Swing
  • Kayak or Canoe
  • Drinking Fountain
  • Scenic Bridges
  • Rain Gardens
  • Wildlife Viewing Platform
  • Bird Blind
  • Wood or Steel Shade Structures
  • Playground
  • Land Protection
  • Endowment Funds

Scholarships

Provide a child with an outdoor experience that they will remember for a lifetime! Camps offer children a fun and relaxed way to help foster an interest or hone a skill that can be enjoyed for many years to come. Horseback riding, canoeing, golfing, archery, geocaching, and fishing are just a few of the fun outdoor skills that a camp can bring to a child’s life. Be part of the effort to set the stage for the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts!

  • Youth Camps
  • Support Local Field Trips through Scholarships

Donations

Contributions of any amount can enrich people’s experiences in the great outdoors. You can help provide park visitors and program attendees with the best environment possible to build upon these outdoor experiences, learn more about their natural world, and cultivate advocacy for the land upon which we work, play, and live.

  • Bird Houses
  • Insect Nets
  • Sponsor an Artist
  • Feed an Educational Animal
  • Aquatic Nets
  • Snowshoes
  • Cross-Country Ski Gear

Current Giving Opportunities

More Information

Gift Certificates

Purchase a gift certificate for any dollar amount to be used for any Polk County Conservation facility (shelters, campsites, cabins) or events that we offer through the reservations system MyCountyParks.com, services at the Outdoor Recreation and Wellness Center like equipment rentals, services at the Jester Park Equestrian Center like sleigh rides, trail rides, and more; and services at the Jester Park Golf Course for gift certificates for a round of golf or more. 

  • Polk County Conservation Facility (shelters, cabins, camping) or Program & Events Gift Certificates
    Once you have decided the dollar amount you can mail a check with instructions on what you would like to Polk County Conservation (12130 NW 128th Street | Granger, Iowa 50109), or call our office at 515-323-5300 with a credit card. We can then mail a paper gift certificate with booking instructions or we can send it out as an attached pdf via email, whichever you prefer.

    Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm.

    • Camping Info: If you prefer to use the first come, first served sites, please select the camping voucher package. To purchase a voucher package, please call our office and we will be happy to mail the vouchers to you. If you pay for 6 nights then the 7th night is free.

    • Current rates are $25 a night for an electric site. A voucher package is $150 for 7 nights of camping ($175 value). Each voucher is valid for one night of camping and can be used individually at any first come, first served site in a Polk County Conservation campsite by placing one voucher for each night camping in the payment envelope provided at the park fee station.
  • Jester Park Outdoor Recreation & Wellness Center
    For information on gift certificates for programming, outdoor equipment rentals like snowshoes, kayaks, and other offers, visit them online or call them at (515)-323-5330.

  • Jester Park Equestrian Center
    For gift certificates for trail rides, sleigh rides, and more, visit them online or call them at (515) 999-2818.

  • Jester Park Golf Course
    For golf gift certificates, visit them online here or call them at (515) 999-2903. The golf course is open when the temperatures are above freezing and when there is no snow on the ground.