District Resources
Resources are provided below to help support the efforts of Indiana’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts in addressing local resource concerns.
The District Operations Manual, housed on the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) website, is a living document and will change accordingly based on revisions to the State law.
Welcome to Indiana’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts! The Association of Indiana SWCDs is here to help. If you have a specific question, please email an IASWCD staff member.
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) hosts several helpful resources and guides. You can also contact your District Support Specialist.
Popular IASWCD Resources:
- Annual Conference
- Conservation INsight – IASWCD newsletter
- Statewide Trainings and Events – Find trainings, workshops, conferences, events and more
- Google Apps for Districts
An “Apps” account comes with useful tools like Google Calendar, Drive, Sites, etc. Email Amy Work (amy-work@iaswcd.org) to request one of these free accounts. - IASWCD Annual Statewide Conservation Awards
- Indiana District Employee Association (IDEA) Region Directors
- Commonly-Used Acronyms
Marketing is an essential part of a District’s sustainability plan. Use marketing tools and skills to raise your profile locally, recruit new supervisors, attract funding opportunities, and more!
If people don’t know you exist, then how can you achieve your goals?
The best tools for attracting funding opportunities are ones that share your District’s successes and show how you leveraged your resources to enhance conservation in your area. The ICP Reports are by far the best tool to use for this purpose.
Social Media
You don’t have to be “good” at social media to use these increasingly important tools – you just have to “show up!” Making a couple posts regularly doesn’t take any time. Below are some ideas for ways to leverage social media:
- Did a business sponsor one of your events? Thank them on Facebook or Twitter!
- Are you partnering with another organization on a project? Mention them!
- Journalists love social media – reach out to local newspapers, radio, and TV stations through social media.
- Take some video at a field day, post it on YouTube, and share it in your newsletter and on other social media!
- Connect with your legislators and thank them for their support!
- Follow IASWCD on Facebook. Share those posts from your SWCD account.
News Releases
Do you have an exciting event coming up? Did you just start or complete a major project? Do you want to recognize the contributions of a valuable Supervisor or local farmer / landowner / partner? Write a news release! (Then share it on social media, of course!)
- News releases should always include the 5 W’s:
- Who, What, When, Where, Why (and sometimes How)
- Send the news release to print publications, online publications, radio and TV stations, and if it’s a large project consider sending it to nearby counties or state-level news organizations
- Post it on social media, too!
Print Materials for Districts:
Standard District Brochure: PDF, please add your own District’s label. Note: if you need assistance with placing your District’s specific logo on this brochure, please contact Amy Work at amy-work@iaswcd.org.
Hamilton County SWCD has written and designed a booklet entitled “Creating and Maintaining a Prairie: A Guide for Native Plantings in your Indiana Yard of any Size.” This publication was written with the intention of sharing it with other SWCDs who could adapt it for their use and save time and money in development of a quality print and online publication. If you are interested in receiving a copy of the digital files review their guide and fill out the request form.
The Farmer Field Day Toolkit
SARE Outreach
This Farmer Field Day Toolkit includes tips and tools to help you plan a successful event, including a suggested timeline, how to work with the media and create press releases, tips for making videos, and downloadable templates covering announcements, fliers and signage.
Tips for Building an Effective Outreach Education Campaign
Purdue Extension
Legislative Outreach
IASWCD resources for Districts on developing and maintaining productive relationships with legislators, locally and at the statehouse.
A Conservation Professional’s Guide to Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Conservation Delivery with Historically Underserved Producers and Communities
Soil and Water Conservation Society
This guidebook seeks to be a living resource aimed at integrating DEI principles into conservation efforts amidst the challenges posed by climate change. It serves as a crucial tool for USDA NRCS field office staff and partners and offers actionable guidance tailored to each phase of the nine-step conservation planning process, with a particular emphasis on addressing the specific needs of historically underserved producers and communities.
Envirothon
Envirothon is a competitive learning event for high school-aged students that tests the students’ knowledge of resources including soils, forestry, wildlife and current environmental issues. The goal is to raise awareness of the importance of achieving and maintaining a natural balance between the quality of life and of the environment.
NACD Poster Contest
The NACD Poster Contest provides students from kindergarten through 12th grade a chance to have their art displayed nationally. Winning posters reflect the annual NACD Stewardship theme and highlight the work of conservation districts and their associations in protecting and enhancing natural resources. The contest starts locally, advances to state levels, then national. National winners receive recognition at NACD’s annual meeting. Locally this contest is sponsored by the Indiana District Employee Association and local SWCD’s.
Soil and Water Conservation Districts collaborate with partners across various agencies and counties. Utilizing these contact lists can assist you in locating the individuals or resources you need.
Supervisor Resources
The official governing body of a district consists of five supervisors. Three supervisors are elected each year at the SWCD annual meeting. Two are appointed by the State Soil Conservation Board based upon recommendations of the current supervisors in the district. Resources provided below are to help support the efforts of District Supervisors.
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture hosts several resources regarding supervisor recruitment, as well as information on supervisor training. Popular resources are below.
Supervisor Recruitment Tools
Application for SWCD Supervisor (Sample)
Measures of Excellence
District Operations Manual
State Board of Accounts Guidance for SWCDs
Additional Tools and Resources can be found on the Indiana State Dept of Agriculture (ISDA) website