Fundraising
It is estimated that the cost of the new center will be at least $1.5-$1.6 million. The WCCB has already voted to commit $225,000 of non-tax dollars to the project. The rest is being raised through grants and private donations. We do not anticipate using any tax dollars for the construction of the center.
The following donor recognition levels have been established... 
- Chickadee Level: < $250
- Bluebird Level: $250-$499
- Goldfinch Level: $500-$999
- Cardinal Level: $1,000-$2,499
- Sandhill Crane Level: $2,500-$4,999
- Trumpeter Swan Level: $5,000-$9,999
- Bald Eagle Level: $10,000 and higher.
All donations under $250 will be recognized in "The Prairie Country Quarterly," our quarterly newsletter. Donations above that amount will be recognized at the center itself. A variety of naming opportunities will also be available for larger donations.
Fundraising is continuing! We hope to accept a construction bid sometime in 2021. And, if all goes as expected, we hope to be holding our Grand Opening in 2022!
Capital Campaign Donors--Thank You!
Please check out the following list of business donations and grants we have received!
We will continue to update this list as donations come in.
The Winnebago County Conservation Board
and the Friends of Winnebago County Conservation Foundation
would like to extend our extreme gratitude to
the John K. and Luise V. Hanson Family Foundation
for their very generous $400,000 grant
for our new Environmental Education Center!
We truly appreciate their support of this project!
Accepting the $400,000 contribution is (from left to right):
Larry Vold (Friends Foundation)
Tim Ranes (Friends Foundation)
Robert Schwartz (WCCB Director)
Tim Missal (Friends Foundation/WCCB)
Dennis Busta (President/CEO of Manufacturer's Bank and Trust, Hanson Foundation Community Adviser)
Jeff Schmidt (WCCB)
and Paul Fitzgerald (Friends Foundation).
The John K. and Luise V. Hanson Family Foundation, $400,000 (see above)
Iowa Economic Development, $250,000
The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors, $145,000
3M, $27,000
The Kinney-Lindstrom Foundation, $25,000
Winnebago Industries Foundation, $25,000
Winnebago County Community Foundation, $20,500
The Worth County Development Authority, $13,405.77
The John K. and Luise V. Hanson Family Foundation, $10,000 (in Honor of David L. Kingland)
Titonka Savings Bank, $10,000
Manufacturers Bank and Trust, $10,000
Asmus Farm Supply, Inc., $10,000
EDF Renewables, $10,000
(Seen in right the photo with the award is Brad Huntington, Doug Ostermann, and Tim Missal)
The Farrer Endowment Foundation, $10,000
Thompson Family Foundation, $10,000
The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, Anonymous Fund, $7,000
ITC Midwest, $5,000
(Seen in the left photo is Dan Hagan and Lori Broghammer from ITC Midwest presenting the check to Tim Missal and Robert Schwartz)
Alliant Energy, $5,000
DuPont Pioneer, $3,000
Forest City Community School District, $2,500
The Lake Mills Community School District, $2,500
The North Iowa Community School District, $2,500
The City of Forest City, $2,000
Pheasants Forever, $1,035
Larson Farms and Trucking, $1,000
Heartland Power Cooperative, $1,000
Norsemen Outdoors, $1,000
Winnebago Industries Foundation Community GO Award, $1,000
State Savings Bank of Rake, $1,000
Farmer's Trust and Savings Bank, $1,000
3M Foundation (Employee Matches), $533.64
Thompson Lions Club, $500
The City of Buffalo Center, $500
K1 Excavating, $500
Christensen Farms, $500
Kingland Construction, $250
The Branding Iron Restaurant, $250
Rice Lake Izaac Walton League, $250
Mittelstadt Funeral Home, $250
The City of Rake, $250
Dave's Auto Service, $250
D.K. Arndt, PC, $250
Winter Dental, $250
Advanced Door Systems, $250
Holland Contracting, $250
Country Gardener's Club, $250
Winnebago County Soil and Water Conservation District, $250
Tri-County Ducks Unlimited, $250
Ag Performance, $250
Central Iowa Distributing, $150
AJ Embroidery, $100
