Google is granting $1.7 million to the Great Outdoors Foundation to support water conservation efforts in Iowa, part of a larger $17 million commitment the tech company is making to water stewardship projects across seven states.
The grant, drawn from Google’s Conservation Acceleration Fund, will benefit the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship’s Conservation Working Lands Project over five years. The funding will help western Iowa farmers convert 5,000 acres of agricultural land into perennial hay and pasture systems, a land use change intended to reduce fertilizer application and limit the runoff of sediment and nutrients into nearby waterways.
The investment brings Google’s total funding of Iowa water stewardship initiatives to more than $5.5 million since 2024. Previous grants supported irrigation efficiency improvements and the construction of grade stabilization structures designed to capture runoff and manage flood control. Together, those projects are estimated to replenish more than 1.2 billion gallons of water in 2026, according to the foundation. Google said the funded projects also provide secondary benefits including wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration and biodiversity gains.
The announcement comes as Google continues to expand its physical footprint in Iowa. The company is constructing a new data center campus in southwest Cedar Rapids, adding to its long-standing Iowa presence that dates to 2007, when it broke ground on a Council Bluffs facility. Google said it has invested more than $20 billion in the state since then.
Data centers are significant consumers of water, which is used to cool servers and other computing equipment. Google has set a company-wide goal of replenishing more freshwater than it consumes, on average, across its offices and data centers by 2030.
“Addressing water quality in Iowa requires a diverse coalition of public and private partners, maximizing the investment in our natural resources and benefits for people and planet,” Great Outdoors Foundation CEO Hannah Inman said. “We are thrilled to connect Google’s generous support with the dynamic, high-impact work of the Conservation Working Lands Project.”
Ben Townsend, Google’s global head of infrastructure strategy and sustainability, said the company views water stewardship as both an opportunity and a responsibility tied to its data center growth.
“Water is a vital resource, playing a crucial role in transportation, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and, most importantly, healthy ecosystems and communities,” Townsend said. “As data centers evolve to support our growing digital world, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to protect community water resources while investing in watersheds and public water infrastructure to ensure we all have a bright water future.”
The Great Outdoors Foundation describes itself as a fundraising and conservation organization that has deployed more than $250 million for environmental and outdoor recreation initiatives in recent years.
