Environmental Grants & Scholarships

PURPOSE: The Lloyd Gayer scholarship will be presented to high school seniors residing and attending school in Sioux County.  Iowa High School Class of 2026 Students pursuing programs of study in any field of conservation or agriculture qualify for the scholarship. While this is a wide field and many studies qualify, preference will be given to students pursing programs of study in conservation. The scholarship must be used for the student’s first year of college education.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Scholarship applications are judged based on the following criteria: 20 points for Involvement, Leadership, and Character; 20 points for Career; 30 points for Scholastic Achievement; and 30 points for Conservation Message.

AMOUNTS: The Commissioners will award up to 3 Lloyd Gayer scholarships at the county level to quality applications only. County level awards are $1,000 for 1st place, $750 for 2nd place, and $500 for 3rd place. These awards are paid directly to the student. The first place application will be sent to regional level CDI competition.

CDI is partnering with local soil and water conservation districts to foster the higher education endeavors of Iowa students interested in conservation and agriculture by offering scholarships. Three scholarships will be awarded at the state level in the amounts of $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000. Regional winners from the other six regions who do not receive the state awards will each receive $500. The state scholarship awards will be paid directly to the applicants’ school of choice in two equal installments, one upon enrollment at the beginning of the year and the second at mid-term. The six other regional scholarships will be paid directly to the students.

REQUIREMENTS: Follow the instructions on the Conservation Districts of Iowa Conservation Scholarship Application Class of 2025 form. The applicant must answer the 9 questions on a separate page. Do not allow your answers to exceed four, single-sided, single-spaced pages with a minimum of a 12 point Times New Roman font with 1″ margins. Applicants must have a school official attach to this application your official transcript which must include your school attendance record, GPA, and current class ranking. Applicants are asked to attach their ACT or SAT scores. One letter of recommendation from the school or an employer is required.  Please do not submit more than one letter.

Applications must be submitted to the Sioux County SWCD Office by 4:30 P.M. Friday, February 6, 2026. No applications will be considered if submitted after the deadline. The mailing address is Sioux County SWCD, 716 8th St. SE, Orange City, Iowa 51041, Phone 712-737-2253, Ext. 3.

PRESENTATION OF COUNTY AWARDS: The District will present the county awards to the scholarship award winners at a date and time to be determined with publicity in the local newspaper and annual report.