Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)

What Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) does

Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is a statutory subdivision of the State of Indiana, operating under Indiana District Law (IC 13-3-1) and headquartered at 2720 Dupont Commerce Court, Suite 101, Fort Wayne, Indiana. The district's mission is to promote the wise use of soil, water, and related natural resources across Allen County and a broader Northeast Indiana service region spanning eight counties (Adams, Allen, Dekalb, Elkhart, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, and Wells) and portions of the Western Lake Erie Basin. It serves rural farmers and landowners, small-acreage and urban farmers, community gardens, K-12 schools, and underserved urban neighborhoods through free technical assistance, soil testing, equipment loans, workshops, and educational programming.

The district's core programmatic portfolio centers on the Smart Soils Initiative (precision conservation using drones, multispectral imaging, and soil moisture sensors), the multi-county On-Farm Demo Project (six-county demonstration farms under a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant), Flourish Fort Wayne and the Bloomingdale Gardens Project (urban agriculture and food access), five watershed management plans including the EPA-approved Cedar Creek WMP, a monthly "Coffee and" webinar series, and an annual Soil Health Field Day. The organization is governed by an elected/appointed Board of Supervisors and managed by District Director Dr. Julie Davis Good, with a staff of approximately thirteen including six Watershed Project Managers.

The business model is public-sector and non-commercial: all services are delivered free of charge to constituents, with operating funding sourced from state allocations, federal Farm Bill conservation programs administered through NRCS (EQIP, CSP), GLRI grants, IDEM Water Quality Planning grants, Indiana State Department of Agriculture watershed planning grants, and partnerships with USGS, Purdue Extension, Farm Bureau, and a network of local watershed alliances. The district monetizes nothing directly; its "revenue" is grant and appropriation funding earmarked for conservation implementation, education, and technical assistance within its statutory mandate.

Name

Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)

Legal name

Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District

Website

https://allenswcd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Allen County SWCD is an Indiana government subdivision providing free soil and water conservation technical assistance, education, and grant-funded programming to farmers, landowners, and community gardeners across eight Northeast Indiana counties and the Western Lake Erie Basin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration (BPAIABAL)

Keywords

• Soil conservation services
• Watershed management planning
• Agricultural technical assistance
• Urban agriculture programs
• Conservation education training

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Wayne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a subdivision of state government, the SWCD is funded through state allocations, federal programs (especially Farm Bill conservation programs administered through NRCS), and grants from agencies such as Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Revenue supports conservation implementation, education, and technical assistance.
2. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI): Funding specifically for Western Lake Erie Basin conservation efforts including the On-Farm Demo Project covering six counties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Allen County SWCD is a government subdivision of the State of Indiana that provides free soil and water conservation services to farmers, landowners, and community members. Its core offerings include technical assistance for conservation planning, free soil testing, equipment trailer loans, watershed management planning, demonstration farms showcasing conservation practices, urban agriculture support, and educational workshops and webinars. Services are funded by state allocations, federal Farm Bill programs through NRCS, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and grants from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

Product overview

Allen County SWCD offers a portfolio of conservation-focused programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings center on the Smart Soils Initiative, which uses drone technology and soil moisture sensors for precision conservation; the On-Farm Demo Project for multi-county demonstration farms; and urban agriculture programs including Flourish Fort Wayne and the Bloomingdale Gardens demonstration site. Supporting services include free soil testing, watershed management planning, the 'Coffee and' webinar series, and annual Soil Health Field Days. The organization operates as a government conservation district providing technical and educational services to farmers and community members, not as a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smart Soils Initiative A technology-driven conservation program utilizing digital tools, advanced drones, and soil moisture sensors to provide technical assistance to farmers testing conservation practices such as no-till and cover crops on their farms.
• Small Farms Technical Assistance A new agreement (Fall 2025) with NRCS providing conservation technical assistance for smaller land usages, focused on soil health in orchards, vineyards, market gardens, high-tunnels, and pollinator plots.
• Flourish Fort Wayne Urban garden renewal program offering hands-on workshops and resources to support healthy, productive gardens for Fort Wayne residents, providing tools, soil testing, equipment bundles, and compost delivery.
• Bloomingdale Gardens Project Urban demonstration farm introducing soil health practices including cover crops, crop rotation, no-till, mulching, and other conservation practices, featuring both annual and perennial crops with plans for high tunnel and straw bale plantings.
• Free Soil Testing Free soil testing offered through NRCS and District funds for land in Allen County, with additional grant-supported testing available for lands in Upper Wabash or Eel River watersheds starting January 2026.
• Water Quality Programs and Projects Watershed management programs including Cedar Creek WMP, Auglaize-Flatrock WMP, Maumee River WMP, St. Marys River WMP, and Lower St. Joseph River WMP, focused on improving regional water quality through planning and implementation.
• On-Farm Demo Project Multi-county agreement across Allen, Adams, Dekalb, Noble, Steuben, and Wells counties establishing demonstration farms showcasing conservation practices such as cover crop planting and no/reduced till, funded by Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).
• Healthy Soils Collaborative Locally-driven urban soil health projects supported by Indiana Association of SWCDs' Urban Soil Health (USH) initiative. Currently on hold pending Federal Government funding.
• Coffee and Webinars Monthly educational webinar series covering topics including soil testing, high tunnels, invasive species management, cover crops, integrated pest management, and urban soil health.
• Soil Health Field Day Annual field day event featuring soil health education, expert speakers, and farm tours. The 2026 event features Dr. Thomas Dykstra and Rob Sharkey focusing on living roots and healthy soil.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 farmers and landowners reached at annual Soil Health Field Day
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary federal partner providing technical and financial assistance for conservation programs. SWCD works with NRCS to implement Farm Bill conservation programs, provide soil testing through NRCS funding, and administer the Urban and Small Farms grant program. Partnership enables access to EQIP, CSP, and other federal conservation programs for landowners.
• Purdue ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on educational programming, soil testing interpretation, and youth agriculture education. Joint workshops and events on soil health, pest management, and agricultural topics.
• Maumee Watershed AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal watershed organization collaborating on water quality education and river management. Co-hosts pontoon tours of Fort Wayne rivers and watershed events.
• Allen County Partnership for Water Quality (ACPWQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning collaborative education and outreach effort concerning water quality. Addresses EPA NPDES permits and MS4 communities through education, outreach, public participation, and good housekeeping measures.
• Indiana State Department of AgriculturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed planning grant provider for Auglaize-Flatrock Watershed Management Plan development.
• Indiana Department of Environmental ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater Quality Planning Grant provider for watershed management planning. Collaborates on Maumee River Watershed Management Plan revision.
• United States Geological Survey (USGS)coreTechnology or IntegrationGLRI-USGS Edge of Field Project partnership collecting water samples for five years to measure nutrients, sediment, and other critical elements. USGS provides all installation costs for monitoring equipment on cooperating landowner properties.
• Little River Wetlands ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed organization connecting local communities to conservation efforts.
• St Joe Watershed InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed organization managing Water Quality Information Service (WQIS) for St. Joseph, St. Marys, Auglaize, and Upper Maumee River watersheds.
• Friends of Cedar CreekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal watershed organization focused on Cedar Creek watershed conservation.
• Farm Service AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner in agricultural conservation programs.
• Indiana DNRmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState natural resources agency involved in watershed planning and conservation.
• Fort Wayne Parks DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in river education and pontoon tour programs.
• Bloomingdale Neighborhood AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban garden development partnership at Bloomingdale Gardens, including school partnerships with Bloomingdale Elementary School.
• Plentiful Earth FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit dedicated to cultivating communities of abundance with access to sustainable local food. Original purchaser and developer of Bloomingdale Gardens property.
• Indiana Farm BureaumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgriculture in the Classroom program partner bringing agricultural education to schools statewide.
• Environmental Resources Center at IPFWmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne center maintaining Water Quality Information Service database.
• Tetra TechmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm hired for Auglaize-Flatrock Watershed Management Plan development, specifically Bruce Cleland for water quality data analysis and assessment.
• Maumee River Basin CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional basin commission providing expertise on flooding and watershed analysis for Auglaize-Flatrock planning.
• Indiana Association of SWCDscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState association supporting Urban Soil Health (USH) initiatives and the Healthy Soils Collaborative.
• Upper Maumee Watershed PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional watershed organization for Upper Maumee River Basin.
• Save Maumee Grassroots OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal grassroots organization focused on Maumee River conservation.
• Friend of the RiversminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization promoting river conservation and education.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Federal agency within USDA that administers Farm Bill conservation programs (EQIP, CSP) and partners directly with SWCDs. Shares the core soil and water conservation mandate at a national scale with overlapping technical assistance functions.
• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on farmland preservation and sustainable agriculture. Shares the SWCD's mission of supporting working lands and conservation practices, operating at national scale through private funding.
• Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC): National nonprofit promoting conservation tillage and soil health practices. Closely aligned with the SWCD's Smart Soils Initiative focus on cover crops, no-till, and on-farm conservation demonstrations.
• Indiana State Department of Agriculture: State agriculture department that administers the State Soil Conservation Board coordinating Indiana's SWCDs. Provides watershed planning grants and oversees the statutory framework under which Allen County SWCD operates.
• Indiana Department of Environmental Management: State environmental regulatory agency providing Water Quality Planning Grants that fund Allen County SWCD's watershed management plans. Operates at a broader state scale with regulatory authority the SWCD lacks.
• The Nature Conservancy (Indiana): Global conservation nonprofit with active Indiana chapter pursuing land and water protection goals overlapping with SWCD mission. Operates via land acquisition and private funding rather than statutory authority.
• Soil Health Institute: National nonprofit focused on soil health research, measurement, and adoption. Operates a parallel soil-health agenda to Allen County SWCD's Smart Soils Initiative and Soil Health Field Day at a national scale.

Direct peers

• Maumee Watershed Alliance: Regional watershed organization co-hosting pontoon tours and watershed events with Allen County SWCD. Directly comparable in mission (Maumee River water quality) and geographic scope within the Western Lake Erie Basin.
• Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts: State-level association representing all 92 Indiana SWCDs, including Allen County. Provides Urban Soil Health initiative support, training, and legislative advocacy, making it the most structurally comparable peer.

Others

• National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD): National trade association representing the 3,000+ conservation districts across the United States. Provides policy advocacy, training, and grants that flow down to member SWCDs including Allen County.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSUrYS4Tk6T-OMMFYq41LVg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/allen-county-soil-and-water

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)