MACON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

What MACON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT does

Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is a government subdivision of the State of Illinois, established under Illinois state law to deliver soil and water conservation programs to private landowners, farmers, and municipalities within Macon County and adjacent service areas (DeWitt and Piatt counties via the embedded NRCS District Conservationist). The district's core offerings revolve around a 75% cost-share assistance program (administered through the state Partners For Conservation program), free technical assistance covering terraces, grade control structures, sediment basins, cover crops, and constructed wetlands, and delivery of federal NRCS programs including EQIP, CRP, CSP, and Conservation Technical Assistance. Watershed-specific initiatives target Lake Decatur (925 square miles, drinking water source for 80,000+ residents) and Friends Creek.

Operationally, the district is staffed by six individuals (a Resource Conservationist, an Administrative Coordinator, and a five-member Board of Directors plus one Associate Member) and is co-located at the Macon County USDA Service Center in Decatur, Illinois. Revenue mechanics are predominantly grant- and appropriation-based (federal NRCS pass-through, state PFC cost-share funding) rather than commercial; small commercial streams include no-till drill rental at $100 per day, seasonal tree and fish sales, and $20 annual Lady Landowners membership dues that fund an agriculture scholarship at Richland Community College. Distribution is direct (office visits, phone, email, community events), with no reseller or third-party channel structure.

Strategically, the district functions as the local coordinating node for conservation funding in Macon County, sitting at the intersection of federal (NRCS, RCPP), state (PFC, Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy / S.T.A.R.), municipal (City of Decatur, Villages of Forsyth and Mt. Zion via the MS4 Working Group), and NGO (Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever) partners. It does not operate proprietary technology and does not pursue AI, data, or software-based service models; delivery is person-mediated and program-driven.

Name

MACON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Legal name

Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District

Website

https://maconcountyswcd.net

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District is an Illinois government subdivision that delivers soil and water conservation programs, technical assistance, and 75% cost-share funding to private landowners, farmers, and municipalities across Macon County and the Lake Decatur watershed.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation District Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ), Wetlands & Waters of the U.S. Delineation / Riparian Assessments (EUAHAHAC), Biodiversity Conservation & Habitat Banking (AFAMAMAC)

Keywords

• Soil and water conservation
• Conservation cost-share programs
• Watershed protection services
• Agricultural technical assistance
• Erosion control programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. NRCS Conservation Programs: Delivers USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service programs including CSP (Conservation Stewardship Program), EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program), and technical assistance through the Conservation Technical Assistance Program.
2. Partners For Conservation (PFC) Cost-Share: State-funded cost-share program providing 75% reimbursement to landowners for implementing conservation practices such as waterways, terraces, cover crops, and erosion control structures.
3. District Membership Dues: Macon County Lady Landowners annual dues of $20 used to fund agriculture scholarships at Richland Community College.
4. Equipment and Product Sales: Revenue from renting equipment (no-till drill at $100/day) and sales of trees and fish to landowners for conservation and agricultural purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District provides conservation programs and technical assistance to private landowners, farmers, and municipalities in Macon County, Illinois. Its core offerings include a 75% cost-share assistance program, federal NRCS conservation program delivery (EQIP, CSP, CRP), free technical assistance for conservation practices (terraces, cover crops, sediment basins, waterways), equipment rental (no-till drill), seasonal tree and fish sales, native seed sales through Pheasants Forever, and watershed protection initiatives for Lake Decatur and Friends Creek.

Product overview

Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District operates as a government conservation agency offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include technical and financial assistance for conservation practices through programs such as the 75% Cost Share Assistance Program, Partners for Conservation (PFC), and various federal programs (EQIP, CRP, CSP). These are complemented by equipment and material services including Drill Rental, Tree Sale, Fish Sale, and a Native Seed Program (in partnership with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever). The District also provides watershed-specific initiatives for Lake Decatur and Friends Creek, MS4 stormwater management cooperation, and the S.T.A.R. conservation recognition program. All services are unified under the mission to prevent soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat on private lands in Macon County, Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Macon Co Lady Landowners: Women's agricultural organization organized in 1984 through the Soil & Water Conservation District to provide education and fellowship for women interested in agriculture.

Products and services

• Cost Share Assistance Program A 75% cost-share program that assists landowners with implementing conservation practices on their agricultural operations.
• Technical Assistance Free technical assistance services covering terraces, grade control structures, sediment basins, cover crops, and constructed wetlands to help landowners address erosion and water quality issues.
• Drill Rental Rental of a 10ft Great Plains No-till Drill for $100/day with a $100 refundable deposit, available to landowners for conservation seeding.
• Tree Sale Seasonal tree sale program offering Spring and Fall tree orders to support conservation plantings on private lands.
• Fish Sale Seasonal fish sale program offering Spring and Fall orders for pond stocking and aquatic conservation.
• Native Seed Program Partnership program with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever providing high-quality native seed for pollinator and conservation projects of all sizes, meeting USDA standards.
• MS4 Stormwater Management Cooperation with MS4 communities (City of Decatur, Village of Forsyth, Village of Mt. Zion) through the MS4 Working Group to plan and implement educational events and inspect erosion and sediment controls at construction sites.
• Conservation Incentive Programs (EQIP, CRP, CSP, PFC, RCPP) Various federal and state cost-share and conservation programs including Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Partners for Conservation Cost-Share (PFC), and Lake Decatur Watershed RCPP.
• S.T.A.R. (Sustainable Technology in Agricultural Resources) Illinois conservation recognition program that inspires and rewards agricultural producers for transitioning to practices aligned with the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy.
• Lake Decatur Watershed Program Watershed protection initiative working with landowners to ensure clean water enters Lake Decatur, which serves as the main drinking water source for over 80,000 residents.
• Friends Creek Watershed Program Watershed conservation program focused on protecting and improving water quality in the Friends Creek watershed area.
• Macon County Lady Landowners Program Agricultural education and fellowship organization for women interested in agriculture, founded in 1984, offering meetings, tours, and an annual scholarship funded by $20 annual dues to Richland Community College.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24% of farms practice no-till farming
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pheasants Forever and Quail ForevercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to provide landowners with high-quality native seed for conservation projects of all sizes. All mixes meet USDA standards and specifications. Staff assists with seed mix selection. Covers backyard pollinators to large-scale conservation efforts.
• Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRCS Macon County Field Office with District Conservationist Dylan Knisley serving DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt counties. Delivers Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA).
• City of DecaturcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMS4 community partner maintaining stormwater permit with Illinois. WCD participates in MS4 Working Group and inspects erosion/sediment controls at construction sites.
• Village of ForsythminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMS4 community partner maintaining stormwater permit with Illinois.
• Village of Mt. ZionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMS4 community partner maintaining stormwater permit with Illinois. Also benefits from Lake Decatur watershed protection.
• Partners For Conservation (PFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState conservation funding program used to construct waterways, install block chutes, construct terraces, plant cover crops, and implement various conservation projects. District provides cost-share assistance to landowners.
• Lake Decatur Watershed RCPPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Conservation Partnership Program targeting the Lake Decatur watershed to protect drinking water source for 80,000+ residents.
• MS4 Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-municipality working group planning and implementing educational events for stormwater management and water quality.
• Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy / S.T.A.R.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIllinois STAR program recognizes and rewards agricultural producers transitioning to conservation practices aligned with Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy goals.
• Richland Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgriculture scholarship funded through Lady Landowners annual dues of $20 per member.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Trout Unlimited: National coldwater fisheries and watershed conservation nonprofit working with private landowners on stream-side restoration, riparian buffers, and water quality — adjacent subject matter to the SWCD's watershed work, particularly relevant to the Friends Creek Watershed program.

Direct peers

• Pheasants Forever: National habitat conservation nonprofit that is an explicit strategic partner of the SWCD, co-delivering native seed programs, pollinator habitat, and upland conservation across the same landowner base in Macon County. Comparable as a conservation delivery organization operating in the same geography and customer segment.
• Quail Forever: Affiliate of Pheasants Forever and named co-partner of the SWCD's native seed program. Delivers comparable upland habitat and native seed services to landowners in the same regional footprint and is operationally intertwined with the district.
• DeWitt County Soil and Water Conservation District: Another neighboring Illinois SWCD sharing the same NRCS District Conservationist and statutory mandate. Directly comparable in mission, programs, funding mix, and customer base (private landowners and farmers in central Illinois).
• Piatt County Soil and Water Conservation District: Neighboring Illinois SWCD covered by the same NRCS District Conservationist and delivering nearly identical cost-share, technical assistance, and watershed programs to a comparable central Illinois agricultural base. The closest operational peer.
• Ducks Unlimited: Major wetland and waterfowl habitat conservation organization that works with private landowners on similar cost-share, easement, and habitat restoration programs in the U.S. Midwest. Operates in overlapping subject matter (wetlands, watershed health) and target customer (private landowners and farmers).

Broad incumbents

• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on protecting farmland and advancing regenerative and conservation practices on working lands. Comparable mission overlap with the SWCD's cover crop, no-till, and watershed work, but operates nationally through grants and policy rather than as a county-level delivery agent.
• Illinois Department of Natural Resources: State-level agency administering conservation, wildlife, and natural resource programs that intersect with the SWCD's watershed, habitat, and wildlife work. Comparable as a larger public-sector conservation administrator that funds and partners with SWCDs.
• The Nature Conservancy: Large national conservation organization operating across land acquisition, easement, watershed protection, and policy advocacy. Overlaps with the SWCD's mission on water quality, habitat, and working lands conservation, but at much larger scale and with private funding rather than statutory local-delivery role.

Others

• National Association of Conservation Districts: Umbrella association representing the nation's 3,000+ Soil and Water Conservation Districts, including Macon County SWCD. Comparable as the industry body governing SWCD operations, federal advocacy, and program standards; not a direct competitor but a directly comparable structural peer for benchmarking.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/macon-county-soil-and-water-conservation-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MACON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT