Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District

What Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District does

Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District (MCSWCD) is a local government conservation district and political subdivision of the State of Indiana, serving Marion County (Indianapolis and surrounding area). The organization's mission is to assist Marion County land users in conserving soil, water, and related natural resources by providing technical, financial, and educational services. MCSWCD is governed as a county-level entity under Indiana Code and is operationally embedded in a tiered conservation ecosystem that includes the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) at the national level, the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) at the state level, and USDA-NRCS and Purdue Extension as research and technical partners. Staff includes a District Manager, a Soil Health Specialist, multiple Urban Conservationists, and a Resource Conservationist, working from a headquarters office at 200 E. Washington St. in Indianapolis while also operating remotely and in the field.

MCSWCD's service portfolio spans three core verticals: soil health, construction stormwater compliance, and drainage/water management, supplemented by broader urban conservation guidance. The soil health vertical includes a Cover Crop Seed Program (cost-shared with Clean Water Indiana), a hands-on demonstration garden at Eagle Creek Trail/Mayor's Garden, and digital planning tools — the Indiana Cover Crop Tool, Indiana Mulching Tool, and Indiana Nutrient Management Tool — distributed as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets spreadsheets. The construction stormwater vertical is the district's most differentiated commercial-adjacent service: MCSWCD is the authorized local entity for Construction Stormwater General Permit (CSGP) inspections and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) reviews in Marion County, providing technical assistance to contractors. The drainage vertical handles landowner referrals routed through Citizens Energy Group. Additional programming includes educational workshops, rain garden builds (in partnership with ROW and Kheprw Institute), septic system maintenance education (with the Marion County Health Department), and native habitat restoration (e.g., 100 native trees planted with Mud Creek Conservancy District at Sargent Road Nature Park). In 2026, the district is launching a Cover Crop Seed Library partnership with the Indianapolis Public Library, distributing free cover crop seed packets (buckwheat, oats, crimson clover, cereal rye) through library branches.

The business model is primarily non-commercial. The district operates on a base appropriation from Marion County and the City of Indianapolis, supplemented by grant funding (Clean Water Indiana, North Central SARE, USDA-NRCS, NACD Urban Agriculture Grants) and private donations. Services are predominantly free to the public, including technical assistance, educational workshops, soil health resources, the cover crop seed program, and demonstration garden access; a small number of workshops carry nominal fees ($5), and the Cover Crop Cost Share program provides partial funding assistance. The go-to-market motion is community-led: direct technical assistance to landowners and contractors, educational workshops and field days, and partnerships with libraries, nonprofits, and government agencies to expand reach. Customer segments include Marion County landowners, urban farmers and gardeners, construction contractors, HOAs and property managers, and educational institutions — none of which represent concentrated revenue exposure.

Name

Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District

Legal name

Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District

Website

https://marionswcd.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District (MCSWCD) is a local government conservation district serving Marion County, Indiana. It provides free technical, educational, and financial conservation services — including CSGP/SWPPP inspections, soil health programs, drainage assistance, and demonstration gardens — to landowners, urban farmers, contractors, HOAs, and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB), Detention, Retention & Storage Systems (Ponds, Tanks, Vaults) (EUANAEAD)

Keywords

• Soil conservation services
• Water resource management
• Urban agriculture support
• Stormwater compliance
• Conservation education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

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. Government Funding: Limited budget through Marion County and City of Indianapolis provides base operational funding.
2. Grant Funding: Grant funding from programs including Clean Water Indiana, North Central SARE, and USDA-NRCS supports conservation programs and technical assistance.
3. Private Donations: The district accepts private donations to further conservation efforts beyond government and grant funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District (MCSWCD) is a local government conservation district that provides technical, financial, and educational services to help Marion County, Indiana land users conserve soil, water, and related natural resources. Core offerings include soil health technical assistance, Construction Stormwater General Permit (CSGP) inspections and SWPPP reviews, drainage and water management consultation, urban conservation guidance, a cover crop seed cost-share program, and a demonstration garden for hands-on education.

Product overview

Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District offers a portfolio of conservation service programs focused on soil health, construction stormwater compliance, and urban conservation. The core offerings include the Soil Health Program (technical assistance, cover crop seed programs, and demonstration gardens), Construction Stormwater Services (CSGP inspections and SWPPP reviews), Drainage and Water Management assistance, and Urban Conservation guidance. Educational resources include workshops, demonstration gardens, and digital planning tools such as the Indiana Cover Crop Tool, Mulching Tool, and Nutrient Management Tool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Soil Health Program
• Construction Stormwater Services
• Drainage and Water Management
• Cover Crop Seed Program
• Demonstration Garden
• Urban Conservation Services
• Educational Workshops

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Indianapolis Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026Partnership with Indianapolis Public Library to provide cover crop seeds through IPL's Seed Libraries. The Cover Crop Seed Library provides free cover crop packets of four species (Buckwheat, Oats, Crimson Clover, and Cereal Rye) to library patrons starting Summer 2026. Volunteers assist with seed packing events at Central Library.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with USDA-NRCS for conservation practice technical standards, training, and programs adapted for small-scale and urban farms. NRCS provides technical guidance and some funding support for district programs.
• Citizens Energy GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partnership for drainage problems. Citizens Energy Group receives drainage concern calls and sends field investigators to determine responsibility for issues. They refer landowners to SWCD for technical assistance on private property concerns.
• National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational parent organization providing support, resources, and funding for conservation districts. NACD's Urban Agriculture Conservation Grants Program funded the permaculture template project. NACD also organizes the annual Stewardship Week celebration.
• Purdue University / Purdue ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Purdue Extension for educational resources, gardening bulletins, high tunnel handbooks, and collaborative workshops. Purdue Extension provides research-based information supporting district soil health and gardening programs.
• Williams Creek ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting partner for the NACD Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant-funded permaculture template project. Developed permaculture design templates for Indianapolis vacant lots in collaboration with MCSWCD.
• ROW (Reconnecting to Our Waterways)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for rain garden and rain barrel build workshops. ROW coordinates with MCSWCD staff to deliver backyard green infrastructure education as part of the In the Know with ROW event series.
• Kheprw InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for workshops for a cleaner waterway, providing knowledge and materials for rain barrel build workshops as part of The City League programs.
• Mud Creek Conservancy DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to plant 100 native trees at Sargent Road Nature Park property. Joint conservation effort for native habitat restoration.
• Marion County Health DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on septic system maintenance education. Health Department oversees septic system regulations while SWCD provides conservation-focused guidance. Jointly produced septic system maintenance booklet for county homeowners.
• Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level parent organization for Indiana SWCDs. MCSWCD staff emails use the iaswcd.org domain. IASWCD provides annual conference opportunities and state-level coordination.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on farmland conservation and soil health. Comparable in soil health mission and policy advocacy, with overlap through urban-edge agricultural conservation work.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Federal agency that provides technical standards and training leveraged by MCSWCD. Comparable in mission (soil/water conservation) but operates at federal scale across all U.S. counties.
• The Nature Conservancy (Indiana): Large national conservation nonprofit with Indiana chapter working on water quality, habitat, and land conservation. Comparable in soil/water conservation mission but operates at much larger scale and as a private nonprofit.
• National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD): National umbrella organization that funds and supports conservation districts including MCSWCD. Operates the Urban Agriculture Conservation Grants program that funds MCSWCD projects.
• Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Division of Soil Conservation: State-level parent agency that administers Clean Water Indiana grants and coordinates SWCD activities statewide. Operates broader policy and funding programs of which MCSWCD is a constituent recipient.

Regional players

• Indianapolis Department of Public Works - Stormwater Quality: Local government agency responsible for municipal stormwater management and MS4 compliance in Indianapolis. Comparable in stormwater regulatory role but focuses on public infrastructure rather than private-land conservation.

Direct peers

• Reconnecting to Our Waterways (ROW): Local Indianapolis partner organization co-delivering rain garden and rain barrel workshops with MCSWCD. Comparable mission in urban waterway education and green infrastructure community engagement.
• Keep Indianapolis Beautiful: Indianapolis-based nonprofit focused on urban environmental stewardship, tree planting, and green infrastructure education. Highly comparable local peer operating in the same geography and overlapping on urban conservation programming.
• Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District (Indiana): Adjacent Indiana SWCD offering the same mix of technical assistance, urban conservation, and stormwater compliance services within a comparable suburban-urban county context. Most directly comparable peer along mandate, services, and funding model.

Others

• Citizen's Energy Group (Indianapolis): Indianapolis municipal utility that refers drainage concerns to MCSWCD. Comparable in serving Marion County but operates as a regulated utility in water/wastewater rather than conservation programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MarionCountySWCD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marion-county-soil-&-water-conservation-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District