Dubuque Soil and Water Conservation District Scholarships are available to Dubuque County High School Seniors and Graduates

The Dubuque County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is currently  accepting scholarship applications for students pursuing agriculture or natural  resources or conservation field. The three (3) scholarships include the Father  Norman White Memorial Scholarship; Dubuque SWCD Partnership Scholarship; and the CDI Scholarship. The scholarships will be awarded to a Dubuque County  High School student or Dubuque County School district or student already  enrolled into an agricultural or natural resources related field at the University of  Dubuque, Clarke University, Loras College, University of Wisconsin - Platteville,  Iowa State University, or Northeast Iowa Community College – Peosta or Calmar  Campus for the 2026-2027 school year. The deadline for submitting the  scholarship applications is Wednesday, March 4, 2026. 

The Father Norman White Scholarship is one (1) $500.00 scholarship. The scholarship honors Father Norman White, who was an advocate – socially,  politically and spiritually for the family farm and helped promote soil and water  conservation. Father White worked for the survival and preservation of the small  family farm. His passion for rural life began when he spent part of his childhood  on the family farm. He learned about sustainable agriculture firsthand, and went  on to champion the efforts of small, independent farmers who practiced good soil  and water stewardship. Father White was the former Director of Rural Life for the  Archdiocese of Dubuque. He was presented with the Friend of Conservation  Award in 1994 by the Dubuque Soil and Water Conservation. Former Senator  Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, hailed Father Norman White as “caring, compassionate  man, a tireless advocate for the family farms and a crusader for social justice.” Father White passed away August 28, 1996. The scholarship will be awarded to  a Dubuque County High School graduate currently attending (or plan to  attend) the University of Dubuque, Clarke University, Loras College, Iowa State  University, University of Wisconsin – Platteville or Northeast Iowa Community  College – Peosta or Calmar Campus and pursuing a degree in an Agricultural  and/or Natural Resources related field 

The Dubuque SWCD Partnership Scholarship is two (2) scholarships, one for $200 and one for $100. This scholarship is made possible by the Morrison  Brothers Company Endowed Donor Advised Fund and the Community  Foundation of Greater Dubuque. These scholarships are available to any senior  that is a Dubuque County student or attends a Dubuque County high school.  

Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider 

Students can attend a two-year or four-year college. Students must be pursuing  an agricultural or conservation – natural resources field to be eligible for the  scholarship. 

Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) is partnering with Dubuque Soil and Water  Conservation District (SWCD) to foster the higher education endeavors of  students interested in conservation and agriculture by offering scholarships. High  school seniors pursuing programs of study in any field of conservation or  agriculture qualifies for the Conservation Scholarship. While this is a wide field  and many studies qualify, preference will be given to students pursuing programs  of study in conservation. The scholarship must be used for the students’ first year  of college education. Students need to submit their application to the  Conservation District in which they live. The Dubuque SWCD Commissioners will  select the leading applicant to forward on to the CDI Regional Director who will  choose a regional application to submit for consideration at the state level. After  final selections, the top three scholarships will be awarded at the state level in  the amounts of $3000, $2000 and $1000. Winners from the remaining six regions  will each receive $500. Scholarship application and rules are available online at  https://cdiowa.org/get-involved/scholarships/. 

Dubuque SWCD scholarships are funded through memberships and partners, fundraisers, donations and grants. Applications and rules for all scholarships are  available at the Soil and Water Conservation District’s office – 210 Bierman  Road, Epworth, IA 52045, through the local high schools, colleges and  universities, or by emailing helen.backes@ia.nacdnet.net. Applications are also  available online at www.dubuqueswcd.org. Completed applications can be  mailed or submitted to the Dubuque SWCD office or emailed to  helen.backes@ia.nacdnet.net. Scholarship applications need to be received at the District’s office by Wednesday March 4, 2026, to be eligible for consideration. The scholarships will be presented to the recipient at the perspective students’  schools’ award ceremony. The scholarships are awarded for enrollment in the  2026-2027 fall semester. 

For further information or questions relating to the scholarships contact Helen  Backes at the Dubuque Soil & Water Conservation District office in Epworth at  (563)876-3418, ext. #3, or email helen.backes@ia.nacdnet.net.