Recognize your fellow conservation professionals, organizations, conservation districts, producers, and more through NACD's Conservation Awards and the National Conservation Planning Partnership's (NCPP) Hugh Hammond Bennett Awards.

The NACD Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual within the association, a conservation district, or a state association that has made significant contributions to the conservation and proper management of our nation’s natural resources. Nominees can be involved with districts or the association at any level, including past NACD officers. Nominations are also accepted for individuals posthumously and may be submitted by any individual, organization, agency, or conservation district by August 31, 2025.

The NACD Friend of Conservation Award recognizes an individual, business, organization, or agency outside the association for outstanding contributions to the conservation of our nation’s natural resources. Any individual, business, organization, or agency that is not directly associated with conservation districts at the local, state, or national level is eligible to receive this award. Nominations can be made by any individual, organization, agency, or conservation district and are due by August 31, 2025.

The Hugh Hammond Bennett Producer Award recognizes any producer working with NCPP partner organizations on conservation planning or the implementation of a conservation plan. Nominations are due by September 1, 2025.

The Hugh Hammond Bennett Conservation Planner Award recognizes any NCPP partnership employees. Partner organizations are those recognized by NCPP at the national, state, or local level, including conservation districts. Nominations are due by September 1, 2025.

Awardees will be honored at the 2026 NACD Annual Meeting that will be held in San Antonio, TX, on February 14-19, 2026.

SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR A BREAKOUT SESSION AT NACD'S 2026 ANNUAL MEETING

NACD is now accepting breakout session proposals for the upcoming 2026 Annual Meeting to be held in San Antonio, Texas, on February 14-19, 2026.

Breakout sessions spotlight the work of conservation districts and partners across the country. New to this year, we are also accepting proposals for training sessions to help conservation district board members and staff build their skillsets. Sessions typically run between 30 and 90 minutes long and often showcase several speakers. Session proposals are now being accepted!

This year, NACD is seeking proposals that fit into one of four themes:

• Build and Expand Your Skillsets – Professional development and technical training
• District Management: Embracing Change – Examples of districts overcoming challenges, adding new projects or technical capabilities, responding to change, and developing strategies for resilience
• Conservation Innovation – Use of innovative approaches and technologies
• Partnerships for Impact – Partnerships and innovative ways districts are growing capacity

If selected, speakers are responsible for their registration, lodging, and travel expenses.

NACD's breakout sessions are some of the most popular activities among meeting attendees and provide a platform for districts to share their initiatives with one another. Spread the word about this opportunity and consider submitting a session proposal by September 26, 2025!

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your proposal before submitting, please reach out to NACD’s Director of Membership Engagement, Dr. Ariel Rivers, at ariel-rivers@nacdnet.org.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON? GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

On August 7, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at overhauling the federal grantmaking process. The order, titled “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking,” directs each agency head to designate one or more senior appointees to be responsible for creating a new process to review funding opportunity announcements and discretionary grants. The order also instructs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to revise the Office’s Uniform Guidance to streamline application requirements and require all discretionary grants to permit termination for convenience, including when the grant “no longer advances agency priorities or the national interest.”

The order also contains principles for senior appointees and their designees to follow when reviewing funding opportunity announcements and discretionary awards.

New provisions include:

• Discretionary awards must, where applicable, demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities. 
• Discretionary awards shall not be used to fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate:
• Racial preferences or other forms of racial discrimination by the grant recipient, including activities where race or intentional proxies for race will be used as a selection criterion for employment or program participation;
• Denial by the grant recipient of the sex binary in humans or the notion that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic; 
• Illegal immigration;
• Or any other initiatives that compromise public safety or promote anti-American values.

Agency heads have until September 6 to review standard grant terms and conditions and submit a report to the OMB Director detailing progress on the order.

As Congress adjourns for their August Recess, we encourage members to reach out to local representatives for a farm tour, policy sit-down, or speaking engagement. The Government Affairs team is happy to provide individualized memos upon request.

NACD STAFF ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK

Did you know that every NACD region is staffed by an individual who can connect you to NACD resources, help provide learning and networking opportunities, and ensure your state’s priorities are heard and represented in NACD’s advocacy efforts?

While all of NACD’s staff members are available to answer questions at any time, our seven NACD Region Representatives are a great first contact point in our organization. Each Region Representative is familiar with the specific conservation concerns in their states, are aware of resources that you may benefit from (for example, NACD grant programs), can connect you with NACD Officers, Board Members, or committees, and are generally available to help you navigate through NACD’s various education, partnership, and advocacy efforts.

The region staff work from offices within their regions, and often attend meetings within their states and territories. If you have not yet met them in person, you can reach out to learn more about specific opportunities to connect with them and others in the NACD network. For example, many of the Region Representatives work with their Region Chairs to host monthly or bi-monthly virtual meetings, many regions also host separate in-person region meetings throughout the year and all Region Representatives send out regular updates that provide targeted information relevant to their states. All of these learning and networking opportunities are available to our members, regardless of whether a district is a dues-contributing member.

You can find out information about each of your Region Representatives, the states and territories they cover, and how to reach them on our blog.