The Great Outdoors Foundation, the fiscal agent of the Central Iowa Water Trails Consortium, today announced a $1 million commitment from the Athene Charitable Foundation. With this pledge, total private funding raised for the water trails project now stands at just under $25 million. The Central Iowa Water Trails project will connect more than 150 miles of water trails and 86 amenities throughout the region.

With nearly 75% of the capital campaign now complete, Athene’s donation represents a key investment in several water quality and habitat restoration initiatives that are part of the infrastructure and design of the Central Iowa Water Trails, organizers said. Athene’s donation will be used to support water quality efforts at each of the following access points:

• Harriet Street: Wetland development, streambank restoration and habitat improvement.
• Birdland Marina: Biofiltration system installation.
• Prospect Park: Streambank restoration, pollinator habitat and native plant restoration.
• Scott Avenue: Water quality education signage.

The donation represents a “natural extension” of Athene’s corporate social responsibility practices, said Grant Kvalheim, president and CEO of Athene USA. The annuity and life insurance company has its headquarters in West Des Moines.

“We are excited to partner with the Great Outdoors Foundation and Central Iowa Water Trails on these important water quality and habitat restoration initiatives,” Kvalheim said in a statement. “Environmental stewardship is a key component of our corporate social responsibility initiatives and something we have incorporated into our West Des Moines campus via wetland restoration, water conservation and conscious landscaping. This donation is a natural extension to support similar efforts across our community.”

From its inception, Central Iowa Water Trails has been aimed at creating synergy around improving water quality in Iowa, said Hannah Inman, CEO of the Great Outdoors Foundation.

“The most effective strategy for moving the needle on water quality is through collaboration and community buy-in,” Inman said. “Support from partners like Athene demonstrates the value and priority our region is placing on improving our water.”

Already, investments in Central Iowa Water Trails are being used as in-kind support for grants that leverage additional federal funding for landowners and farmers to improve water quality through voluntary conservation practices on private land.

So far, an additional $20 million in federal funding has been realized through two public-private partnerships co-led by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance. Additionally, $3 million has been allocated to water quality solutions in the Central Iowa Water Trails BUILD Grant sites alone.

The Central Iowa Water Trails Consortium includes leadership from Capital Crossroads, Catch Des Moines, the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Greater Des Moines Partnership and the Great Outdoors Foundation.