CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Friends of Marshall County Conservation board members are shown recently after establishing a permanent endowment. From left is Julie Hitchins, director of Community Foundation of Marshall County, Carrie Barr, President of Friends of Marshall County Conservation, Bren Lee, Janey Swartz, Back Row: Yvette Meyer, Thomas Thurston and Kathy Ross.

One can easily invest in bonds, Individual Retirement Accounts, stocks and more. But a forward-thinking group of Marshall County residents recently invested their personal funds into public land and related programming encouraging conservation and education.

The Friends of Marshall County Conservation recently established a $10,000 endowment, President Carrie Barr of Marshalltown said.

Programs administered and services provided by the Marshall County Conservation Board are related to natural resources management, according to its website. Most of the county’s public land is managed for wildlife compatible recreation, and conservation education.

Barr said she and another supporter were shocked at how quickly the $10,000 was raised.

“We are grateful and reminded how much Marshall County people love nature and love to take care of land and natural resources … very much encouraged. We invite anyone else to join.”

Barr said the group started the planning process approximately 18 months ago.

“Our objective was to help the MCC remain sustainable,” she said. “We had lots of brainstorming sessions. We received many good ideas on how to compliment the great work performed by the MCC.”

Barr said a donation to the Friends of Marshall County Conservation is a win-win for many.

“The endowment allows people to donate to our group while receiving the Endow Iowa Tax Credit, which is a 25 percent tax credit,” she said. “We will become part of the Community Foundation of Marshall County family of funds. It is good to be supporting all of these things together.”

Barr credited long-time MCC Director Mike Stegmann for the idea to create an endowment.

“Stegmann said government entities (which MCC is) are not allowed by law to establish endowments. He wanted to have an endowment to support MCC goals. “To receive the tax credit, a donor must indicate it will go to the Friends of Marshall County Conservation endowment and must be $100 or more. We do the filing for the donor, who will receive their tax credit information in the mail.”

For more information contact Barr at 641-750-2890, or send donations to her at 1508 W. Lincoln Way, Marshalltown, 50158.

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Contact Mike Donahey at

641-753-6611 or

mdonahey@timesrepublican.com