Recreational Grants Manager

The Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a current resume and cover letter to their online application.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks, Forests, and Preserves Bureau is seeking a strategic leader passionate about expanding public access to parks, trails, and outdoor spaces by managing our centralized recreational grant portfolio, which accounts for approximately $20 million in annual funding. Team members choose to build long-term careers with the DNR because they value knowing that their daily work makes a direct difference for our customers.

We foster a close, family atmosphere by working alongside dedicated people who share common interests and unified goals. If you find fulfillment in making progress toward tangible goals, seeing the real-world results of your work, and staying engaged with a wide variety of meaningful projects, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape Iowa’s outdoor recreation landscape.

This position serves as the DNR's primary subject matter expert and strategic point of contact for multiple high-impact recreational grant programs, including the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP), Saving America’s Treasures, Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI), and the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) and Snowmobile programs.

• Direct and administer the local-side LWCF program (approximately $2.1M annually) and the ORLP program (up to $15M) for city and county park agencies.
• Provide technical guidance, grant consultation, and application training to local municipalities.
• Ensure application systems and Iowa's Open Project Selection Process meet National Park Service (NPS) criteria and align with priorities identified in Iowa's Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).
• Coordinate grant review committees, authorize annual grant allocations in collaboration with Budget and Finance, and ensure processing of grant agreements and reimbursements.
• Review, draft, and enforce Administrative Rules governing the LWCF program.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the NPS, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and local applicants for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, Section 106 clearances, and tribal consultations.
• Conduct pre-inspection visits for potential grant applications, as well as final and annual project inspections required by the NPS.
• Coordinate additional federal grant opportunities, including Saving America’s Treasures and the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program.

• Direct all phases of the OHV Grant Program (up to $1.25M annually), including applicant training, evaluation criteria development, grant review and selection committee, spending plan development, and project close-out.
• Manage the cooperative agreement with the Iowa State Snowmobile Association (ISSA) to ensure the partner administration of grant funds complies with Iowa Code, Administrative Rules, and contract terms.
• Direct major equipment procurements exceeding $500,000 annually.
• Serve as the DNR Project Manager for the Federal Recreational Trails Grant Program, authoring and submitting federal applications while maintaining compliance.
• Review, draft, and enforce Administrative Rules governing the OHV and Snowmobile programs.
• Assist the Communications, Outreach, and Marketing Bureau in coordinating statewide safety and education programs, developing curriculum standards, and managing online safety course vendors.
• Direct the negotiation and compliance oversight…