GENERAL INFORMATION

• Land Trust Alliance (LTA)
• LTAnet: Resources for LTA member staff and board members - requires a password
• Land Trust Accreditation Commission
• Land Trust Alliance's Land Trust Standards and Practices: Downloadable sample document
• Land Trust Listserve: To subscribe, type "subscribe landtrust-L" in message
• RallyNet
• Urban Land Trust Listserve
• William Cronon, Closing Plenary: "Saving the Land We Love: Land Conservation and American Values," LTA Rally 2005

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction: A Field Guide
PART 1: Positioning Your Organization

Chapter 1: Organizational Readiness

• Sample Reply Card
• Land Trust Memorandum
• Grassroots Fundraising Journal article: "The Care and Feeding of Volunteers"

Related Links

• "Assessing Your Organization," Land Trust Alliance booklet (free download)
• Field Trips, Jackson Hole Land Trust
• Marc Smiley Organizational Development

Example Land Trusts:

• Inland Northwest Land Trust
• Land Trust of Santa Cruz County

Chapter 2: Financial Readiness

• Sample Statement of Investment Policy
• Little Traverse Conservancy's Land and Easement Acquisition Policies

Related Links

• "Accelerating the Pace of Open Space Conservation: The Role of Finance," Exchange Winter 2005 (Vol. 24 No. 1)
• Financial and Asset Management, from LTA's Land Trust Standards and Practices
• Land Trust Standards and Practices, Appendix 6E3: Internal System for Handling Money
• Marc Smiley, "What I Do"

Chapter 3: The Deal

• Project Risk Assessment
• Benefits and Risk Assessment
• Fee Purchase Project Process with VHCB funding - Vermont Land Trust
• Land Protection Policies and Acquisition Criteria - Lakes Region Conservation Trust

• Landowner Checklist, Vermont Land Trust

Example Land Trust

• Aquidneck Land Trust

Chapter 4: Legal and Ethical Considerations

• Ethical Issues Checklist

Related Links

• Donee Responsibilities - IRS Forms 8282 and 8283 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
• "Land Trust Ethics" Exchange Winter 2004 (Vol. 23 No. 1) Stephen J. Small & Bill Silberstein
• "Law Update: Staying Within the Bounds of the Income Tax Code and Public Perception: Private Inurement and Private Benefit," Exchange Spring 1999 (Vol. 18 No.2)
• Rally Plenary Closing Plenary: IRS Remarks on Conservation Easements, and other

Exchange articles on ethics

• Statement of Ethics , The Land Trust for Tennessee (2004)
• Internal Revenue Bulletin 2004-28; Notice 2004-41, "Charitable Contributions and Conservation Easements."
• Handout from "Legal and Ethical Aspects of Managing a Nonprofit Organization," workshop at 2005 Land Trust Alliance National Conference • The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Implications for Nonprofit Organizations
• "Land Trust Ethics: Exploring Nonprofit Accountability," Stefan Nagel, and Konrad Liegel, Exchange Summer 2004 (Vol. 23 No. 3)
• "Land Trust Ethics," Lawrence R. Kueter, Exchange, Winter 2005 (Vol. 24 No. 1)

Example Land Trusts

• Land Trust for Tennessee
• Teton Regional Land Trust
• Vermont Land Trust

PART 2: Raising Money

Chapter 5: Raising Money

Related Links

Example Land Trusts

Chapter 6: Traditional Fundraising Methods

• Sample Capital Campaign Solicitation Letter

Related Links

Example Land Trusts

Chapter 7: Traditional Fundraising Plans and Sources

Related Links

Example Land Trusts

Chapter 8: Voluntary Surcharges

• 1% for Open Space Agreement
• 1% for Open Space Info Sheet
• 1% for Open Space Introduction Letter
• 1% for Open Space History
• Buck for Open Space Program Description
• Buck for Open Space Q&A
• Middle Park Land Trust Business Partners Enrollment Form

Related Links

Example Land Trusts

Chapter 9: Transfer Fees

• Everett Farm Covenant for Assessments
• Transfer Fee in conservation easement – Willistown Conservation Trust
• Jackson Hole Land Trust Transfer Fee Q&A

Related Links

Example Land Trusts

PART 3: Borrowing Money

Chapter 10: Borrowing Money

Related Links

• Resources Legacy Fund Foundation

Example Land Trusts

Chapter 11: Bank Lending

• Cape Cod Five Cent Savings Bank partnership

Related Links

Example Land Trust

Chapter 12: Seller Financing

• Jackson Hole Land Trust Letter of Commitment

Related Links

Example Land Trust

Chapter 13: External Revolving Loan Funds

• Buzzards Bay Lands Revolving Loan Fund Application
• Buzzards Bay Lands Revolving Loan Q&A
• Buzzards Bay Lands Revolving Loan Fund Application Guidelines
• Cape Cod Land Fund Policies
• Conservation Trust for North Carolina RLF Application
• Conservation Trust for North Carolina RLF Loan Policies
• Maine Coast Heritage Trust Request for RLF Use
• Maine Coast Heritage Trust RLF Policy
• Maine Coast Heritage Trust Sample letter for RLF
• Great Lakes RLF FAQ
• List of U.S. Revolving Loan Funds (RLF Chart)

Related Links:

• Open Space Institute, Land Program, Timeline

Example Land Trust

Chapter 14: Internal Protection Funds

• JHLT Sample Protection Fund Policy
• VT Revolving Conservation Fund Guidelines

Related Links:

• Peninsula Open Space Trust: Saving the Endangered Coast Campaign
• Piedmont Environmental Council: Land Conservation Funds
• Tall Timbers Land Conservancy

Example Land Trusts

Chapter 15: Foundation Program-Related Investments

• Norcross Loan Guidelines
• Norcross Loan Application

Related Links:

• F.B. Heron Foundation: Mission-Related Investing
• Kohlberg Foundation

Example Land Trusts

PART 4: Looking Ahead

Chapter 16: Reducing Costs

• Memorandum of Understanding

Chapter 17: Putting It All Together