MLTN Infoline – June 29, 2022

June 29, 2022|Infoline

Save the Date: MLTN Accessibility Workshop October 5th

We are really excited to announce the date for a day-long, in-person (fingers crossed!) workshop on October 5th, 2022, that will explore how land trusts can help those with different levels of ability access our lands, experience the soothing power of nature, and enjoy healthy activities that enrich their lives.

Using the Land Trust Alliance publication “Open for All: A disability inclusion guide for land trusts” as a framework, co-authors Chrissy Beardsley Allen of Blue Hill Heritage Trust and Peter Doehring, a researcher and consultant on developing programs for people with Autism or intellectual/developmental disabilities, will help us learn more about how we can help folks with disabilities enjoy the same simple joys of being outside that fully abled people do.

We are thrilled that we’ll also be joined by Enock Glidden. Enock, who was born with Spina Bifida, is an athlete, adventurer, motivational speaker, and an advocate for others with disabilities. He and Zach Stegeman of the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center provided a heartfelt and inspiring keynote talk at this year’s Conference, and we are so pleased to be continuing the partnership.

Please save the date and plan to join us in Brunswick for the day on October 5th.

Because the outdoors should be available to EVERYONE!

Whit, Jeff, Donna

Apply For a Rally Scholarship by July 1

Rally, the National Land Conservation Conference, will be held in New Orleans this year from September 15 – 17. Though no virtual option will be available, the Land Trust Alliance is offering scholarships and stipends to help defray the costs of attending Rally in person.

Rally scholarships are awarded to organizations that demonstrate the ability or potential to protect land in their communities.
Rally stipends are available to increase access for presenters and participants with identities and perspectives — including, but not limited to, racial and ethnic — that have been underrepresented at Rally and in the land conservation sector.

The deadline to apply for scholarships and stipends is Friday, July 1. Learn more here. Get all the details on this year’s Rally here.

Calculating a Living Wage

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

12:00-1:00pm

Cost: FREE for MANP members and nonmembers!

Hosted by Maine Association of Nonprofits, Maine Philanthropy Center, NH Center for Nonprofits, and CommonGood Vermont

What does “a living wage” actually mean? Join this free, virtual lunch & learn with Professor Amy Glasmeier, architect of the MIT Living Wage Calculator, to learn about a tool that can help nonprofit employers compare wages, set wages, form policy around wage rates, create competitive human resource programs, and stand out among their peers.

Learn more and register at the MANP website.

Also in this webinar series:

Equity in Hiring: How to Mitigate Implicit and Explicit Biases on Thursday, July 14, 10am-11:30am (see below)
Disrupting Wage Gaps: How to Align the Market and Your Values on Friday, July 15, 10:30am-12:00pm

Beginner Grant Writing

Thursday, July 14, 2022

10:00am-1:00pm

Cost: $89 for MANP members*, $129 for non-members

This webinar is made possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

Many people who work in nonprofits find themselves in the position of “accidental grantwriter.” This session focuses on the grantwriting process and will provide a balance of applicable content and resources to deepen participants’ knowledge of and skills.

Specifically designed for those with less than one year of experience with the skill, participants will learn the steps to craft, construct, and submit an effective grant application, including:

Understanding the elements of a standard grant proposal application
Managing the grant timelines
Finding data sources to support proposal narratives
Creating presentations of grant-narrative elements and ideas
Identifying which proposal-writing approaches, styles, tones, and formats will work best.
Using appropriate and accurate visuals to highlight information
Identifying effective practices for developing realistic, accurate line-item and narrative budgets that describe the relationship between line-items and project activities
Selecting evaluation models and methods for the grant applications

Workshop participants will receive a digital copy of the Handbook for Successful Grant Writing that covers topics ranging from research and planning to a glossary of commonly used terms. The Handbook is only available to participants and is not otherwise for sale.

Learn more and register at MANP’s website.

*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.

Equity in Hiring: How to Mitigate Implicit and Explicit Biases

Thursday, July 14, 2022

10:00-11:30am

Cost: $35 for all

This webinar is made possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Common Good Vermont

Do you want to create an equitable hiring process, and unsure how your biases show up in your assessment of candidates? Join Edgility Consulting to learn how to create better understanding and mitigate biases in the hiring process. Edgility will share research on biases, how they show up in hiring processes, and how to actively mitigate them. They will also share scenarios to identify and mitigate biases.

Learn more and register at MANP’s website.

Disability Inclusion: Ensuring No One Gets Left Behind

Thursday, July 21, 2022

3:00-4:30pm

Cost: FREE

Registration ends Friday, July 15

Presented by the Land Trust Alliance

People with disabilities should and can be provided the same opportunity to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of being in nature, yet they have been historically underserved by the conservation community, and land trusts can play a transformational role. To help land trusts better engage with and include people with disabilities, the Land Trust Alliance, in partnership with the Lakeshore Foundation, created a guide that provides concrete steps to expand your land trust’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts with an emphasis on people with disabilities.

Join this 90-minute videoconference to learn about “Open to All: A Disability Inclusion Guide for Land Trusts,” and discuss:

Ethical, practical, sensible and legal reasons why people with disabilities should be included in your organization’s culture and programming
The different types of disability and how to connect with people in your community
Elements of program design and developing partnerships
A practical path to a more equitable future.

The presentation will be recorded, but we encourage you to join live and participate in the discussion.

Space is limited, register today. (This would be a great way to prepare for MLTN’s fall workshop!)

Thanks to underwriting by generous funders to the Alliance, this videoconference is complimentary to land trust staff, volunteers, and board members in New England. Feel free to share a connection, but please let Jen Plowden know who is attending so she can have an accurate participant count.

This session will be led by members of the Land Trust Alliance’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Health and Disabilities including Bonnie Lewkowicz of Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program and Chrissy Beardsley Allen of Blue Hill Heritage Trust.

Insurance 101: The Basics for Protecting Your Land Trust

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

12:00-1:00pm

Cost: FREE

Do you know what kind of insurance policies your land trust needs? Do you know if your current policies adequately protect against your biggest risks? During this session you will learn the basics, including policy must-haves and coverage red-flags. The session will include ample Q&A time, giving you a forum to ask about your land trust’s most pressing concerns.

Join the Land Trust Alliance for this videoconference presented by Meghan Mullee of Alliant Insurance Services.

Space is limited, register now.

Thanks to underwriting by generous funders of the Alliance, this videoconference is complimentary to land trust staff, volunteers, and board members in New England. The webinar will not be recorded.

Jobs in the Conservation Sector

The frenzy of hiring has slowed down a bit but there are still some great opportunities waiting for you. Newest additions are included below or view the full list on our website.

Membership and Database Coordinator – Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust

Director of Strategic Communications – Northeast Wilderness Trust

Farm Credit East AgEnhancement Grants

Next round closes August 1st

Farm Credit East awards grants through its Farm Credit AgEnhancement Program to help organizations promote awareness of and strengthen agriculture, commercial fishing, and forestry in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Vermont.

To that end, grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded in support of programs, projects, and activities that:

assist in the development of young and beginning farmers;
encourage leadership development to strengthen agriculture and the food and fiber industries (including programs and projects that encourage youth involvement in agricultural activities);
generate a greater understanding and appreciation of agriculture and the food and fiber industries in the region;
recognize the accomplishments of leaders of the agriculture and food and fiber industries; advance the economic viability of agriculture and the food and fiber industries in the Northeast;
and/or promote interest in agriculture/horticulture/forest products/commercial fishing.

For consideration, an application with the letter and other materials must be received by the close of business on April 1, August 1, or December 1.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Farm Credit East website.

Land and Water Conservation Fund Grants

Application Deadline: June 30th, 2023

For this round, you must request a site inspection by the end of 2022

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1964 (LWCF) was established to assist federal, state and local governments in the acquisition and/or development of public outdoor recreation facilities. LWCF grants can provide up to 50% of the allowable costs for approved acquisition or development projects for public outdoor recreation. Application and support documents for the current round are available at the Maine Department of Agricultural, Conservation, and Forestry website.

Maximum grant award for this round will remain at $500,000. No minimum award level, but applicants considering a request of $20,000 or less should discuss their project concepts with the grant manager before applying. Eligible agencies are encouraged to contact the Grants and Community Recreation program for assistance and guidance in the application process.

Questions? Contact Douglas Beck, Outdoor Recreation Supervisor

at or (207) 624-6090.