MLTN Infoline – April 2, 2024
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It’s Almost Conference Time!
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The Maine Land Conservation Conference is just over a week away. Have you registered? There are still tickets available for the big event on Saturday and a few tickets remain for the Friday night social as well. Friday daytime workshops are full but land trust executive directors and board presidents can still sign up to attend the Friday afternoon ED meeting from 1:30-3:30pm at the Topsham Public Library. If the weather on April 12th turns out to be spring-like, we’ll open up additional tickets for the social since Flight Deck has a great outdoor space we can utilize. We’ll announce on the Conference landing page if we can. Fingers crossed we get a warm up!
Visit the MLTN website for all the details and link to register.
We’ll see you there!
Angela, Jeff, and Donna
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Maine Climate & Environmental Funders Drop-in Networking Event
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Friday, April 12, 2024 in person
2:30-4:30pm
As part of this year’s Conference we are hosting this opportunity for Maine Climate and Environmental funders to join their peers, connect, and share learnings around land conservation and land trusts in Maine. Drop in anytime between 2:30-4:30pm for conversation and refreshments. Advance registration is required. Visit the Maine Philanthropy Center website for more information and to register.
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Trails Bond Moves Forward
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On Friday, March 29, the Maine Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee voted unanimously in support of the $30 million Trails Bond. At least two thirds of the Maine House and Maine Senate will need to vote in favor of the bill to send the initiative to voters for their ratification in the November election. It is critical that legislators hear from trail supporters regarding the importance of this bill, especially in the 2-3 days leading up to the actual votes. The legislature is scheduled to wrap up its work around the middle of April. Historically, bond votes have generally occurred at the very end of the session. Stay tuned for future updates, including when we expect the votes in the House and Senate to take place.
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Financial Leadership for Nonprofits
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Six Thursdays, April 4 through May 9, 2024 via Zoom 1:00-2:15pm
Register as an individual or as an organization so you can learn as a team!
Cost for Individual: $95 for MANP members*, $190 for non-members
Cost for Organization: $175 for MANP members*, $350 for non-members
This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Montana Nonprofit Association
Sharpen your ability to lead the financial management of your organization. From budgeting to cash management, cost/benefit analysis, and more, you will learn best-practice fundamentals to lead your organization with confidence. Additionally, MNA will provide you with a comprehensive set of Excel tools to simplify and enhance your ability to monitor, analyze, and report your financial condition. These tools, when combined with your usual accounting software, offer you the visualization and functionality of a much more sophisticated (and expensive) software.
Learn more and get a link to register on partner website at MANP’s website.
*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.
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GAAP Accounting for Beginners
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Tuesday, April 16, 2024 via Zoom
2:00-3:30pm
Cost: $75 for LTA members, $115 for non-members
Instructor: Kay Sohl
If you have been struggling with GAAP – Generally Accepted Accounting Principles – for nonprofit organizations and challenged by the twists and turns of GAAP requirements for land trusts, this workshop is for you. Whether you’re doing the accounting for your land trust or are just trying to understand the confusing rules your accountant insists on following, GAAP Accounting for Beginners will start where you are. Kay Sohl of Kay Sohl Consulting will provide plain language explanations of the most common land trust GAAP challenges.
Learn more about what will be covered and register on the LTA website.
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Moving to a Major Gifts Mindset
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Tuesday, April 16, 2024 via Zoom
3:00-4:30pm Cost: $45 for MANP members*, $90 for non-members
This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Utah Nonprofit Association
Many organizations talk about focusing on major gifts, and want to concentrate on major gifts, but never seem to move past an annual fund emphasis. This 90-minute workshop will center on creating this mental and organizational shift and will be broken into two parts.
The first part: “So You’re Thinking About Major Gifts? How to Tell if You Have a Major Gift or Annual Fund Focused Program” will lead participants through a simple self-examination process to determine the actual objective of their development program.
The second part: “The Language of Respectful Philanthropy” will discuss the words to use, and not use, when having discussions with major gift prospects.
Learn more and get the link to register on partner website at MANP’s website.
*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.
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Empowering Impact: Harnessing AI for Nonprofits
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Thursday, April 18, 2024 via Zoom
1:00-2:15pm
Cost: $35
This event is possible thanks for a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Common Good Vermont
Whether you’re feeling unsure or eager to explore AI’s potential, this session is designed to equip nonprofit professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate AI with intention and purpose. This interactive session offers a deep dive into AI terminology, practical tips for implementation, and best practices tailored specifically for mission-driven organizations. By the end of this session, you’ll gain foundational and practical insights to navigate the complexities of AI adoption and make informed decisions for your organization’s future.
Get the link to register on MANP’s website.
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Succession Planning Re-Imagined
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Two Thursdays, April 18 and 25, 2024 via Zoom 3:00-4:30pm
Cost: $60 for MANP members*, $120 for non-members
This event is possible thanks for a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Nonprofit Association of Washington
According to BoardSource, 73% of nonprofits don’t have a written succession plan. A change in leadership is always a challenge, and COVID-19 has put more pressure than ever on nonprofits. Not having a succession plan creates a huge risk for your organization if there’s a sudden vacancy in a key position. But leadership transitions also provide opportunities for growth if your organization has a culture focused on developing the human capital it needs for the future. This two-part webinar series will help your organization build such a culture.
Visit MANP’s website to explore the Learning Outcomes for this workshop series and for the link to register on partner website.
*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.
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Neuroinclusive Employment
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Tuesday, April 23, 2024 via Zoom
10:00-11:30am Cost: $15
This event is possible thanks for a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Common Good Vermont
1 in 5 people think, learn, and communicate differently than the so-called “typical” brain. Yet, current efforts toward enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace do not include neurodiversity and disability. At a time when employee burnout is at an all-time high and many businesses are struggling to recruit and retain employees, it is essential to create workplace environments where people with all types of brains can get their needs met and thrive.
What does it mean for employers to be neuro-inclusive? Join Mel Houser, M.D., Executive Director of All Brains Belong VT, for an interactive training that will give participants concrete parameters to improve their neuro-cultural competency. This will include accessibility-related aspects of recruitment and hiring, workplace environment, training and supervision, and workplace communication. Participants will leave with specific, actionable steps to improve the accessibility and neuro-inclusiveness of their organizations.
Visit MANP’s website to get the link to register on partner website.
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Starting a Planned Giving Program
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Tuesday, April 23, 2024 via Zoom
2:00-3:30pm
Cost: $75 for LTA members, $115 for non-members
If your land trust has committed to stewarding its lands forever, then your land trust needs to finance forever. Planned giving is a powerful vehicle for ensuring perpetuity, and this webinar will cover the basics of establishing a successful program. Presenters will walk through key questions land trusts must answer before getting started, as well as share tips and lessons learned from their years of experience with planned giving.
Visit LTA’s website to learn more and register.
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Make Your Meetings Better
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Friday, April 26, 2024 via Zoom
12:00-1:00pm
Cost: FREE
We all attend meetings, and many of us lead them. From a simple check-in with a colleague, to a conversation with your board of directors about a major decision, to an engagement session with dozens of constituents, meetings come in many forms and serve many purposes. Ensuring that meetings run smoothly is crucial for your desired outcomes. In this interactive Lunch & Learn, Julia Solomin, principal of Shadbush Consulting, will provide tools and tips for designing and facilitating more effective, meaningful meetings.
At this Lunch & Learn, you will learn strategies for effective meeting design, gain an understanding of core facilitation skills,
and workshop a meeting you currently lead or attend!
Learn more and register on LTA’s website.
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Jobs in the Conservation Sector
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If you know of anyone searching for a new job, please send them over to our jobs page. There are so many cool seasonal and permanent positions available right now! Stewardship Coordinator – York Land Trust
Seasonal Stewardship and Grounds Assistant – Maine Audubon
Borestone Mountain Assistant Caretaker – Maine Audubon
TNC Changemakers Residency – Maine Environmental Education Association/The Nature Conservancy
Finance Manager – Mahoosuc Land Trust
Development Coordinator – Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust
Vice President of Operations and other positions – Northeast Wilderness Trust
Seasonal Field Assistant – The Nature Conservancy Maine
Nature Day Camp Leaders and Assistant Leaders – Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Director of Stewardship – Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Farm Hand and Equipment Operator, Aldermere Farm – Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Event Specialist – Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Trail Crew Leader – Outdoor Sports Institute
Trail Crew Machine Operator – Outdoor Sports Institute
Trail Crew Member – Outdoor Sports Institute
Community Tree Steward and other positions – Maine Conservation Corps
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Conservation Diversity Fellowship
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Applications Due: Friday, April 5, 2024 For the eighth year, OSI is investing in the next generation of environmental leaders through its Conservation Diversity Fellowship. The program, administered by the Environmental Leadership Program, offers two-year, paid fellowships based in OSI’s New York City office to college graduates and postgraduates from diverse backgrounds seeking professional experience in the conservation field.
Learn more and apply at OSI’s website.
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National Coastal Resilience Fund
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Pre-proposals Due: by 11:59 Wednesday, April 10, 2024
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has issued the 2024 Request for Proposals for the National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF), which aims to enhance protection for coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, and other natural coastal hazards and to improve habitats for fish and wildlife. Through the fund, NFWF will award approximately $140 million in grants to create and restore natural systems to increase protection for communities from current and future coastal hazards and improve habitats for fish and wildlife species. Natural habitats such as coastal marshes and wetlands, coastal forests, rivers, lakes, and streams, dune and beach systems, and oyster and coral reefs—maintained at a significant size for the habitat type and natural hazard being addressed—can provide communities with enhanced protection and buffering from the growing impacts of natural coastal hazards, including rising sea and lake levels, changing flood patterns, increased frequency and intensity of storms, and other environmental stressors. Projects must be located within the coastal areas of U.S. coastal states, including the Great Lakes states, and U.S. territories and tribal lands.
For more information, full RFP here. It is recommended that you watch the information webinar recording and contact John Wright () with any questions.
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Land and Climate Catalyst Planning Grants
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Applications will be accepted through May 17th, 2024 Applicant information session April 10th from 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Through a collaboration between Open Space Institute and Land Trust Alliance, $200,000 is available in the 2024 grant round to help land trusts, other not-for-profit organizations, and state and federally recognized Tribes integrate climate science into strategic land protection plans or forest stewardship plans.
Qualified applicants can apply for grants between $5,000 – $15,000. All projects must begin in 2024 and be completed by December 1, 2025.
Prospective applicants can read the full request for proposals and submit an application through the Land Trust Alliance website, here.
To learn more, please register for an applicant information session on April 10th from 2:00pm – 3:00pm.
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Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program Announces 2024 Round
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The Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program (MNRCP) will be accepting proposals in 2024 for projects that restore, enhance, or protect wetlands and other priority aquatic resources in Maine. The 2024 funding round will open in May 2024, with Letters of Intent due by the end of June.
In 2024, MNRCP will be prioritizing funding for projects that include wetland restoration and enhancement. These projects more directly address state and federal mitigation polices as compared to “preservation only” projects. Applications for “preservation only” projects may still be invited to submit full proposals if they protect specific resources or habitat types that are difficult or impossible to restore.
Current funds available by region are as follows, with more funds to be added in coming weeks so check the website (mnrcp.org) regularly for updates:
Please contact Bryan Emerson with any specific questions or to discuss potential projects.
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