MLTN Infoline – August 3, 2023
Lots going on in August but we’ll be a bit scarce… | |
After that long stretch of cool and cloudy weather (hence the photo above taken at Wells Reserve in June), summer has finally arrived. Thank goodness! There are so many summer activities to catch up on! And lots of good information for you below. We know this is a very busy season for land trusts – and as we head into August, we wanted you to know that coverage here at the Land Trust Program may be a bit spotty at times. In her 22nd year with MCHT, Donna will be out on sabbatical for several weeks (yay!!) and Angela and Jeff will be enjoying some well-deserved vacation, too. If you’re in need of assistance that can’t wait until after Labor Day, you can try contacting Angela or Jeff but if you don’t get a response, contact Aili at our front desk. She may be able to put you in touch with someone else at MCHT who can help you. Otherwise, we’ll connect with you as soon as possible once we’re back in the office. We appreciate your patience and hope YOU will get away for some fun Maine summer, too! Angela, Jeff, and Donna | |
Maine Legislature Advances Land Conservation | |
Maine’s Legislature adjourned early in the morning on Wednesday, July 26, wrapping up seven months of work. While the session began slowly, it picked up momentum in April. Working with the Governor’s office, legislative allies, and partner organizations, the land trust community successfully supported the enactment of numerous bills that will bolster conservation in Maine and set the table for future initiatives. Visit our website to learn the final outcome of this session’s efforts to create a Land for Maine’s Future Trust Fund, mitigate renewable energy impacts, secure sales tax exemption for land trusts, and more. | |
First Time Accreditation Lottery Now Open | |
Is your land trust thinking of applying for first-time accreditation? The 2024 lottery opened on August 1 and will close on September 15. This year, there are approximately ten slots available. Learn more at the Accreditation Commission website. | |
LGBTQ+ Conservation Professionals Network | |
Are you a queer-identifying conservationist? The team at Bold Bison has created a network just for you! Following on a very successful networking reception at Land Trust Alliance Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference last fall, Bold Bison is helping to organize a network for LGBTQ+ identifying professionals in land conservation. The group has met virtually a few times this year, mostly for introductory Zoom meetings to get to know one another better. They’re hoping to hit a regular stride of some socially-oriented sessions and some learning sessions, covering topics such as creating safe space in the outdoors for affinity groups, how land trusts can protect queer culture spaces, and career growth as a queer person. They see this this as a vital space in the land conservation movement right now. The LGBTQ+ professionals network will host their first learning session on Thursday, August 24 from 2-3:30pm ET/11am-12:30pm PT. RSVP for the learning session here. And if you happened to be going to Rally this year, there will be a special reception on Friday, September 8 from 5-6:30pm PT. Finally, you can also sign up for the network’s newsletter to receive upcoming meeting notices here. | |
Chainsaw Safety Course | |
Friday, August 11, 2023 9:30am-2:30pm Whitney Memorial Forest, Gray Maine Woodland Owners is hosting a FREE hands-on program that will provide instruction on saw maintenance, firewood cutting, and tree felling. This is not a full Certified Logging Professional training and will not serve as Level 1 certification. Attendees can use their own saw or one provided by the instructor. Safety gear is required (helmet, gloves, eye protection, chaps). Some sets of gear will be available for those who need it. Anyone not meeting the minimum standard for safety gear will not be able to operate a chainsaw. Additionally, watching this chainsaw safety video is required. There will be a break built in – so bring a lunch! | |
Building a Strategic Fundraising Program | |
Four Wednesdays, August 9, 16, 23, & 30, 2023 6:00-7:15pm Instructor: David Allen Cost: $50 for LTA members, $75 for non-members This short course was designed especially for all volunteer groups in Connecticut but a few remaining spaces are now available to land trusts in the rest of New England The Land Trust Alliance is excited to provide a new short-course for land trusts to learn how to build a strategic fundraising program. During four 75-minute virtual (Zoom) sessions, we’ll cover basic fundraising concepts, basic planning protocols, tools to develop strategic fundraising plans, approaches to fundraising from individual donors and funders, fundraising events and more to better engage with people and raise more money. Additionally, to extend your learning, there will be three optional peer calls post-training. This course is being led by David Allen of Development for Conservation, who you may remember from our 2022 Maine Land Conservation Conference. Can’t make one of the dates? All registrants will receive recording links within a week after each session. The cost of this training is over $200 per person, but thanks to the generous support of the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, your cost is $50 as an Alliance member or $75 for non-members. If cost is a barrier to your participation, please reach out to Jen Plowden. There are a limited number of scholarships available. Visit LTA’s website for more information and registration. | |
Board Roles & Responsibilities | |
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 6:00-7:30pm by Zoom Cost: $45 for MANP members*, $65 for non-members Discounts for teams! $25 off each additional registration from the same organization, and some scholarships available. A strong board of directors is built upon clear understanding of basic roles and responsibilities. This session will provide an overview of a board’s primary legal duties, important responsibilities and essential roles in governing the organization and stewarding its mission. Participants will:
This webinar is for individuals already serving on nonprofit boards who are seeking an overview of their roles and responsibilities. Board members who have at least six months of board service will gain the most from participation. It is strongly suggested that multiple board members from the same organization and the executive director participate as a team for maximum benefit. Visit MANP’s website to register. *Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organization’s MLTN membership status. | |
Beginner Grantseeking | |
Thursday, September 14, 2023 2:00-5:00pm Cost: $89 for MANP members*, $129 for non-members This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Where does the grantseeking process start? How do you find funders interested in your organization and programs? There are proven tactics for finding funders that are a good fit for your organization–and plentiful resources online–many of them free! In this three-hour live online training, we’ll discuss the best ways to begin grantseeking (which is closer than you think!), explore four good places to start looking, work through a proven process for finding funder information, discover how to “dig deeper” into a foundation’s interests, and determine the best way for you to start capturing what you are learning about your organization and its potential funders. This training is specifically designed to help you gain important grantseeking competencies and skills related to researching, identifying, and matching funding resources to meet specific needs. Visit MANP’s website for more information and to register. *Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organization’s MLTN membership status. | |
Risk Communication with NOAA Office for Coastal Management | |
Monday, September 13, 2023 9:00am-4:00pm Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve Cost: $40 In-person training Many communities struggle with how to prepare for hazards. It can be difficult to talk about vulnerability to hazards, and it can be even more difficult to keep people engaged and motivated to take action. This training provides insights into how and why people respond to risk, and helps participants develop new skills to better connect with a variety of audiences. Understanding and connecting with an audience’s diverse values and concerns can lead to a higher level of community engagement and can help motivate action to reduce risk. Register for Risk Communication. | |
Jobs in the Conservation Sector | |
Once again, we’ve got some great new job opportunities to share from our jobs page. View the full list here. Executive Director – Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Early Childhood Environmental Educator – Maine Audubon Programs and Communications Manager – York Land Trust Human Resources Assistant – Maine Coast Heritage Trust Membership & Outreach Associate – Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust Stewardship Director – Royal River Conservation Trust | |
Open Space Institute’s Appalachian Landscapes Protection Fund | |
Proposals due: 5:00pm, September 15th, 2023 The Open Space Institute (OSI) is happy to announce the fourth grant round for the Appalachian Landscapes Protection Fund (ALPF). The Fund supports land protection projects within specific Focus Areas whose forests and wetlands provide climate resilient wildlife habitat and store and sequester significant atmospheric carbon. $700,000 is available through the Fund for the Northern Appalachians, which includes portions of Maine. Through this Fund, OSI provides capital grants to conservation projects within the globally important Appalachian region that address both the biodiversity crises and climate change. To learn more about the Fund, its guidelines and criteria, as well as review the application process, please visit OSI’s website. | |
L.L.Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program | |
Applications Due by 11:59pm September 29, 2023 Hopefully you’ve heard the exciting news that L.L.Bean has stepped up with a significant increase in funding for the Maine Land Trust Grant Program. Through this program, L.L.Bean and Maine Coast Heritage Trust are working together to enhance the capacity of Maine’s land trusts in support of land trusts’ efforts to protect Maine’s outdoor heritage and natural landscapes. Through this fund, land trusts receive critical funding to enhance their work across the state. This year, with $65,000 to distribute, land trusts may apply for up to $10,000 and we expect to make 7-9 grants. Also new this year, grant priorities have been expanded to include programming to promote outdoor activities, especially for underserved populations, in addition to the traditional stewardship activities that have been the main focus in the past. Visit our Funding page for grant guidelines, a list of past grantees, and the new application. | |