MLTN Infoline – January 8, 2024
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Announcing 2024 Maine Land Conservation Conference Keynote Speaker
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Maine Coast Heritage Trust is so excited to announce this year’s 2024 Maine Land Conservation Conference keynote speaker! We are honored that Dr. Bonnie Newsom, Associate Professor of Anthropology at University of Maine and Co-Principal Investigator and Coordinator for Knowledge Transfer Co-Lead at the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledge and Science (CBIKS) Northeast Hub, will be delivering this year’s address on April 13 at the Mt. Ararat Middle School and Orion Performing Arts Center in Topsham. Dr. Newsom is a citizen of the Penobscot Nation and an archaeologist interested in the pre-contact lifeways of Maine’s Native peoples. As a co-principal investigator with the recently formed CBIKS, her ground-breaking work highlights braiding Indigenous knowledge and Western knowledge systems together in effective and ethical ways to confront climate change. This is a topic that many here in Maine have expressed interest in, and we are very grateful Bonnie has agreed to share her wisdom with us at this year’s Conference.
In the next few weeks, we will be announcing more details about the Conference. You can keep up on all the latest by visiting the Conference page on the MLTN website.
Happy New Year!
Angela, Jeff, and Donna
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Ten Land Trusts Receive L.L.Bean Grant Funding
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One of the most enjoyable projects we undertake each year is administration of the L.L.Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program. This program provides critical funding to Maine land trusts, and it’s been doing so for nearly 20 years! This year, L.L.Bean stepped up with a major increase in funding for the program, which allowed us to increase the amount organizations could request and provide twice as many grants. This year, land trusts could apply for up to $10,000 to support stewardship, planning, and programming efforts.
Congratulations to the ten land trusts that received funding for exciting projects this year! They are:
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MLTN Lunch & Learn: 2022 Census of Community-Based Outdoor & Environmental Learning and Revised Maine Environmental Literacy Plan
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Thursday, January 18th, 2024 via Zoom 12:00-1:00pm
Cost: FREE
Grab your lunch and join us for this interesting look into Community-Based Outdoor and Environmental Learning in Maine!
Maine is in an exciting moment – we recently completed the 2022 Census of Community-Based Outdoor and Environmental Learning and we have a newly revised Maine Environmental Literacy Plan. How do we use our knowledge of where we are to advance towards our collective goals for the future?
The 2022 Census received responses from 55% of land trusts in Maine. This session will share data points of particular relevance to the land trust community- an integral part of our environmental learning ecosystem in Maine. Our presenters will be Alexandria Brasili, Research Team Lead at the Maine Mathematics & Science Alliance (MMSA) and Olivia Griset, Executive Director at Maine Environmental Education Association.
Participation is free but registration is required. Register now.
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New Peer Groups Forming
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The Land Trust Alliance is supporting the formation of three new peer groups! New EDs
If you are a newer executive director (three years or fewer on the job) and want to join a shared learning adventure with your peers across the eastern U.S., the 2024 cohort of the new executive directors’ peer group starts in February. The group will meet monthly on the first Thursday of each month. Learn more and apply today.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Peer Program
Applying Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles to the work we already do can feel overwhelming, let alone engaging in new areas of DEI-focused work. Would you benefit from a peer group that is working through some of the same questions? Land trusts in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are invited to join a small group of land trust peers to expand your knowledge, learn new skills, find a place for support and share your successes. Learn more and apply by January 19th.
Accreditation Renewal Support Group
Join this year’s support group for accredited land trusts preparing for a renewal application in 2024 or 2025. Learn more and apply.
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Expert Tips on Current Trends: Nonprofit Tech Round Table
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Wednesday, January 17, 2024 via Zoom
3:00-4:00pm
Cost: FREE How is your organization using AI? What policies do you need?
What is the new cybersecurity reality and what should you be doing now to better face the next threats? What is the new landscape for nonprofit IT? Cloud migration and consolidation?
Post pandemic are you remote/hybrid/in-person? What tech do you need for your nonprofit’s future? Google Workspace vs Microsoft vs Mac: where to find support?
Join Community IT for a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2024 and beyond. It’s like listening in on your smart friends talking about stuff you need to know about but don’t know who to ask, and it’s free.
Learn more and register on Community IT’s website.
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Casco Bay Coastal Academy: Climate Change and Drinking Water
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Thursday, January 18, 2024 via Zoom 12:00-1:00pm
Cost: FREE
Presented by Casco Bay Estuary Partnership
How is climate change impacting drinking water in coastal Maine, and what are some coastal and island communities doing to begin addressing these challenges? In this workshop, we will hear from a few island communities who have been taking steps to protect their drinking water, as well as from Ryan Gordon, Hydrogeologist with Maine Geological Survey. We will have a follow-up workshop at a later date that is focused on technical assistance and grant opportunities to address these challenges.
If you have any questions or need further information, please contact Victoria Boundy. Register here.
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New Statewide Retirement Savings Requirement: What Nonprofits Need to Know
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Thursday, January 18, 2024 via Zoom
2:00-3:00pm
Cost: $0-$15 for MANP Members + Nonmembers You are welcome to register for this event at no cost! But MANP welcomes financial support from those who are able to provide it
Does your nonprofit have five or more employees? Then you need to know about MERIT (Maine Retirement Investment Trust) – the new state requirement about retirement savings in the workplace.
Starting in 2024, organizations across the state with five or more employees will be required to offer a qualified retirement plan. The Maine Legislature created MERIT to help employers meet this new obligation without additional costs, contribution requirements, or the administrative burdens of providing their own program.
Join Maine Association of Nonprofits to learn more about the details and deadlines for employers under the Maine Retirement Savings Program legislation, including how to enroll in MERIT, or be exempted by offering your own retirement savings plan.
Learn more and register on MANP’s website.
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Grants Management
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Wednesday, January 24, 2024 via Zoom 10:00am- 1:00pm
Cost: $90 for MANP members*, $180 for non-members
This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Don’t know how to tell a funder that a grant isn’t going as planned? Unsure of why a funder always has a million follow-up questions after reviewing a grant report or why a renewal grant was declined? Having trouble getting needed data from teammates or in knowing what data the funder wants to see in a report? Knowing how to manage grants and grant relationships is just as crucial as the grant writing and application process. This training will cover all the bases on grant management.
Learn more and register on MANP’s website.
Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organizations MLTN membership status.
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Program Evaluation
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Thursday, January 25, 2024 via Zoom
10:00am-1:00pm
Cost: $90 for MANP members*, $180 for non-members
This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
This training will expose you to best practices for measuring true impact of your organization through methods for program evaluation. Learn how to capture “the why” of your organization, how to utilize logic models, basics of qualitative data gathering, and communicating your organization’s impact. Learn more and get the link to register on MANP’s website.
Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check your organizations MLTN membership status.
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Building Your Technology Tools for Monitoring
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Thursday, February 1, 2024 via Zoom 2:00-3:30pm
Cost: $75 for LTA members, $115 for non-members
Is your land trust looking to save time and money on monitoring? Join Kate Losey with the Land Trust Alliance, Christopher Young with Columbia Land Conservancy (accredited) and Hannah Espinosa with Northern California Regional Land Trust (accredited) as they discuss technology that can enhance your remote and field monitoring programs. Not only will you learn about new monitoring technology, you’ll get a look at some strategies to streamline your reporting with efficient data gathering and storage.
Learn more and register on LTA’s website.
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Jobs in the Conservation Sector
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January is always a busy time for recruitment! We have 26 new positions since our last Infoline, too many to list. Here are some highlights and view the full list on our website. Museum Technician – Acadia National Park
Maintenance Worker (Trails) – Acadia National Park
New England Program Coordinator – Land Trust Alliance
Richard G Rockefeller Conservation Internships – Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Development Lead – First Light
Downeast Land Relations Steward – The Nature Conservancy in Maine
Stewardship Field Assistant (seasonal) – The Nature Conservancy in Maine
Multiple Positions – Friends of Acadia
Farm Manager – Kittery Land Trust
Staff Forester/Senior Forester – New England Forestry Foundation
James W. Dow Summer Internship – Blue Hill Heritage Trust
Restoration Field Technicians – Schoodic Institute
Many Positions – Maine Conservation Corps
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Reminder: 2024 Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative Grants
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Submissions Due: 11:59pm on Friday, January 12, 2024 The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative is focused on providing access to the outdoors for grades 6-12 and this year has increased eligibility for schools and local educational providers throughout the state. There is $2 million available with $25,000 to $999,999 per program. Programs will run from mid-winter until September 1st, 2024.
These grants support hands-on, engaging, interdisciplinary outdoor learning and career exploration opportunities that connect students with Maine’s amazing natural environments and landscapes. This funding can potentially be used to facilitate outdoor learning programs before, during, or after school; on weekends; during school breaks and/or over the summer.
For more information, explore the 2024 Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative Request for Applications here. See RFA 202311223.
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Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Land Trust Grant Program
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Proposals Due: Friday, March 1, 2024 Want to accelerate and amplify land stewardship and bird conservation on your land trust lands? The Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative grant program 2024 RFP is open and will award around $230,000 to as many as 14 projects. Funds will be dispersed quickly, at the end of May/June. To learn more and apply for a grant, visit their Request for Proposals page.
Questions can be directed to: Sara Barker, Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Program Leader.
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