MLTN Infoline – July 8, 2026

New Transaction Assistance Grant Program from MLTN

We are excited to announce another brand new grant program to support Maine Land Trust Network members – the Transaction Assistance Grant or “TAG” Program. The goal of this new program is to accelerate the pace of land conservation by providing financial assistance to land trusts for transaction-related project costs. It is generously supported by the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation. 

MLTN recognizes that there are many transaction-related expenses that land trusts incur when conserving a property. The goal of the TAG program is to help conservation organizations offset the cost of the following expenses: 

• Appraisal Work (Appraisal, Appraisal Review, Appraisal Update) 
• Title Work (Title Search, Title Certificate, Title Insurance) 
• Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I and Phase II ESAs) 
• Surveys 
• Legal and Recording Fees 

Applicants must be 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations with a mission dedicated to land conservation in Maine, as well as current members of the Maine Land Trust Network. Projects for which funding is requested must be located within Maine and can be a purchase, bargain-sale, or donation of any conservation easement or fee property, to be held by the applicant and protected in perpetuity. Applications for TAG grants will be accepted monthly, with applications being due on the last day of a given month as long as funds are available. Read the full guidelines and applications questions here. 

We look forward to speaking with you about your transaction expense needs!

Angela, Megan, Jeff, Katia, and Donna

New Conservation GIS User Group for MLTN Forum

We’ve started a new MLTN Forum Group for Conservation GIS users. It’s a place for folks in Maine conservation, particularly Maine Land Trust Network members, to talk about all things GIS. You can ask questions, share available resources, and discuss challenges with your peers.

If you are already on Basecamp, you can join the GIS User Group by emailing us at , and if you aren’t on Basecamp yet you can sign up on our website here first, and then let us know you’d like to participate in the GIS group. 

Between Sessions Policy Studies

While the state legislature adjourned in late April, there are a handful of working groups and task forces meeting this summer and fall, tackling public policy issues likely to resurface next year. Maine Coast Heritage Trust serves on one of the groups and is closely tracking the other two to evaluate potential impacts any future recommendations may have on the work of land trusts around the state:

• Real Estate Property Tax Relief Task Force In year two of an effort that began with legislation enacted in 2025, this task force has mostly focused on strengthening existing tax relief programs like the Homestead Exemption and the Property Tax Fairness Credit. However, at times some task force members have raised concerns about Maine’s current use tax programs (Tree Growth, Open Space, Farmland, and Working Waterfront) as well as property tax exempt organizations including land trusts. They expect to finalize their recommendations this fall.
• Late-Successional and Old-Growth Forest Conservation Strategies Work Group In 2025, the legislature asked the Maine Forest Service, subject to available funds, to “develop a comprehensive report on statewide strategies to enhance the conservation of late-successional forests and old-growth forests.” The working group held its first meeting earlier this year and is scheduled to present its findings to the legislature in January.
• Maine Data Center Advisory Council Governor Mills formed this Council through an executive order in late April after successfully vetoing a legislative proposal that included something similar, along with other provisions she felt were too broad. The Governor has asked the advisory council to provide strategic input, facilitate coordinated state planning, and evaluate policy tools to address large-scale data center opportunities and related benefits and risks to the State of Maine. They are specifically looking at potential environmental issues, energy concerns, and economic development opportunities.   

For more information on any of these efforts, please contact MCHT Policy Director Jeff Romano.

Citizen & Community Science: Designing Projects for Research and Engagement

July 17 – September 1, 2026

This 36-hour noncredit course offers participants a deep understanding of the purpose and promise of citizen and community science, also called participatory science. Through this course, participants will gain practical skills in designing projects that target specific audiences, collect meaningful data, and engage and educate project participants and volunteers. Taught by experienced professionals Malin Clyde and Alyson Eberhardt, who have decades of experience working with volunteers in scientific research, the course builds on the University of New Hampshire’s longstanding leadership in the field of citizen science.

This course is fully online and designed to be flexible, with participants engaging with materials like videos, directed activities, and online discussions on their own schedules. Optional Zoom sessions with the instructors will offer opportunities for live interaction. Open to a wide range of individuals, including scientists, educators, and community volunteers, the course will be valuable for anyone looking to engage the public in authentic scientific research across various disciplines.

Learn more, watch the free webinar “What is Citizen Science? A Free Webinar to Get You Started,” and enroll at the UNH website. 

Prevention, Action, Change Bystander Intervention Training

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

2:00-4:00pm

Momentum Conservation, 22 Monument Square, Suite 601, Portland

Cost: a fee of $15 is requested to sign up, but if cost is a barrier, free and sliding scale options are available

Do you want to support community safety in outdoor spaces? P.A.C. will be bringing their Bystander Intervention Training to this training, hosted by Momentum Conservation, to further communication skills development and identify biases in community spaces. Participants will also improve individual boundary-setting and practice quality intervention techniques to change conversations going forward.

We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe on the trails, and these skills can take practice! Since 2016, this program has helped over 6,000 individuals in the Maine community improve their awareness and relationships.

Visit Momentum Conservation‘s website to learn more and sign up. Contact Lindy, lindy@momentumconservation.org, with any questions.

Forest for Maine Fish

Wednesday, July 22, 2026 via Zoom

12:00-1:00pm

Cost: FREE but registration is required

Join Sally Stockwell, Director of Conservation at Maine Audubon, as she  introduces us to Forests for Maine Fish—an exciting new collaborative program that highlights the vital connections between our forests, fish, and shoreland wildlife. During this presentation, you’ll learn about the diverse aquatic and terrestrial species that depend on healthy, well-managed forests along streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. Sally will also share practical recommendations for how landowners and stewards can ensure these forests provide the habitat features that fish and wildlife need to thrive.

Whether you’re actively managing land or simply care about protecting Maine’s natural resources, this is a great opportunity to deepen your understanding and make a positive impact.

Register now. 

Inspiring Action: How to Tell Authentic and Persuasive Stories

Thursday, August 6, 2026 via Zoom

9:00am-3:00pm

The COMMUNITY: Maine’s Nonprofit Hub, 700 Mount Hope Ave, Suite 101, Bangor

Cost: $99 for MANP members*, $149 for non-members

Regardless of our titles, all nonprofit professionals and volunteers need to make connections that inspire people to action – whether on a project committee, in a meeting with a prospective donor, at a volunteer recruitment event, or pitching a corporate partner. We need to connect in ways that are authentic and differentiating. 

Authenticity is what ultimately inspires people to take action. As Simon Sinek so passionately shares in his How Great Leaders Inspire Action TED Talk, engaging audiences and telling stories that move people means shifting your focus from whats and hows to whys. Coming from a place of authenticity helps you feel something, empathize and make much needed connections.

How do we do this in a believable way? How do we go from being effective presenters to engaging storytellers? And, perhaps most importantly, how do we make meaningful connections within the first few minutes of conversation?

Learn more and register at MANP’s website.

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

Beginner Grantseeking

Tuesday, August 11, 2026 via Zoom

10:00am-1:00pm

Cost: $95 for MANP members*, $135 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 your 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 to learn more and get link and code to register at partner website.

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

Latest Posting on Our Jobs Page

Our jobs page is known as one of the best places to find available positions at land conservation organizations and other environmental nonprofits. Here are the most recent postings. View the full list at any time on our website. 

Seasonal Park Ranger – City of South Portland

Director of School Partnerships & Programs – Hearty Roots

Field Team Member Maine – Conservation Corps

Environmental Educator – Island Heritage Trust

Forest Stewards Apprentice – Forest Stewards Guild

Finance & Operations Coordinator – 30 Mile River Watershed Association

Executive Director – Tin Mountain Conservation Center

Development & Communications Associate – Downeast Salmon Federation

Director of Finance and Administration – Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust

Administrative Assistant, Office of the President – Gulf of Maine Research Institute

Maine Trails Program Online Grant Application Portal is Now Live

Applications Due: by 6:00pm on July 17, 2026

The Maine Trails Program Online Grant Application Portal is now live! Applicants may now create an account, begin a new application, upload required documents, and submit their applications electronically through the portal. Here are a few related reminders:

• Paper applications will continue to be accepted on a limited basis. Applications submitted by email will not be accepted.
• The transition to an online portal does not change the application requirements. The application questions, required attachments, and supporting documentation remain the same as outlined in the Program Guidance document.
• Prospective applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Submittable platform by watching this short tutorial video from Submittable.

Get all the information about grant eligibility, application process, FAQs and more on the Maine Trails Program website. Access the online application portal here.