MLTN Infoline – March 3, 2026
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Join Us for LMF Day at the State House
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Please help us show Maine lawmakers that Maine people support LMF! Join us in Augusta on Thursday, March 12, to let legislators know we want them to fund the Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program this year. We hope you’ll consider attending and sharing this opportunity with your members. The day will begin at 8:30am with a check-in at the State House Welcome Center and an overview of the day. Then we’ll pack the halls of the State House to show our support for LMF. Please wear green and bring a homemade sign! The first 100 people to show up will receive a free t-shirt! Festivities will wrap up by noon. Learn more and RSVP here. LMF is the state’s most successful and popular land conservation program. Help us ensure it continues to remain strong into the future.
Hope to see you on the 12th,
Angela, Jeff, Katia, Megan, and Donna
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Governor Proposes Land for Maine’s Future Funding in Supplemental Budget
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Speaking of LMF, last week, Governor Mills proposed an amendment to her Supplemental Budget to address ongoing funding needs for Land for Maine’s Future (LMF). In testimony on Friday, Mills Administration officials presented language before two legislative committees that Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, and The Nature Conservancy developed over the past year with the Governor and Senate Majority Leader Teresa Pierce. As written, the amendment would direct 25% of the investment income realized on the state’s Budget Stabilization Fund (BSF) to LMF. How much money this generates will depend upon interest rates and how much principal is in the BSF. Based on other current proposals in the Supplemental Budget, we are estimating that this language would generate about $7 million for LMF in the next fiscal year (July 2026, through June 2027). There is still work to be done to enact this provision into law – see above, LMF Lobby Day on March 12. Stay tuned for additional updates and opportunities to support this initiative between now and when the legislature adjourns in mid-April. If you have any questions on this or other legislative issues, please contact MCHT Policy Director Jeff Romano.
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Practical Pointer Series from Land Trust Alliance
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Did you know the Land Trust Alliance has more than 80 Practical Pointers to help you with a wide range of questions and issues?
The Practical Pointer Series contains practical tips to help land trusts stay informed and navigate the risks associated with specific legal challenges in land conservation. These short, targeted informational documents cover everything from Assessing Insurance for Land Trusts to Siting Renewables on Conservation Easements to Baseline Documentation Reports and more! Each one can be viewed* or downloaded, and the Alliance updates them regularly.
Log on to landtrustalliance.org/resources/learn, hover your cursor on the Learn tab and navigate to Practical Pointers under the Ways to Learn section, or just click here.
*Note: LTA membership is requirement for many of the Practical Pointers, and the Land Trust Alliance is not rendering legal, accounting or other professional counsel. If a land trust requires legal advice or other expert assistance, seek the services of competent professionals.
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Relationships that Last: Cultivating Donor Engagement
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Thursday, March 5, 2026 via Zoom 1:00-3:00pm
Cost: $45 for MANP members*, $90 for non-members
This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Utah Nonprofits Association
You deeply care about and appreciate your donors because they are what make your vision and mission come to life. But with all the hats you wear, keeping up relationally can feel overwhelming. This session will help create a realistic, intentional approach to donor stewardship. You’ll explore ways to track donor engagement, plan meaningful stewardship actions, and build touchpoints that make donors feel valued. You’ll also learn how to involve your board and staff so stewardship becomes a shared, sustainable practice and not just one person’s responsibility.
Learn more and get code and link to register on partner website on MANP’s website.
*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact us to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.
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Designing High-Impact Annual Appeals
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Tuesday, March 10, 2026 via Zoom 10:00am-12:00pm
Cost: $40.50 for MANP members*, $45 for non-members; special deals for teams, too
This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Common Good Vermont
This interactive, hands-on workshop is designed for nonprofit professionals, volunteers, and board members who want to take their annual appeal to the next level. This session focuses on sharpening strategy, deepening donor-centered messaging, and expanding your annual appeal toolkit to increase engagement and response. Participants will learn how to gain clarity on the purpose of an appeal, explore what truly motivates donors to give, how to center a compelling and authentic case for support around the donor, and how to strengthen the structure, tone, and clarity of their ask. We’ll also dig into how to align your message across different outreach channels to create a cohesive campaign—and where to personalize.
This workshop emphasizes practical application: participants will actively work on their own appeal during the session, receive guidance and feedback, and leave with clearer messaging, stronger framing, and concrete next steps they can immediately implement.
Visit MANP’s website to learn more and get the code and link to register on partner website.
*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact us to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.
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How to Find and Conserve Late-Successional and Old-Growth (LSOG) Forest in Your Area
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Wednesday, March 11, 2026 via Zoom 2:00-3:30pm
Cost: FREE
Presented by: Ben Shamgochian and John Hagan
In 2024, Our Climate Common used LiDAR (light detection and ranging) to map late-successional and old-growth (LSOG) forest for most of Maine (see 2024 report). LSOG forest is often more than 150 years old, ecologically exceptional, and uncommon or rare. Moreover, this mapping work showed that LSOG forest is still being lost at a high rate.
Maine land trusts could play a leading role in conserving remaining LSOG forest. Although the current LSOG map is for the northern/eastern/western two-thirds of Maine, it could be developed for the organized territories as well. The presenters have identified many LSOG stands in both the organized and unorganized townships of Maine that have no protection. They will review some of these areas during the workshop. But more importantly, they will teach you how to use the map yourself for your area of interest.
Learn more and register at https://ourclimatecommon.org/lsog-conservation-workshop/.
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Grow Your Major Gift Confidence – Strategies for Stronger Relationships & Bigger Asks
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Thursday, March 12, 2026 via Zoom 10:00am-12:00pm
Cost: $40.50 for MANP members*, $45 for non-members; special deals for teams, too
This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Common Good Vermont
Are you ready to elevate your major gifts practice and step into donor conversations with clarity, confidence, and purpose? This workshop is designed to deepen your skills, strengthen your presence, and unlock larger, more meaningful gifts. You will learn a practical, human-centered approach to major donor engagement that reduces anxiety, builds authentic connection, and leads to more successful asks. Participants will learn how to:
Visit MANP’s website to learn more and get code and link to register on partner’s website.
*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact us to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.
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Lead from Strengths – Building Collaborative Leadership from the Inside Out
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Thursday, March 12, 2026 via Zoom
1:00-2:30pm
Cost: $45 for MANP members*, $65 for non-members
Scholarships available for MANP members! Prior to registering, email your scholarship request to and be sure to include your name and organization. Designed for any nonprofit leader managing a team or influencing collaboration, this session helps participants uncover their unique leadership strengths and values to foster authentic collaboration and trust. Through guided reflection and discussion, participants will explore how their personal leadership style impacts relationships and teamwork, and how to intentionally apply their strengths to strengthen communication, build alignment, and create values-driven collaboration across roles, teams, and organizations. Participants will leave with clarity on their leadership approach and practical strategies for using their strengths to lead collaboratively and effectively.
Visit MANP’s website to learn more and get code and link to register on partner’s website.
*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact us to check your organization’s MLTN membership status.
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Best Practices for Notices of Approval for Conservation Easements
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Thursday, April 2, 2026 via Zoom 2:00-3:30pm Cost: $75 for LTA members, $140 for non-members A landowner with a conservation easement has let your organization know they want to exercise a reserved right on their land. Your response must be legally sound and protect the conservation values of the property. This webinar will guide best practices for this type of situation. This webinar will benefit you if you are a trust staff member or volunteer who review approval requests, draft approval letters, interpret conservation easement terms for landowners, or navigate tricky stewardship issues. Presenters will provide a practical overview designed to orient newer land trust staff and volunteers, and offer more experienced practitioners actionable insights to strengthen their approval practices. Here’s a look at what will be covered:
Learn more and register on LTA’s website.
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Jobs in the Conservation Sector
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Lots of great positions coming into our job board! Here are the newest postings or view the full list of open positions here. Refuge Forestry Technician – Forest Stewards Guild
Events Manager – Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Seasonal Trail Crew Leader – Inland Woods + Trails
Seasonal Trail Crew – Inland Woods + Trails
Island Caretaker (2 seasonal positions) – Maine Island Trail Association
Environmental Education Interns – Maine Audubon
Biological Science and Volunteer Engagement Technician – Schoodic Institute
Nature Day Camp Counselor – Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Water Quality Intern – 30 Mile River Watershed Association
BRLT Summer Intern – Boothbay Region Land Trust
Maine Service Fellow – Hancock County Planning Commission
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Whole Foods Garden Grants Program
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Applications due: March 15, 2026
Kids who grow veggies, eat veggies, so school gardens can make a big difference. Through their Garden Grant program, Whole Foods helps schools turn outdoor spaces into powerful hands-on learning gardens that connect kids with food, spark their curiosity and support classroom curriculum. While only schools are eligible for the grants, land trusts could collaborate with schools in their regions to take advantage of this opportunity. The Garden Grant program provides a $3,500 monetary grant to support a new or existing edible educational garden located at a K–12 School in the U.S. or Canada. Many land trusts partner with a local school to create an educational garden for students.
You can find a copy of the 2026 Garden Grant application here along with a new eligibility flowchart here. Watch recording of the 2026 Garden Grant Overview webinar here.
Learn more at the Whole Foods Market Foundation website.
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