MLTN Infoline – October 1, 2024

October 2, 2024|Infoline

Working Together for Appraisal Success

Throughout the past few years, we’ve consistently heard frustration coming from all sides around conservation appraisals, so we set out to see what we could do improve that situation. We found some great partners in that effort, including the Land Trust Alliance (LTA), and together we are making headway.

A few months back, we shared a new resource document we put together – a Checklist for Maine Land Trusts Working with Real Estate Appraisers. We hope you have had a chance to take a look. We’ve also been working diligently with LTA to encourage Maine licensed real estate appraisers to branch out into the field of conservation appraisals, with some good results.

Now, we’re offering a free webinar, Working Together for Appraisal Success, on Thursday, October 31 at 10:00am. In the webinar, we’ll discuss this ongoing effort, hear first-hand from a Maine appraiser about how we can work together to achieve success, and share ideas on how to keep this effort moving forward. Register now!

Costumes are optional 😊

Angela, Jeff, and Donna

Lunch & Learn: Casual Rally Share

Thursday, October 10 via Zoom

12:00-1:00pm

Whether you are still riding a high from a great time at the Land Trust Alliance Rally or you weren’t able to make it to Providence for the fun, we hope you’ll join us for a chance to connect with your peers from Maine and share learnings from the national Rally, and hear what inspired attendees and what they want to learn more about.

We took the summer off from doing the Lunch & Learn sessions, so this will be a chance to reconnect and hear what we’ve all been up to. We’ll keep it super casual, so bring your lunch and you don’t have to do a thing to prepare. Just sign on!

Yes on 4!

With less than six weeks until the November 5th election, the coalition working to promote passage of Question 4, the Maine Trails Bond, is busy reaching out to voters around the state. After formally launching the campaign in early September, the Partnership for Maine Trails unveiled a “Yes on 4” website with information outlining the many benefits of this 4-year, $30 million investment to upgrade and expand Maine’s outdoor recreational trail network. Visit the website today to learn how you can support the campaign’s outreach efforts by “making a plan” to vote, distributing materials at upcoming events, sharing support through social media, and writing letters to the editor.

For more information contact MCHT’s Jeff Romano.

Seeking 100% Participation in the 2024 Maine Land Trust Census

MLTN is conducting a census that will help us gain comprehensive information about the current state of Maine’s land trusts. This is the fourth census we have conducted (2009, 2015, 2019, and now 2024) to understand more about the operations, impact, and trends that are relevant to the land trust movement. We will use this data to provide valuable information back to you and others in the conservation community, to help guide the work of the MLTN, and to support advocacy for beneficial public policy and land conservation funding.

This week, we’ll be emailing instructions and links to view and complete the census survey to the main contact at each land trust as listed on the MLTN website. Please ensure that a designated representative within your land trust will take the lead on completing the census — we seek only one submission per trust, and want to be sure you’re not duplicating your efforts!

We are seeking 100% participation from Maine land trusts, and ask that all organizations complete the census by Friday, November 22. To express our appreciation, each participating organization will be entered into a drawing to receive a cash donation. Two gifts of $500 and one gift of $1,000 will be awarded to three participating organizations.

If you have any questions about the census or require assistance, please contact Donna Bissett. Thank you in advance for your participation in this important project that benefits all Maine land trusts!

DIY Trail User and Visitor Research

Friday, October 11, 2024 via Zoom

10:00-11:15am

Cost: FREE

Many trails, preserves, recreation areas, historic sites and heritage areas are managed and promoted by small-to-mid-sized organizations led by all-volunteer boards or small staffs with volunteer support. Groups like these can be short on resources to hire a consultant to spearhead research about visitors and recreational users, or collect and analyze their own data. That means they may miss out on the many ways in which understanding visitors and users can help their organizations better plan, educate, promote, manage and advocate.

MCHT has partnered with Harbinger Consultancy to develop a new visitor research guide and offer a pair of webinars to complement the guide. In this first webinar, join Michele Archie, Harbinger Consultancy principal, to learn about the new Conducting and Using Visitor and Recreational User Research Do-It-Yourself Guide and Toolkit. After this session, you will:

Be familiar with the guide and the resources it provides to support low-cost, DIY research.
Understand how to make a research plan that fits your organization, situation and resources.
Know what information you need to collect if you want to estimate the economic impact of your trails and outdoor recreation.

The second webinar, Using the Findings from DIY Trail User and Visitor Research, takes place on October 25th at 10:00am and will build on the ideas discussed in this workshop. Learn more here. Register for the October 25 webinar now.

Don’t Convince, Connect!

Sunday, October 20, 2024

9:30am-4:30pm

Nonantum Resort, 95 Ocean Avenue, Kennebunkport

Cost: $200-250 (regularly $399), thanks to program partners at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm

Trainers: the Yes And Nature Collaborative, in town for one weekend only for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Conference

Are you looking to connect with new audiences or engage meaningfully with people who have differing viewpoints? This full-day, hands-on workshop will teach you how to turn difficult interactions into productive discussions.

This workshop is designed to turn difficult interactions into productive discussions. You’ll develop skills in deep listening, releasing judgment, fostering authentic curiosity, and speaking with presence. By the end of the day, you’ll have the tools to ‘connect rather than convince,’ the essential first step in building trust and making your work relevant to more people.

Ideal for environmental and conservation professionals seeking to enhance their communication skills and gain confidence in engaging with any audience. Register today.

Using Stories to Expand Learning

Thursday, October 24, 2024 via Zoom

3:00-4:30pm

Cost: $67.50 for MANP members*, $75 for non-members

This session is part of the Design for Deeper Learning Annual Series hosted by Nancy Bacon Consulting

For millennia, Native peoples have used stories to unlock learning. Stories introduce cultural humility, expose cultural biases, and show us how preconceived notions influence how we learn and retain information. When we harness the power of stories in our learning and development programs, we can better understand our audience and build inclusive learning, using the Native American culture as an example.

This session will use a storytelling method to introduce how cultural considerations and lived experiences can influence how one learns. Through mini-lessons and stories, you will experience a cultural way of teaching from Indigenous cultures.

Learn more and register at MANP’s website.

*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check you organization’s MLTN membership status.

From Financial Freakout to Prosperous Nonprofit

Tuesday, October 29, 2024 via Zoom

2:00-3:30pm

Cost: $75 for LTA members, $115 for non-members

Understanding your financials is essential to grow your land trust’s bottom line and conservation impact. It can be difficult for busy executive directors, new program managers, or working board members to know what numbers are important and how to find them. Cut through the overwhelm and get your land trust on the track to prosperity. Here’s a look at what will be covered:

The most important financial statements you should be reviewing.
How to calculate key metrics to understand the financial health of your organization and tell your financial story.
The key elements of building a useful and accurate budget and incorporating forecasting into your monthly routine.
Tie-ins to relevant Land Trust Standards & Practices, and Accreditation Requirements

Learn more and register on LTA’s website.

Full Cost Accounting

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 via Zoom

12:00-2:30pm

Cost: $65 for MANP members*, $115 for non-members

This event is possible thanks to a partnership between Maine Association of Nonprofits and Montana Nonprofit Association

Explore how to apply the principles of True Program Costing to your organization’s budget. Learn how to setup your accounting system to show a current representation of programming, revenues, expenses, and total all-in costs for each program, giving yourself a glimpse into true program sustainability. This workshop will take a detailed look at the process from start to finish, giving you all the tools you need to overhaul your financial systems.

After completing this webinar, participants will be able to explain the Full Cost Accounting approach for nonprofits, and to identify key components of their accounting system that need to be adjusted to accommodate a full cost accounting method.

Learn more and get a link to register on partner website, visit MANP’s website.

*Most MLTN members are MANP members. Contact Donna to check you organization’s MLTN membership status.

Red Alerts and Red Herrings: Communicating During Crisis

Thursday, October 31, 2024 via Zoom

2:00-3:30pm

Cost: $75 for LTA members, $115 for non-members

Everything has been running smoothly at your land trust when suddenly, a crisis hits: an easement violation, a problematic donor, someone is bad-mouthing you online. How do you handle it? How do you communicate with your members, donors and community? How do you know if this is even a crisis? Avoid getting spooked and attend this webinar if you are a land trust staff member, board member or volunteer in any role who speaks with people outside of your organization.

Brandon Hayes and Patrick Williams of Bold Bison Communications & Consulting will share skills to banish any specter of doubt about your organization’s ability to communicate during a crisis. You’ll also get a chance to practice skills during breakout sessions.

Learn more and register on LTA’s website.

Jobs in the Conservation Sector

There are some big opportunities here for the right people! View the full list on mltn.org.

Executive Director – Royal River Conservation Trust

President and CEO – Maine Farmland Trust

Piscataquis River Project Manager – Atlantic Salmon Federation

Habitat Restoration Project Manager – Atlantic Salmon Federation

Land Use Manager – 30 Mile River Watershed Association

Did You Know? MCHT Merger Assistance Fund

Applications accepted on a rolling basis

Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) has established a fund to assist land trusts seeking stronger organizational health and effectiveness through advanced collaboration, structural realignment, or merger with other organizations. Maximum grant size is $10,000. Organizations can collaborate to operate more effectively in many ways, up to and including merger. This grant assists organizations determining if a higher level of collaboration is in their best interest, including nuts and bolts costs for organizations pursuing a merger. These needs may include, but are not limited to:

Consultant/facilitator time to guide merger discussions within and between organizations.
Legal costs associated with all aspects of such a merger.
Costs associated with the review of and due diligence for the transfer of assets including fee lands and conservation easements. For example, title work and insurance, hazardous waste inspections.
Stewardship costs such as the creation of missing baseline data, boundary work, and management plans and other costs associated with bringing preserves up to the standards of the new/remaining organization.
Initial marketing costs that result from a merger (e.g., new logo, website changes, signage).

View the Merger Fund Guidelines.

The MCHT Land Trust Merger Fund provides support for these and other needs. Because every merger of conservation organizations is unique, interested groups are encouraged to contact Angela Twitchell by email or phone (207-729-7366) before submitting a proposal.