Transaction Assistance Grant (TAG) Program
Overview
The Transaction Assistance Grant (TAG) Program seeks to accelerate the pace of land conservation by providing financial assistance to land trusts for transaction-related project costs. TAG responds to immediate conservation needs and is designed to get funding on the ground efficiently and effectively.
Applications for TAG grants will be accepted monthly, with applications due on the last day of a given month as long as funds are available (see grant guidance for due dates). Applicants may only submit one application for one project per due date but may apply for multiple transaction expenses within the same grant application.
Please refer to the grant guidance document for a comprehensive overview of the TAG program and evaluation criteria. Contact Angela Twitchell () with questions or to discuss a project before submitting an application.
Eligibility
APPLICANTS
- Must be submitted by a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission dedicated to land conservation in Maine.
- Projects must be located within ME 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.
- Applicant is a current member of MLTN.
ELIGIBLE TRANSACTION COSTS
- 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
IMPORTANT
Please note that this form must be completed in a single session. There is no option to save your progress and return later.
We recommend drafting your responses in a separate document (e.g., Word, Google Docs, or a text editor) and then copying and pasting them into the form when you’re ready to submit. This helps ensure your answers are complete and prevents any loss of information.
Grant Awards
For the 2026 TAG cycle, no more than $20,000 will be awarded to any single applicant. For land trusts with service areas spanning more than one municipality, this $20,000 maximum applies to each municipality in which the land trust operates. Applicants will be notified whether their projects have been selected for funding two weeks after application due date. Grant funds will be disbursed based on the process outline in the grant application.
Please refer to the grant guidance document for detailed information on grant awards, process, and reporting requirements. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Angela Twitchell at .