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    To take on new challenges in an ever-increasing complex world, land trusts may need outside help from time to time.

    With support from an anonymous donor, the Land Trust Alliance, in partnership with the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition, is offering grants to Massachusetts land trusts to address organizational fundamentals, advanced risk management, or accreditation preparation. Organizations can apply for grants between $10,000 to $15,000.

    Thanks to our partner

    Eligible projects include:

    Activities that address barriers to sustainability and durability, such as succession planning, fundraising/expanding base of support, financial management, strategic planning or strategic collaboration with other organizations, up to and including merger and consolidation, organizational assessments, risk management, and other activities to increase compliance with Land Trust Standards and Practices.

    Activities that support land trusts seeking to qualify for Terrafirma conservation defense liability insurance and become better conservation stewards. Guided by Terrafirma eligibility requirements, grant funds could be used to help land trusts implement best practices for transactions, stewardship and recordkeeping. Eligible activities could include recordkeeping, annual monitoring and/or developing a system for annual monitoring, property management plans and baseline documentation and current condition reports.

    Activities that support land trusts pursuing accreditation, including guided gap assessment, efforts to review and update records, implement best practices and/or prepare an accreditation application.

    This grant opportunity is meant to have an immediate impact on a project that can be meaningfully addressed within 12 months.  

    Grant funds will be available as early as July 2026 and projects must be completed by July 31, 2027. Project reports will be due to the Alliance by Sept. 30, 2027. 

    Apply now

    Grant details

    • Grant requests can range from $10,000- $15,000.  

    • There is no match requirement. 

    • Allowed expenses include staff time, consultants, equipment, trainings and meetings, and other project expenses. 

    • A maximum of 10% of total project expenses can be included in the project budget as overhead.  

    Eligibility requirements

    • Grantee must be a current member of the Land Trust Alliance or Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition. 

    • Grantee must be a Massachusetts-based land trust.  

    • Grantee must have the capacity to complete the project no later than Aug. 31, 2027. 

    • Grantee must be a 501c3 organization. 

    Example eligible costs

    • Staff time, interns or consultant capacity for short-term project-based work tied to clear organizational improvement goals.

    • Resources, tools, systems such as financial management systems, GIS mapping software or tools to improve land management planning, donor management CRMs or other operational infrastructure.

    • Trainings and meetings.

    • Paying staff or interns for short-term, project-based work tied to clear organizational improvement goals, such as recordkeeping or baseline documentation reports. 

    • Terrafirma registration fees.

    Example ineligible activities

    • Activities outside of the grant timeline.

    • Purchasing land or conservation easements.

    • Paying for property taxes or annual premiums for liability insurance, including Terrafirma.

    • Covering rent or utility bills.

    • Paying regular staff salaries without a clear connection to a short-term improvement project.

    • Donor premiums (like t-shirts or mugs).

    • Lobbying.

    Selection criteria

    We encourage land trusts who haven’t participated in previous Massachusetts Advancing Conservation Excellence programming (e.g., fundraising training and assessments and/or organizational capacity assessments) to apply. Priority will be given to applications that do one or more of the following:

    • Describe a project that clearly strengthens the land trust’s organizational fundamentals, addresses barriers to sustainability and durability, provides advanced risk management, or prepares the organization to apply for accreditation.

    • Is proposed by an organization that demonstrates readiness and the ability to complete the project by Aug. 31, 2027.

    • Secondary criteria: Is proposed by an organization who has not yet directly participated in the Massachusetts Advancing Conservation Excellence programming.

    Process and timeline

    Date
    Activity
    March 30, 2026
    Request for proposals opens.
    March 30–May 8, 2026:
    Optional: If you want to discuss your proposal idea, please reach out to Jen Plowden at jplowden@lta.org.
    May 8, 2026
    Grant proposals due.
    June 30, 2026
    Grantee(s) notified of grant award.
    July, 2026
    Grant funds distributed to grantees.
    December 2026
    Check-in call with Alliance staff.
    July 31, 2027
    Project must be completed.
    Sept. 30, 2027
    Grant report due.

    Questions?

    Reach out.