Pacific Northwest
In 2012, the Alliance launched the Oregon Advancing Conservation Excellence Program. In 2020, we expanded the program to include land trusts in Washington and Idaho. Through strategic investments, the program is helping land trusts throughout the region raise money, add staff, implement best practices, embrace new technology and be more inclusive. It is helping land trusts find meaningful ways to address the concerns of groups who have not traditionally been involved in land conservation. With new and diverse partners, land trusts are growing and sharing fresh produce, restoring salmon streams, bringing back native oysters, hosting outdoor community events and so much more. They are improving public health, connecting people to land and bringing diverse groups together in common cause. As they conserve natural resources, they are weaving strength into our social fabric.
"I always want to share how transformational the ACE program has been for us and for our land trust community, but I am forever at a loss of words here. How to adequately and articulately describe the impact? So much of it has been the less sexy support of our infrastructure — policies, procedures and systems. But without that support our land trust most certainly would not be where we are today. . We are much stronger together and ACE has been central to that. We are hugely grateful for all the generous support - not just financial, but intellectual and emotional! THANK YOU"
Learn more about the Oregon ACE program
Find the resources you need to strengthen your work.
The Land Trust Alliance empowers land trusts to do more as their people get more skilled, connected and inspired. We train thousands of people every year. We develop leaders. Catalyze partnerships. Share success stories.
Texas
The Texas Land Trust Advancement Initiative seeks to increase the on-the-ground conservation impact of the most active Alliance-member land trusts in Texas. We provide tailored training and direct assistance, coaching and mentoring for each organization, including assessing land trusts’ effectiveness, designing and implementing improvement plans, supporting accreditation preparation and developing their leadership. While the Initiative brings services to land trusts of all shapes and sizes, it targets organizations poised to advance organizational effectiveness. Based on our work in Texas and across the country, we know these land trusts can see significant impacts with relatively small yet thoughtful capacity investments. Our multi-year Initiative invests deeply in land trusts to advance their organizational capacity, strategic planning, leadership development, level of community engagement, long-term sustainability, intentional communications and outreach and engagement in policy and advocacy.
“I would compare the Texas Advancement Initiative grants to training wheels on a bike. We need those training wheels that provide the resources to get us up and riding the bike by ourselves. It may take a few years, but we can look back at the end of each grant period and see measurable progress. ”
