Learn Practice Element 6A4: Building and Maintaining Operating Reserves

This guidance covers Practice Element 6A4: Build and maintain sufficient operating reserves to sustain operations.

Land Trust Standards and Practices, Practice 6A. Fiscal Health, includes five elements. This module addresses Practice 6A3: Assess the nature and variability of revenue and seek to diversify funding sources.

Land Trust Standards and Practices, Practice 6A. Fiscal Health, includes five elements. This module addresses Practice 6A2: Develop and implement a strategy to address any deficit-spending trends.

Land Trust Standards and Practices, Practice 6A. Fiscal Health, includes five elements. This module addresses Practice 6A5: Build and maintain dedicated or restricted funds sufficient to cover the long-term costs of stewarding and defending the land trust's land and conservation easements.

This guidance covers Practice 6A: Fiscal Health.

One size does not fit all when it comes to operating reserves. Despite the importance of the issue, there is no simple formula or benchmark. To answer the question of “how much,” an organization must examine revenue streams and spending levels.

Land Trust Standards and Practices, Practice 11B: Baseline Documentation Report, includes three elements. This module addresses the third element, 11B3.

Land Trust Standards and Practices, Practice 9G: Recordkeeping, includes three elements. This module addresses the second element, 9G2.