Share

    Land Trust Accreditation is awarded to land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence. Congratulations on being an accredited land trust!

    Every five years land trusts must apply for renewal of accreditation. It can be a daunting task to keep up with systems and procedures that ensure continued compliance with Land Trust Standards and Practices and to maintain proper records to streamline the renewal application process.

    We can help! Join this year's support group for accredited land trusts preparing for a renewal application in 2026, 2027 or the first round of 2028. This is optional, of course, but if you choose to participate, it may help keep your land trust on track. We will begin in February 2026 with an introduction session on Dec. 10.

    We have contracted with Sarah Naperala of Naperala Consulting to guide you through discussions on a variety of topics important for staying accredited, including: changes to the Accreditation requirements, common problem areas with renewal applications, ideas for streamlining processes, checklists to make sure your new practices become engrained in the organizational culture, addressing expectations for improvement and ideas for setting up an accreditation team that suits your needs.

    Eligibility and participation

    • Must be an accredited Land Trust Alliance member applying for renewal in 2026, 2027 or the first round of 2028. Visit the accreditation website to find your accreditation round.

    • Must be a member of the Land Trust Alliance.

    • One person must fill out the application for the program.

    • There is no fee for participation.

    Attendance is voluntary. However, this is a participatory program. Each session may apply to certain people and not others, and to the extent you can attend regularly, your experience will be better for it!

    Activities

    Primer

    On Jan. 21, 2026, we will hold a 90-minute “Staying Accredited” webinar to review general advice on maintaining accreditation with style and grace. Separate registration for this webinar will be required to attend.

    Four subject-based discussions annually

    Early in the year we will address the four subject buckets that the accreditation indicator elements are divided into: Governance, Finance, Transactions and Stewardship.

    Application cohort mentoring

    Six weeks prior to the application date we will hold a 60-minute help session for those land trusts in the current round. You will get your questions answered as you approach the final stretch.

    “Office hours”

    We will hold an informal open call for questions and answers three times a year.

    Program details

    • Your land trust must fill out the questionnaire to be part of the program.

    • Up to 4 people per organization can join the support group. However, from time to time you may want to invite others to a meeting, and that is encouraged.

    • We will record training presentations but will not record discussion sessions. The recorded trainings will be made available to support group members.

    • The Land Trust Accreditation Commission is an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance and no advice provided through this support group can guarantee a successful renewal application. Participation in this support group is not required for renewal.

    Apply

    Our introductory meeting takes place Dec. 10, 2025 (it will be recorded) with a “Staying Accredited Primer” in January and training meetings on February 11, March 18, April 15 and May 20 in 2026. Specific cohort meetings will be scheduled for your convenience. If interested in joining, please fill out the questionnaire as soon as possible. We will continue to accept new applications into 2026.

    Questions? Please contact us.