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    You are invited to participate in a regional networking and training opportunity designed to give newer land trust executive directors the opportunity to increase practical knowledge, enhance core competencies and gain valuable skills for land trust leadership while developing peer relationships to support you.

    As leaders, you need a strong support system. Research shows that actively engaging with a network of your peers to give and receive support by sharing ideas, resources and experiences can improve job performance and satisfaction.

    "This experience helped me tackle challenging situations with our organization and connected me to a wealth of knowledge and support."

    - Julie Rubsam, HeadWaters Land Conservancy 

    Eligibility and expectations

    This group is open to newer executive directors of Land Trust Alliance member land trusts in the Eastern half of the U.S.*

    If you’ve been in your current job for three years or fewer, or if you are a past group member, this group is for you!

    Past peer groups have had an equal number of people who are new to land trusts but experienced nonprofit leaders and people experienced with land trusts but new to an executive leadership role.

    This is an active participation group. The group depends on sharing information and experience with one another. Peers will prioritize the monthly meetings and pair experiences and will be available to support one another from time to time. You can expect Land Trust Alliance staff to organize Zoom meetings, provide an online forum, connect you with resources, bring in subject matter experts, answer questions and support you and your peers through this experience.

    *This includes Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

    Program elements

    There are three elements to this program — click each below to learn more.

    My biggest takeaway was the overall feeling of acceptance and that I was not alone. Talking with other people in the same boat was really helpful and provided me with confidence that I was doing well.
    — Tate Emerson, Killbuck Watershed Land Trust

    Cost, commitment and confidentiality

    This opportunity requires active participation. Participants are expected to commit their time and energy to this group through regular attendance on the monthly calls, to be willing to meet with peers to share knowledge and support one another and to contribute to discussions in a form and level they are comfortable with.

    Thanks to generous support by foundations and individual donors, there is no fee required to join this peer group.

    To engage in open dialogue and help foster trust, all conversations will be considered confidential. We occasionally will record content-based presentations or trainings, but to encourage free and frank dialogue, we will not record breakout conversations. Recordings will not be made public. They are intended for personal use by group members only. In addition, we will review a set of proposed group ground rules during our first meeting and adapt them to our group’s needs to help set our expectations for our time together.

    "Your obligation is that of active participation. You should not act as knowledge-absorbing sponges, but as whetstones on which we can all sharpen our wits."
    — Edsger W. Dijkstra, systems scientist and computer science pioneer

    Time frame

    Feb. 5, 2026: Host introductory call and gather input on learning topics and group norms.

    March 2026 – January 2027: 90-minute monthly calls generally on the first Thursday of the month at 11 a.m. Eastern/10 a.m. Central, tentative schedule below. Dates not on first Thursdays are asterisked.

    Meeting dates (subject to change)
    Thursday, Feb. 5
    Thursday, Aug. 6
    Thursday, March 5
    September TBD*
    Thursday, April 16*
    Thursday, Oct. 1
    Thursday, May 7
    Thursday, Nov. 5
    Thursday, June 4
    Thursday, Dec. 3
    Thursday, July 9*
    Thursday, Jan. 7, 2027

    Questions? Please contact us.

    Apply

    Eligible people are requested to fill out an online application, estimated to take five to ten minutes. Land Trust Alliance staff will review your responses and use them to help shape our time together, incorporating your learning priorities and leveraging your knowledge to help other peers learn. Basic contact information and information about your areas of expertise will be shared with other group members.

    We plan to have our first meeting on Feb. 5. Please respond by Jan. 23 to ensure you receive an invitation. We will continue to review new applications received by Sep. 30

    Apply now