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    Find the right membership for your organization.

    Land Trust Alliance members are land trusts, conservation professionals, agencies, state associations and nonprofits working in land conservation.

    The Alliance membership program offers five types of memberships that are available for land trusts, nonprofits, government agencies, state associations and professional businesses. Each membership type has their own eligibility criteria, dues level structure and explanation on “how to” calculate annual dues. All membership types have access to same resources, member accounts, benefits and support. All membership types, except professional affiliate membership*, provides member accounts and benefits to everyone who conducts work on behalf of the organization, including FT/PT staff, interns, board members, board emeritus, volunteer committee members and pro bono consultants.

    Professional affiliate membership must manually assign “member” badges to each team members so they can have access to member accounts and benefits.

    Learn more about member accounts and benefits.

    Eligibility criteria

    All nonmembers must first apply online and submit their application for review to confirm their eligibility for the membership program they’re applying for. Every Alliance member must agree to our attestation and uphold their commitment to conservation by having their full board affirm that their organization adheres to the highest ethical standards as reflected in Land Trust Standards and Practices. Every Alliance member must pay an annual dues that is based on their reported expenses and corresponding dues level for the membership program they’ve applied for.

    Below are the five membership types and their eligibility criteria.

    Land trust membership

    • As all or part of your mission, your organization works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in the acquisition of land or conservation easements or by conducting stewardship of such land or easements.

    • Your organization is an active 501(c)(3) or 509(a)(3) organization, or a municipal/township land trust with an independent board overseeing the organization’s acquisition and stewardship.

    • The land trust must provide a Board Adoption Resolution form with its application as a commitment to adopting the Land Trust Standards and Practices as your organization’s guiding principles. Learn more about how to adopt the Standards.

    Nonprofit and state association affiliate membership

    • Your organization is a 501(c) nonprofit and can provide proof of its tax-exempt status with a Form 990 or letter of intent from the IRS submitted with your application.

    • Your organization is not a land trust or conservancy that acquires/stewards land, or a government agency or professional business.

    • Agree to the affiliate attestation and commit to the highest ethical standards as demonstrated by Land Trust Standards and Practices.

    Professional affiliate membership

    • You or your company or firm is a for-profit entity or a nonprofit consulting agency that supports conservation or assists land trusts.

    • You or your company or firm affirms that it is not a land trust, conservancy, state association or a local, municipal or state government agency that acquires or stewards land.

    • Agree to the affiliate attestation and commit to the highest ethical standards as demonstrated by Land Trust Standards and Practices.

    Government affiliate membership

    • You are a local, municipal, regional or state government agency.

    • Your agency is not a land trust, conservancy or nonprofit that acquires or stewards land, or a government agency with an independent board that undertakes the acquisition and/or stewardship of land or easements or assists in the stewardship of lands or easements for other agencies.

    • Agree to the affiliate attestation and commit to the highest ethical standards as demonstrated by Land Trust Standards and Practices.

    How to calculate your dues

    Below are the five membership types and their corresponding dues schedule. Please review the appropriate membership type that applies to your organization and its application. Review the “how to” information that explains how annual dues will need to be calculated and which expenses/programs should not be included in your calculation.

    Please contact our member and affiliate services manager, Jorge Astorga, at jastorga@lta.org or 202-347-7475 if you have any questions.

    Apply now

    Visit this page and choose which membership type works for you, then fill out the application!

    Please note you will need to create a Land Trust Alliance account if you do not have one yet.

    If you have questions about the application process, please contact the membership team at membership@lta.org.

    Frequently asked questions about becoming a Land Trust Alliance member

    If you have questions about membership, please contact the membership team at membership@lta.org. 

    To safeguard the reputation and success of the land conservation community, the Land Trust Alliance reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to deny, condition, suspend or revoke affiliation with the Alliance of any individual or organization who has been or is currently engaged in any conduct that may bring the Alliance or the land trust community into disrepute, including, but not limited to, willful disregard of Land Trust Standards and Practices.