Please note that land trusts interested in applying for accreditation must first register their intent to apply.
About the Application
The application for accreditation is designed to gather information on how an applicant carries out the indicator practices from Land Trust Standards and Practices. The indicator practices were designated by the Land Trust Alliance Board of Directors and were selected to indicate a land trust's ability to operate in an ethical, legal and technically sound manner and ensure the long-term protection of land in the public interest. Click here for the full list of indicator practices.
The application asks for a significant amount of detail. The focus on documentation is a foundation of a responsible accreditation program. Experience also shows that organizations with well-documented policies and procedures often have effective and lasting land conservation programs.
However, the Commission is aware that one size does not fit all in land conservation. The way that organizations implement the accreditation indicator practices varies widely depending on their location, whether or not they have staff and other factors. That is why the application provides flexibility in many places for applicants to choose the documents that they feel best illustrate how they implement each practice. Commissioners have extensive experience in land conservation and nonprofit management and will use sound judgment in making decisions that take geography, size and other factors into account.
NEW! Please note that if your organization has a related entity, such as a supporting organization or an LLC, there is important information about the application for accreditation from your organizations. An organization should understand the application requirements prior to registering to apply for accreditation. Please read our fact sheet for more information. Application addenda are available in the Application Toolkit to the right.
NEW (10/10): To help better prepare applicants for the process, the Commission released three new sample documents you might expect to receive during the accreditation process. Check them out:
- Sample Agenda for Applicant Call with Commission Review Team
- Sample Follow-up Letter
- Sample Accreditation Award Letter
- 2013 Round 1 application date: April 18, 2013 (pre-application due January 24, 2013) – 22 slots available
- 2013 Round 2 application date: September 12, 2013 (pre-application due June 13, 2013) – 28 slots available
