Standard 1: Ethics, Mission and Community Engagement

• A. Ethics
• B. Mission, Planning and Evaluation
• C. Community Engagement
• Sample Resources

Standard 2: Compliance with Laws

• A. Compliance with Laws
• B. Not-for-profit Incorporation and Bylaws
• C. Tax Status
• Sample Resources

Standard 3: Board Accountability

• A. Board Responsibility
• B. Board Composition and Structure
• C. Board Governance
• D. Board Approval of Land Transactions
• Sample Resources

Standard 4: Conflicts of Interest

• A. Dealing with Conflicts of Interest
• B. Payments to Board Members
• C. Land and Conservation Agreement Transactions with Insiders
• D. Sample Resources

Standard 5: Fundraising

• A. Legal and Ethical Practices
• B. Accountability to Donors
• C. Fundraising Plan
• D. Non-conservation Real Property for Resale
• Sample Resources

Standard 6: Financial Oversight

• A. Fiscal Health
• B. Financial Records
• C. Independent Financial Evaluation
• D. Written Internal Controls
• E. Risk Management and Insurance
• Sample Resources

Standard 7: Human Resources

• A. Capacity
• B. Volunteers
• C. Consultants or Contractors
• D. Transition Planning
• E. Staff
• F. Occupational Health and Safety
• Sample Resources

Standard 8: Evaluating and Selecting Conservation Projects

• A. Strategic Conservation Planning
• B. Project Selection Criteria
• C. Project Evaluation
• D. Project Planning
• E. Partnership Documentation
• Sample Resources

Standard 9: Ensuring Sound Transactions

• A. Legal Review and Technical Expertise
• B. Legal and Financial Advice
• C. Environmental Due Diligence
• D. Determining Property Boundaries
• E. Conservation Agreement Drafting
• F. Title Investigation and Registration
• G. Recordkeeping
• H. Purchasing Land or Conservation Agreements
• I. Selling Land or Conservation Agreements
• Sample Resources

Standard 10: Tax Benefits and Appraisals

• A. Landowner Notification
• B. Legal Requirements: Land Trust Responsibilities
• C. Avoiding Fraudulent or Abusive Transactions
• Sample Resources

Standard 11: Conservation Agreement Stewardship

• A. Funding Conservation Agreement Stewardship
• B. Baseline Documentation Report
• C. Conservation Agreement Monitoring
• D. Landowner Relationships
• E. Conservation Agreement Enforcement
• F. Approvals and Permitted Rights
• G. Contingency Strategy
• H. Amendments
• I. Expropriation
• J. Partial or Full Extinguishment
• Sample Resources

Standard 12: Land Stewardship

• A. Funding Land Stewardship
• B. Land Management and Stewardship
• C. Inspecting Land Trust Properties
• D. Contingency Strategy
• E. Expropriation
• Sample Resources