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Standard 1: Mission
The land trust has a clear
mission that serves a public interest, and all programs support
that mission.
Standard 1 deals with the reason for your organization’s
work – why you do what you do. It also deals with the way
in which you ensure that your programmatic actions are consistent
with your goals. To comply with Standard 1, land trust should adopt
and adhere to:
• Mission
statement—this is mandatory
for non-profit organizations.
• Conflict
of Interest Policy—Standard 4 deals directly with conflicts of interest,
but it is important to emphasize that ethical behavior and rules
are imperative in accomplishing an organization’s mission.
In addition, active land trusts should also develop
and follow a Strategic Plan which outlines their goals and the
actions they will implement to achieve those goals.
Sample Policies & Procedures
Mission Statement: Purposes and Goals
The legal nuts and bolts of
forming a land trust establish your organization as a recognized
entity for the purposes of fundraising, conducting land transactions,
applying for grants and the other business of running an organization.
Setting your organizational goals establish why your organization
exists.
There are two elements you can use in establishing
your goals, a mission statement, and a vision
statement. Some groups
use both, but all land trusts should have a mission statement.
Mission statements should be written to stand the test of time,
but are not written in stone. Many organizations spend time reviewing
their mission statements prior to engaging in strategic planning.
Creating mission and vision statements are important
steps in establishing a successful organization. They indicate
to donors and prospective landowners that the group has a clear
sense of purpose. They are the starting point for developing a
strategic plan. They serve as a reference point for board members,
staff and volunteers, providing guidance on whether or not to engage
in a particular project through asking the question “Does it further the mission?”
Mission
Statement
An organization’s mission statement identifies
the purpose for which the organization was formed. This purpose
should include the public interest(s) served by the organization.
A mission statement will often indicate the region in which the
organization works. For example:
The XYZ Conservancy’s mission
is to protect habitat for rare and endangered species within
the Sylvan River watershed.
Examples:
To protect and expand the Baird
Creek Parkway and to enhance its value as an ecological, educational,
and recreational resource for generations to come.
To permanently
protect lands that contribute significantly to the scenic beauty,
open space and ecological integrity of Door County.
To preserve
and protect land and water resources with significant conservation
or open space value for the benefit of the public, and the wildlife
that depends upon it, in order to maintain quality of life, biological
diversity and natural scenic beauty for future generations.
To
establish an urban parkway for public access, walkways, recreation
and education, bordering the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic
Rivers; to use the rivers to revitalize surrounding neighborhoods;
and to improve water quality.
Vision Statement
A vision statement
articulates the future condition or outcome the organization is
seeking to create through its programs.
Local communities incorporate
the needs of the representative plants and animals of the region
in land use decision making, partnering with Sample Land Trust
and others to provide habitat and stewardship.
Examples:
Farms & farm
families are a stable part of the rural environment, with today’s
generation of farmers passing on their legacy to the next generation.
We envision a common land ethic that recognizes
the importance of preserving open space and protecting key natural
resources to maintain our community’s rural character.
Conflict of Interest Policy
Overview
Barrington
Hills Conservation Trust Sample Policy
The
Best of the Board Café Sample Policy
SVT Sample Policy
Gathering Waters Conservancy Sample Policy
Strategic Planning
Tall
Pines Conservancy Sample Plan
Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation Sample Plan
Oregon Rangeland Trust Sample Plan
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