Overwhelmed? This can help! CT Land Conservation Council Conference 3/17/18 Amanda Branson Executive Director, Naromi Land Trust
Sherman is the northern most town in Fairfield County Founded in 1968 Accredited in 2018 27 easements 36 Fee preserves/management units
Land trusts have a lot to do! Program Areas (Land Trust Alliance) Governance Finance Transactions Stewardship Program Areas (broad) Stewardship Preservation/Acquisition Outreach/Education/Marketing Development/Fundraising/Events Finance Governance/Organization/Administration
Required Documents Governance Articles of incorporation Current bylaws Procedures for new board members Strategic goals or strategic plan (every 5 years) Records Policy Conflict of Interest Policy Staff Evaluations (per year) Minutes from Board meetings/committee meetings (3-12 per year) Secretary of State filing (per year) Charitable Organization registration in all necessary states (per year) Finance Most recent Form 990 (or Form 990-EZ or Form 990-N) (per year) Audited, reviewed or compiled financial statements with corresponding management letter (per year) Budget for current fiscal year (per year) Internal controls Transactions Project selection criteria Conservation easement template Written donor notification of tax code requirements Legal agreements, deeds, conservation easements, amendments, etc. (per transaction) BDR (per transaction) Title insurance policies or evidence of title investigation (per transaction) Appraisal (per transaction) Maps/surveys (per transaction) Stewardship Conservation Easement Violation Policy Conservation Easement Amendment Policy Management plans (per transaction) Monitoring reports fee and easement (per transaction, per year) Contracts, leases, etc. Insurance (per year) Donor solicitation/acknowledgement letters (per gift)
The volume and complexity of what we are responsible for has exceeded our individual ability to deliver it correctly and reliably. We need a new strategy for overcoming failure, one that builds on experience and takes advantage of the knowledge people have but but somehow also makes up for our inevitable human inadequacies. It is a checklist. Paraphrased from The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande
Checklists really can help! Professionals responsible for complex tasks that utilize checklists dramatically improve safety, compliance, reliability including pilots, medical personnel, builders and so on. Annual checklists can be effective to consolidate tasks, events, Board responsibilities, significant expenses, procedures and requirements from several policy areas/standards into a form that is easy to comply with. This helps to ensure LTs are in compliance with state & federal laws, LTA Standards & Practices, and the LTs own policies. Checklists should be precise, efficient, practical.
Don t get stuck in the weeds! Remember that as a land trust, your first priority is conservation. These tools are recommendations for your land trust to be more efficient.
Stewardship Naromi Land Trust Annual Monitoring Checklist: Office Tasks Year All tasks completed by staff, unless otherwise noted. Before monitoring is completed: Send CE landowners a letter notifying them of annual monitoring. Request Signature on BDR/CCR if needed. Coordinate Monitoring Blitz Day Assign Monitor to properties without one. Review field binders to be sure all documentation is included, no originals are included, and blank monitoring forms are available. After monitoring is completed: All binders should be returned to the office with completed monitoring forms by January 31 st. ED review & initial completed monitoring forms, enter all info into Excel spreadsheet, and check to be sure all existing info is correct. Scan completed monitoring form. File in electronic property file. Copy completed monitoring form 2x. File paper copy in monitoring binder. File original in property file. Make copy for each CE landowner. File letter in paper and electronic property file. Replenish each binder with blank monitoring forms. Send landowner a copy of the monitoring report along with a letter stating findings. If violation or other follow-up is found or noted on completed form: Email completed form to President and any other appropriate Board member and /or staff, as soon as is possible. Follow current Board adopted Easement Enforcement Policy.
Preservation/Acquisition
Preservation/Acquisition cont d
Outreach NLT Annual Meeting Checklist
Development/Fundraising
Finance
Governance
Annual Checklist
Questions?
For more information: Contact me: Amanda Branson Executive Director, Naromi Land Trust Sherman, CT naromi.org amanda@naromi.org