Policy set organized by accreditation topic

[Land trust name] board policy set

This set gathers the core written policies of [Land trust name], a land trust working in [State]. It is grouped under topics that land trusts often review when they prepare for accreditation. The topic names are our own. Edit every section so it describes what your organization really does.

Mission and planning

• The board reviews the mission statement at least once every three years and records the review in the minutes.
• Staff or volunteers prepare a short yearly work plan that links projects to the mission.
• The board looks at the long-term cost of each new commitment before taking it on.

Board governance and conflicts of interest

• Each board member and key staff member signs a yearly disclosure listing any interest that could affect a decision.
• A person with a possible conflict tells the board, leaves the discussion, and does not vote on that matter.
• The minutes note each disclosure and who stepped out.
• No board member, staff member or close relative buys land or an easement from [Land trust name] without a separate board review and an independent appraisal.

Money, records and oversight

• The board reviews a budget before the fiscal year begins and compares results to it at least each quarter.
• Two people take part in handling incoming funds, and a different person reconciles the bank statements.
• An outside accountant reviews or audits the books on a schedule the board sets.
• Funds set aside for stewardship and legal defense are tracked separately from operating funds.

Choosing land and easement projects

• Staff use written project criteria tied to the mission before bringing a project to the board.
• Every project file notes the conservation values, any risks, and the expected stewardship cost.
• Staff order a title review and look for mortgages, liens or other interests that could affect the project.

Board review of transactions

• The board, or a committee it names in writing, gives final sign-off on every land or easement transaction.
• Board members receive a project summary, a map and the draft agreement before the vote.
• The minutes record the vote and the documents the board reviewed.

Monitoring and stewardship records

• Each conserved property is visited at least once a year, and each visit is written up in a monitoring report.
• Every easement has baseline documentation signed by the landowner and [Land trust name].
• Landowner contacts, requests and permissions are logged in the stewardship record log.

Responding to possible violations

• Staff start by talking with the landowner and documenting the facts with notes and photos.
• The board chair is told within a set number of days of a likely violation.
• Outside legal counsel is consulted before any formal step is taken.

Keeping documents safe

• Original signed documents are kept in a fire-resistant location, with copies stored in a separate place.
• Each property file has a short index of what it holds.
• Records are kept for as long as [Land trust name] holds an interest in the property, and longer where the law requires.

Yearly review

The board reviews this full policy set each [Review month] and records any changes in the minutes. Staff keep a dated copy of each version.

Adoption

The board of [Land trust name] adopted this policy set on [Adoption date].