Dear , It's a great time of year to get outside and enjoy all of the wonderful places you are protecting. Before heading out on your summer vacation, make sure to secure your plans for the fall and register for Rally to take advantage of the early-bird discount before the July 21 deadline. As the largest land conservation training and networking event in America, Rally is the place to strengthen your skills and connect with other conservation leaders. I hope to see you there!   Rand Wentworth President, Land Trust Alliance

See and Be Seen at Rally Influence decisionmakers and meet potential clients by signing up for Rally sponsorship or an exhibit booth today! Sponsorship provides a premier opportunity to demonstrate your support of the land conservation community, and with several levels and types available, you can choose the right one for your organization. Another great way to increase your participation and visibility at Rally is by being an exhibitor. Exhibit spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis—so reserve yours today. To ensure your organization's name is in the Rally program, sign up by August 4th. Back to Top

conservation defense

Vermont Land Trust Prevails in Negligence Claim Neighbors to a property conserved by the Vermont Land Trust claimed that the successor owner of the conserved land wrongly cut valuable veneer maple trees on their land, and argued that the land trust was liable for the damages to them. The neighbors claimed the land trust was negligent in providing the successor owner with copies of maps that showed incorrect property lines and that others relied on those maps, which caused damage to the neighbors. Read more

Easement Deductions Denied for Landowners' Failure to Secure Contemporaneous Written Acknowledgment Letter from Land Trusts The IRS has denied at least two conservation easement deductions where the donors failed to secure a contemporaneous written acknowledgement and substantiation letter from the land trusts. The IRS requires a donor to obtain a separate acknowledgement despite the existence of IRS Form 8283. To help landowners avoid audits on this point, the safest approach for land trusts is to send each donor of a conservation easement (including bargain sales) a separate letter acknowledging the gift. The IRS might consider an e-mail as adequate for this purpose. Read more Board and staff of member land trusts and individual donors at the $250 level and above can download sample acknowledgment letters on The Learning Center's digital library. Direct links to the sample acknowledgement letters are also available in the full article. Back to Top

resources

New Factsheets Available See 12 new factsheets on our website that summarize frequently asked questions from land trusts and landowners alike. Land trusts will find information on topics like booking conservation easement values, conservation buyers, deed restrictions, and working with tribal entities—to name a few. Landowners will also find basic facts and resources and "What is a Land Trust?" to help guide them through the conservation process. If you have any ideas for or comments about the factsheets, please e-mail kspern@lta.org. Read more

Eight Tips for Grantseekers Don't make the mistake of assuming that wordsmithing a "perfect" proposal will win the grant. It doesn't work that way! Instead, focus strategically on what's most likely to succeed—using your connections, cultivating foundation contacts, and closely defining a program that fits a foundation's funding priorities. Read more in the new "Fundraising Wisdom" column in our new quarterly magazine Saving Land, and also check out our new Grantseeking factsheet.

Conservation Tax Incentive Brochure for Landowners The Alliance has published a new brochure, Using the Conservation Tax Incentive, to help your land trust tell potential easement donors about the tax incentive—now renewed through December 31, 2009. All land trusts with more than one easement as of the 2005 census will receive 25 free copies. Other organizations can e-mail policy@lta.org by July 25 to be added to the list. Additional copies will be available for purchase on our publications page in August. Back to Top

policy

IRS Releases New Guidance for Nonprofits Land trust board members and executive directors should be aware of the newly revised IRS Publication 557—Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization (June 2008)—that incorporates numerous changes in law from the Pension Protection Act of 2006 affecting tax-exempt organizations. Of particular interest are the appeal procedures, annual reporting requirements, sample organizational documents, and changes to reporting on Form 8282 (disposition of a charitable gift). The publication also discusses quid pro quo donations, contemporaneous acknowledgement letters and taxes on excess benefit transactions. Read more and download. Back to Top

updates from the field

Building Strong Land Trusts in Michigan and Maine This year, the Alliance launched two new comprehensive programs to provide the skills and tools needed for land trusts to become high-performing, sustainable organizations; help accelerate their preparation for accreditation; and build their overall capacity to conserve and steward land. In Michigan, the Alliance and Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation Policy have teamed up to launch the $1 million Advancing Conservancy Excellence Program. And a partnership of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust and the Alliance offers the Maine Land Trust Excellence Program. Back to Top

eNews is edited and produced by Francesca Dalleo, Communications Specialist at the Alliance.

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IN THIS ISSUE

>> See and Be Seen at Rally >> Vermont Land Trust Prevails in Negligence Claim >> Easement Deductions Denied >> New Factsheets Available >> Eight Tips for Grantseekers >> Conservation Tax Incentive Brochure for Landowners >> IRS Releases New Guidance for Nonprofits >> Building Strong Land Trusts in Michigan and Maine

UPCOMING EVENTS September 18-21 | Pittsburgh, PA >>Save $60 with Early-Bird Registration by July 21 Events Calendar >>

more reasons to come to pittsburgh! Read an article, "36 Hours in Pittsburgh," from the New York Times, and see a video to learn more about the city's eco-friendly convention center. The building was awarded gold-level certification on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ratings scale set up by the U.S. Green Building Council.

new curriculum book! Conservation Easement Drafting and Documentation Publications Catalog >>

Loop Year: 365 Days on the Trail A new book details the experience of hiking and caring for the same two-mile trail on a land trust property every day for a year. Land trusts that purchase it will receive the book at a discount. Learn More >>