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BECOME AN

ADVOCATE
TO BENEFI T
CONSERVATION
AND THE LAND TRUST
COMMUNITY
Land Trust Alliance | 1 2 | Advocacy Ambassadors
THE TI ME I S
NOW
Government is a source of critical funding for
land conservationfunding that is very much at risk.
As citizens, we each play an essential and complementary
role in advancing federal policy priorities. Now is the time
for all of us in the land trust community to make our
voices heard in Washington, D.C.
COMMITMENT COMMUNITY
RELATIONSHIPS
IMPACT INFLUENCE
Land Trust Alliance | 3 2 | Advocacy Ambassadors
The Land Trust Alliance is excited to announce a
new Advocacy Ambassadors initiativea network of
land trust supporters who build strong, one-to-one
relationships with their Members of Congress and
advance pro-conservation policies at the federal level.
These individuals will serve as Ambassadors between
the land trust community and Members of Congress.
Our goal is to have Ambassadors connected with
each of the 535 Members of Congressgiving
conservation a voice with every legislator.
Ambassadors bring not only passion for conservation,
but local connections and credibility that professional
lobbyists cannot match. By coordinating the efforts
of Ambassadors from every part of the country, land
trusts will make our voices heard in Washington and
impact policy, so we can continue to save land.
The Land Trust Alliance can make sure leaders
know the issuesbut only advocates like you can
make them care.
Land trusts have a tremendous amount of power
somewhere near 5 million members. So I will issue
all of you a challenge. You need to call your House
member. You need to call your U.S. Senator. You
need to talk to your state legislators. You need talk
to your County Commissioners. Because, they are
not making any more open space; they are not
making any more farm groundand we could lose
it. I think we often take for granted what has been
provided for us, and that is no longer an option.
We do not engage at our peril.
-Rock Ringling (pictured opposite) of
Montana Land Reliance accepting the rst
Advocacy Ambassador Award at Rally 2013
BECOME AN AMBASSADOR:
SHAPE CONSERVATION POLICY AND CONSERVE LAND
Land Trust Alliance | 5 4 | Advocacy Ambassadors
CULTI VATE THE
RELATIONSHIPS
THAT WI LL
ADVANCE
LAND
CONSERVATION
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy really
benetted from Farm Bill funding for easements
in the past, and we knew Senate Agriculture
Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow could play a
big role in deciding whether that funding would
continue. So we made it a priority to show her and
her staff the work we had done. We worked hard to
get our farmers and our business community to talk
to her about the importance of conservation to our
economy. And we made it personaland fun.
We hosted the Senator on conserved pieces of
land, and those events were press opportunities for
them and for us. Being on the ground made the
issue real for the Senator and for her staff, the same
way we on the board and staff feel it. When push
came to shove on rewriting the Farm Bill, this all
paid off. The Senator and her staff knew what
we were talking about. They cared. And they had
come to view us as the experts.
Were still engaged. We just, with help from the
Alliance, placed op-ed pieces in Michigan newspapers
praising the Senator publicly for her help on the
Farm Bill and sharing what it will do for conservation
in our state. And she returned the favor: Our
Executive Director, Glen Chown, was one of just
16 guests she invited to President Obamas signing
ceremony for the bill!
-GTRLC Board Member Beth Karczewski
MAKING CONSERVATION
PERSONAL
Senator Debbie Stabenow tours a farm with the
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.
Land Trust Alliance | 7 6 | Advocacy Ambassadors
Many of us got involved in conservation because
of our love of placeteeming wetlands, rugged
mountains, fertile farmland, expansive ranchesbut
the halls of Congress? Thats not our scene. Maybe
shaping federal policy seems unachievable, too
controversial or even inappropriate for a nonprot.
But, the federal government is a source of critical
conservation funding. Legislation such as the Farm
Bill provides billions of dollars for land protection.
And federal tax policy encourages donations of
land and conservation easements. In addition, your
nonprot relies on tax deductions and exemptions
that are very much at risk.
The programs and incentives you rely on dont
just happen. For decades, the Land Trust Alliance
has worked with land trusts to identify federal policy
priorities and then advocate for them on Capitol
Hill. The Alliance offers vigilant oversight, insider
knowledge and political expertise. But every policy
success was also made possible through the engagement
of local land trusts with their elected ofcials.
In fact, land trusts have every reason to take up
advocacy as a core taskon par with protecting
land and cultivating donors.
Thats because decisions made by your Members of
Congress could mean that:
Federal tax incentives improve, so more landowners
act to protect their landor we lose the incentives
that have brought us this far.
Laws encourage donations to nonprofts by keeping
them tax-deductibleor strip away that incentive.
LOBBYING IS AN ESSENTIAL STRATEGY
FOR CONSERVATION SUCCESS
The Department of Agriculture delivers billions in
funding to land trusts to conserve millions of acres
or reverts to less cost-effective USDA purchases.
Congress continues to invest $350 million per year
with land trusts for parks and habitator the House of
Representatives proposal of $0 could become a reality.
New laws affrm the permanence of conservation
easementsor they undermine the protections we
have spent billions of dollars worth of time and
money to secure.
Federal actions impact your land trusts workfor good
or badso it only makes sense to include advocacy in
any strategic approach to land conservation.
Dont assume your Members of Congress are taken
care ofor a lost cause. Public recognition can turn
passive supporters into active champions. Sincere local
support can persuade critics to hold their tongues, or
even become the unlikely allies that matter most.
The land trust community is strongest when we work
together. With leadership from the Alliance and
coordinated advocacy by Ambassadors from across
the country, we can get the policies we need to save
the places we love.
[Capitol Hill] visits are really important, but its even
more important to forge a real connection with your
members of Congress back at home.Think about
organizing a forum on land conservationor a tour
of a piece of property that youve preserved. And be
persistent about it. If you want us to be there, just ask,
and ask again, and ask again, and eventually you will
get yes for an answer.
Senator Chris Murphy (CT)
Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut (center) receives
an award from Catherine Rawson, Weantinoge Heritage
Land Trust, and Rand Wentworth, Land Trust Alliance,
at the 2013 Land Trust Advocacy Day.
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BUI LD AN
ALLIANCE
TO
SUPPORT
FUNDI NG FOR
LAND TRUSTS
The conservation stakes are high. But heres good
news: Political leaders want to hear from you.
When asked which lobbying method works best,
policymakers agreed:
The #1 answer was the simple presentation of
accurate information, preferably by folks back home.
By speaking knowledgably and authentically about how
policy decisions will impact your community, youas
supporters, staff, and board members of land trusts
can be more inuential than professional lobbyists.
Ultimately, what matters most to elected leaders is
what people in their districts want, need and appreciate.
Land trust leaderslike youhave the power to
affect national policies because you work in local
communities, with local support to save local places.
You can exercise that power by becoming an
Advocacy Ambassador. With training and tools
from the Alliance, you will learn to:
Build relationships that keep elected leaders
aware of and involved in your mission and work
Demonstrate community support for land
conservation
Make the case for policies that will lead to
conservation success
Mobilize your network and inspire others
to follow in your footsteps
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
MAKE THE BEST ADVOCATES
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Your land trust has a lot to gain from building
relationships with Members of Congress:
FUNDI NG: Successful advocacy in Washington
means more effective tax incentives, more funding
for land protection, and policies that strengthen
conservationso you can go further toward fullling
your mission.
REPUTATI ON: Advocacy activities can raise the prole
of your land trust among federal elected ofcials,
leaders in your community, partner organizations
and the media.
SKI LLS: The skills you build lobbying at the federal
level can help you to advance pro-conservation policies
at the local, state and regional level.
ENGAGEMENT: Advocacy campaigns offer opportunities
for your members, volunteers, donors and board to
get involved in a vital activity that helps achieve
your mission.
PARTNERSHI PS: Engaging in coordinated policy
campaigns with the land trusts connected through
The Land Trust Alliance can help you to build new,
productive partnerships.
ADVOCACY WILL BENEFIT
YOUR LAND TRUST
Strong relationships can pay off for your land trust: Land
trusts celebrate Congressman Gerlachs (PA) tax incentive bill;
a relationship with Congressman Reyes (TX) helped Frontera
Land Alliance win a grant that funded its rst staff member.
12 | Advocacy Ambassadors
You dont have to change federal policy alone. Youre
part of an advocacy network with allies across America
and a strong presence in the nations capital. Heres
how the Alliance supports your advocacy work:
You know your community; the Alliance knows
Washington, D.C. To win on policy, the land
trust community needs authentic voices from
legislators home districts. The Land Trust
Alliance provides political expertise and full-time
lobbying in D.C., educating lawmakers on issues,
tracking developments and strategically advancing
conservation initiatives.
We organize a movement that is ve million strong.
Your advocacy can be powerful because you are
knowledgeable, authentic and rooted in your
communityand because youre part of more than
1,700 land trusts that are supported by over ve
YOU CAN ACCESS ADVOCACY RESOURCES AT
www.lta.org/policy
Our vision is to build a strong advocacy network
coast to coast that will positively inuence lawmakers
on behalf of land conservationso, together, we can
continue to save the places people love.
Whoever said Washington was for insiders only?
Every ofce we visited opened their doors to us and
listened carefully to the national land trust agenda
and the work that were doing back home. Local
matters. By coming together with the Alliance and
other land trusts from New York, we were able to
tell our story and deepen our relationships with our
congressional delegation.
-Andy Bicking, Scenic Hudson, New York
million people. The Alliance unites this powerful
constituency. Our Advocates newsletters and networks
like the Ambassadors Initiative make the nations land
trusts a united force on policy.
We lead a national agenda for land conservation.
Your Member of Congress may not chair the
committee for your land trusts essential programs,
but the Alliance can tap land trusts in the Chairpersons
district. In turn, we hope you will step up when its
your representative who can make a difference for
land trusts near and far.
We give land trusts the tools they need to shape policy.
We provide extensive advocacy resources for land
trusts, including in-depth web information; monthly
advocacy e-newsletters; webinars and workshops;
Land Trust Advocacy Day; and our new Advocacy
Ambassadors initiative.
THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE
HAS YOU COVERED
A TRADITION OF ADVOCACY IMPACT
Advocacy by the Land Trust Alliance and
our member land trusts has resulted in major
policy successes:
When the Senate Finance Committee
threatened to eliminate the tax deductibility
of easements in 2005, our efforts not only
saved that incentive, but improved it,
increasing the pace of conservation by a third.
We secured $1.3 billion in funding for
conservation in the 2014 Farm Bill and
made that funding more accessible to land
trusts everywhere.
We enlisted majorities of both parties as
co-sponsors for tax incentive legislation
which has led to renewal of the incentive
three times.
We defeated a proposal in the House to
eliminate funding for the Land and Water
Conservation Fund and North American
Wetlands Conservation Act. Instead,
funding will increase.
Learn how Alaskas Great Land Trust got Senators
Wyden (OR) and Begich (AK) to advocate for its project:
www.lta.org/policy/webinars.
Land Trust Alliance | 13
Land Trust Alliance | 15 14 | Advocacy Ambassadors
Many land trusts have questions about their legal
ability to lobby. Here are some answers.
Q Is it legal for us, a tax-exempt nonprot, to lobby?
A Yes! IRS rules probably allow as much lobbying as
youd ever want to do. If you want to spend more
than an insubstantial part of your budget on
lobbying, ling one simple form (Form 5768) will
allow you to spend up to 20% of the frst $500,000
of your budget on lobbying activities. That cap
continues to grow on a sliding scale up to a total
of $1 million. You can fnd a link to this form at
www.lta.org/policy.
Q What kinds of political advocacy are not allowed?
A Its important to remember that as a 501(c)3 charity
you can never endorse or oppose a candidate for
ofce, which could result in revocation of your
tax-exempt status and your ability to receive tax-
deductible donations. But you can advocate for
specic legislation, action by federal agencies, or
ballot initiatives. You can, of course, be politically
active as individuals on your own time.
Q What counts toward the spending limit on lobbying?
A Money spent on any attempt to inuence legislation
or a ballot measure by:
Communicating directly with lawmakers about
specic legislation; or
Urging the public to vote a certain way on a ballot
measure or contact lawmakers about legislation.
Q What advocacy activities do not count toward
the spending limit?
A Many activities do not count toward the spending
limit, including:
volunteer time
campaigns focused on regulatory decisions by
government agencies
grant proposals submitted to a government agency
communication with your members about legislation,
unless you urge them to contact lawmakers
communication with lawmakers or the public about
broad issues, unless you aim to inuence specic
legislation or ballot initiatives
MORE QUESTI ONS ABOUT LOBBYI NG? You can nd in-depth
resources at www.lta.org/advocacytips.
YES, YOU CAN LOBBY: GO FOR IT
BECOME AN
AMBASSADOR
AND STREGNTHEN YOUR
RELATIONSHIP
WI TH
LAWMAKERS
Land Trust Alliance | 15
Effective advocacy depends on ongoing relationships.
Your elected ofcials are most likely to listen to you if:
They know about your land trustwhat you do
and why it matters.
They know that people in your community support
land conservation.
They know you will publicly show your appreciation
when they take positive action.
The Advocacy Ambassadors initiative can help you
to build these relationships and use them to make a
positive impact on policy.
WHO CAN BE AN AMBASSADOR?
Ambassadors can be staff members, board members,
supporters or landowners connected with a land
trust. Some may already have political experience, but
individuals without experience in politics or advocacy
are encouraged to participate.
WHAT DO AMBASSADORS DO?
Ambassadors commit to build relationships with
legislators and inuence policy outcomes.
Ambassadors pledge to arrange with their Senators
and one or more Representatives:
One face-to-face meeting or several meetings with staff;
One site visit to a conserved property or land trust
event that shows the value of conservation; and
Follow-up communications via the local press,
their newsletters or social media
When the Alliance issues a policy call to action,
Ambassadors respond promptly, contacting their
representatives and urging them to take action.
Ambassadors commit to keeping the Alliance
informed about their advocacy activities on a timely
basis so we can capitalize on all relationships, avoid
redundant efforts, and recognize Ambassadors
accomplishments.
INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN AMBASSADOR?
HERES HOW IT WORKS
HOW WILL THE ALLIANCE SUPPORT AMBASSADORS?
The Alliance stands ready to help all Ambassadors
build the skills and condence necessary to advocate
persuasively for land conservation. We provide:
TRAI NI NG: Workshops, webinars, websites and publica-
tions from policy experts and successful advocates.
TOOLS: Background information and talking points
you need to make a persuasive case for conservation.
TRACKI NG: Guidance in setting goals and tracking
progress, so we can recognize and promote strategies
that meet with success.
THANKS: Recognition of all Ambassadors in Saving
Land magazine and other media, as well as an annual
event at Rally.
WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET STARTED?
To get started, simply ll out the pledge form
online, at www.lta.org/ambassadors, or email
Barton James, Conservation Campaigns Director,
at bjames@lta.org.
YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN
ADVOCACY AMBASSADOR
In your work every day, you meet with
families to talk about conservation options for
their land. You showcase the merits of your
projects to donors and foundations. You lead
project tours or volunteer days to get more
people engaged in conservation.
All of that is advocacypersuading people
to care about conservation and take action.
As an Advocacy Ambassador, you will join a
community of committed land trust leaders,
learning how to strengthen their advocacy
skills and applying them at the federal level.
As an Ambassador, with the support of
the Land Trust Alliance and other land
trusts, your impact will go beyond your own
community: You can help save the places you
love and strengthen land conservation across
America. Thank you for all you do for land
conservation.
Land Trust Alliance | 17 16 | Advocacy Ambassadors
18 | Advocacy Ambassadors
HOW TO BECOME AN
ADVOCACY AMBASSADOR
TO GET STARTED:
Fill out the pledge form online at
www.lta.org/ambassadors; or
Email Barton James, Conservation Campaigns
Director, at bjames@lta.org; or
Mail a copy of the pledge form to:
Barton James
The Land Trust Alliance
1660 L Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
1660 L Street NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036-5635
202-638-4725
www.landtrustalliance.org
As an Ambassador, with the support of the Land
Trust Alliance and other land trusts, your impact
goes beyond your own community: You can help
save the places you love and strengthen land
conservation across America.
Thank you for all you do for land conservation.

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