Momentum Conservation’s Land Trust Grant Fund awards are aimed at strengthening the organizational capacity and programmatic effectiveness of land trusts throughout Maine.

PROGRAM GOALS:

• Strengthen the land trust community’s governance, leadership, strategic planning, financial stability, programming, and organizational development.
• Help land trusts integrate equity and inclusion in their organizational policies, practices, and programming.
• Position land trusts to broaden their membership, including by engaging BIPOC, low-income people, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities.
• Support land trusts in developing additional social capital and infrastructure by facilitating connections to share lessons, opportunities, and growth.
• Ensure that conservation is rooted in community, and that conserved land is accessible to the broadest range of communities for meaningful experience.

APPLICATION FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM HAS CLOSED FOR 2024

Application Process:
Momentum Conservation’s grant program utilizes an online application to access, complete and submit your application. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by email. Please allow time for our review and decision-making process.

ELIGIBILITY & GRANT GUIDELINES
The Momentum Conservation Land Trust Grant Fund will be awarding a total of $415,000 in general operating funding to Maine land trusts this year. This is a competitive grant program, open to all land trusts in Maine, and not all applicants will be awarded funding. We will prioritize applicants that are: working to center justice, open to trying new things, expressing vulnerability through sharing learnings, and committed to challenging colonial systems in conservation.

Eligibility requirements:
To apply, you must be a Maine land trust. Organizations must be certified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or use a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) tax status. Applications must contain a valid EIN (tax ID) number to be considered.

For the purpose of this grant program, Momentum Conservation defines a land trust as an organization whose mission and focus is to actively conserve land through easements or acquisition for purposes that may include: providing public access and housing, protecting agricultural land, ecosystems, land of cultural significance, water quality, and/or addressing climate resilience in perpetuity.

Important dates:

• Funds awarded by: Monday, July 15, 2024

How is grant size decided?
In 2024, awarded grant amounts will be based on the amount requested (maximum $20,000) in your grant application.

Are there any limitations for use of this funding?
We recognize there are a plethora of ways to advance the goals of this program, so we are not limiting the use of these funds in your organization’s pursuit of these goals.

How will grant decisions be made?
The 2024 grant review process has shifted to incorporate more participatory elements. All grants will be reviewed by a minimum of 2 community grant readers and 2 Momentum Conservation staff members. After this initial grant review, Momentum staff may ask applicants to schedule a brief phone call if further clarification is needed in any application responses. Not all applicants will be asked to have this conversation and this conversation does not reflect an organization’s outcome in this grant process . 

If successful, how would Momentum Conservation like us to acknowledge the grant?
As a partner in your efforts, Momentum is pleased to be acknowledged in any communication materials related to the grant activity. Please refer to your award letter containing more information.

What are the reporting requirements if my organization receives a grant?
We are committed to learning from our grantees and will follow up on grant awards to better this program and the other assistance programs that are in development. Reporting may take many forms including, but not limited to, written reports, surveys and interviews. Please refer to the award letter for reporting requirements.  

If unique circumstances exist, the grantee will immediately consult with Momentum to request an extension or alternative option for fulfilling the reporting requirement before the reporting deadline.

Contact Information: 
Questions can be directed to Peyton Black, Operations and Grant Program Director, at peyton@momentumconservation.org.

Momentum Conservation’s Land Trust Grant Program is funded by the Onion Foundation. We are grateful for their support.

Learn more about Momentum Conservation’s Guiding Statements and Strategic Goals here

Learn more about Onion Foundation’s Environmental Program here