Congratulations to North American Land Trust!
The Standards for Excellence Institute would like to congratulate North American Land Trust (NALT) for earning their accreditation under the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector. Being accredited by the Standards for Excellence Institute’s partner, Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO), demonstrates that the nonprofit has met the rigorous requirements that are included in the standards. Being an accredited nonprofit sets the organization apart as a top performer in the nonprofit field and lets all its stakeholders (funders, community members, board, staff, volunteers) know that they can have confidence in the quality of its programs, its accountability and openness, and its commitment to best practices.
The mission of North American Land Trust is to permanently conserve and steward natural and cultural resources through innovative land preservation partnerships. As a national land trust, North American Land Trust serves everyone in the Unites States.
The activities of North American Land Trust include:
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Conservation Easements – the main component of their work to permanently conserve land;
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Monitoring – an essential component of conserving land in perpetuity;
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Stewardship – working with landowners for positive conservation outcomes;
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Eco Services – assessing properties for conservation values and helping landowners enhance the conservation value of their land;
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Fundraising – assuring the ability of the land trust to preserve land in perpetuity;
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Education – educating about natural and conservation resources of the land;
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Public Preserves – Acquisition, Education, Public Recreation, and Volunteer Programs.
Steven W. Carter, president of North American Land Trust, said in a statement: "We are honored to earn accreditation from such a prestigious organization like PANO, and we are particularly proud of having met all the requirements of the national Standards for Excellence accreditation program. This designation as an accredited nonprofit organization sends a powerful message of confidence to our partners and stakeholders in the many communities where we work, further demonstrating NALT's unwavering commitment to the highest standards of organizational ethics and accountability."
Congratulations again to North American Land Trust for this noteworthy achievement. They have earned the right to proudly use the Seal of Excellence, the symbol for excellence and transparency in nonprofit management.
About the Author: Amy Coates Madsen
Amy Coates Madsen is the Director of the Standards for Excellence Institute, a national initiative to promote the highest standards of ethics and accountability in nonprofit governance, management, and operations, and to facilitate adherence to standards by all organizations. The Standards for Excellence Institute is a program of the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations where Amy has served for more than twenty-two years. Amy is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the association’s comprehensive ethics and accountability program and efforts to replicate the program nationally. She serves as a frequent trainer and writer in the areas of board conduct, program evaluation, program replication, fundraising ethics, and nonprofit management. She has taught courses on nonprofit ethics and accountability at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies Certificate Program on Nonprofit Management. She has held positions at the Trenton lobbying firm of the Princeton Public Affairs Group, and the Public Policy Liaison Unit at the world headquarters of Catholic Relief Services. Amy received her Master of Arts in Policy Studies degree from the Johns Hopkins University – Institute for Policy Studies in Baltimore, Maryland; and her Bachelors degree from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Amy is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Amy serves on the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities (ACT). Amy is a former member of the Disaster Action Team of the Central Maryland Chapter of the American Red Cross and is qualified to provide disaster preparedness training to children and adults. She has also served as the former President of Central Maryland CAN TOO and was a member of the Board of Trustees of the largest United Methodist Church in Baltimore City. She serves on the board of her children’s preschool PTA and is a volunteer with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. Amy is currently leading an effort to establish an endowment for the Virginia Tech University Honors Program.