ACCREDITATION
Ventura Land Trust Earns National Accreditation
Ventura Land Trust (VLT) is pleased to announce that, as of November 6th, 2019, we are now accredited by the Land Trust Alliance, joining an esteemed network of more than 450 accredited land trusts across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to professional excellence and to maintaining the public's trust in their work. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. VLT will be applying for renewal accreditation in 2024.
National accreditation helps to maintain the public's trust and confirms that the accredited land trusts across the country are united behind strong standards and have demonstrated sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance, and lasting stewardship. Accredited land trusts steward over 20 million acres of land in the U.S. - the size of Denali, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Everglades, and Yosemite National Parks combined.
Becoming nationally accredited was a rigorous 2-year process that required Ventura Land Trust to fine tune its financial and organizational policies, programs, and procedures; provide extensive documentation, and undergo a comprehensive third-party evaluation. “Accreditation recognition reflects the fact that Ventura Land Trust meets the highest possible standards set forth by our peers in the land trust community. It means that donors and other supporters can know that their time, treasure, and talent are well-invested with VLT,” said Melissa Baffa, VLT Executive Director.
“It is exciting to recognize Ventura Land Trust with this national mark of distinction,” said Tammara Van Ryn, Executive Director of the Commission. “Accredited land trusts demonstrate fiscal accountability, strong organizational leadership and lasting stewardship of conservation land.”
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission conducts an extensive review of each applicant’s policies and programs. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission inspires excellence, promotes public trust and ensures permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and strive for continuous improvement. The Commission, established in 2006 as an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts.
Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization that works to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Alliance represents 950 member land trusts, supported by 234,000 volunteers and 6.4 million supporters nationwide. The Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., and operates several regional offices. The Alliance’s leadership serves the entire land trust community. Its work in the nation’s capital represents the policy priorities of land conservationists from every state; their education programs improve and empower land trusts from Maine to Alaska; and their comprehensive vision for the future of land conservation includes new partners, new programs and new priorities. Connect with them online at www.landtrustalliance.org.
By achieving accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, VLT had to exhibit compliance with a rigorous set of national quality standards. These standards address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust. For the full list of standards see http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/help-and-resources/indicator-practices.
Ventura Land Trust is one of 1,281 land trusts across the United States according to the Land Trust Alliance’s most recent National Land Trust Census. A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits can be found at www.land trust accreditation.org.
