The Conservation Fund, through its Land Trust Loan Program, provides bridge financing and short-term loans to more than 1,700 local nonprofit land conservation organizations across the nation to accelerate the pace of conservation at the local level.
In the Connecticut River Valley, a farmer hopes to protect his land as a legacy for future generations. Along Maryland’s Coastal Bays, a rural community tries to conserve its scenic vistas from development. On Colorado’s Front Range, a ranching family seeks to safeguard a working landscape and popular migratory corridor. Each story is unique, but in every case a local land trust was contacted first for help.
At The Conservation Fund we remain committed to raising additional capital to enhance the capability of local groups nationwide. To date our loan program has helped more than 60 organizations achieve their land conservation goals.
Total Loans:.......................114
Number of States:............26
Acres Protected:..............86,795
Acquisition cost:..............$61.3 million
Fair market value:............$131.8 million
Today, more than 1,700 local and regional land trusts are working to protect open space and the quality of life in their communities. These organizations are enduring civic institutions that are helping to conserve the best of America’s lands and waters.
While local land trusts have strong fundraising abilities, they often cannot raise the necessary funding fast enough to meet the needs of willing landowners. As a result, open space that could have been protected is lost. To boost the capability of these groups, each year the Fund lends a portion of its own conservation capital base to land trusts to use as bridge financing. These low-interest loans can be used by our partners to acquire a property before permanent funding is secured.
The Fund, through its Loan and Land Conservation Leadership Programs, provides local organizations with the financing and skills needed to accomplish their conservation goals.
Experience: Expertise and technical assistance is provided throughout the entire process—from acquisition to fundraising to disposition.
Flexible Terms: Security for the loan and payment schedules are tailored specifically to the needs of the borrower and any partners. Interest rates are typically below WSJ Prime Rate.
Efficient & Swift Application Process: The Conservation Fund is committed to working with each applicant to accommodate specific scheduling needs.
What our partners say about us:
The Conservation Fund has been an outstanding partner for our nation’s land trusts. The Fund’s ability to provide financing and technical support is unmatched, and the Foundation is proud to be a lead partner in its land trust program.
—Dan Lufkin, Trustee, Peter Jay Sharp Foundation
The Conservation Fund is a valuable partner in preserving significant land in North Carolina's High Country. The knowledge and resources they bring to transactions produce effective conservation solutions. Continuing this relationship will further High Country Conservancy's land protection goals.
—Teresa Buckwalter, Executive Director, High Country Conservancy
This is an extraordinary story of a local land trust that led the charge in its community to create a waterfront park in Norwalk, Connecticut.
In 2006, when an iconic waterfront property was placed on the open market, The Norwalk Land Trust (NLT) brought together a group of concerned citizens, the City of Norwalk and others to create and develop a vision for a 16-acre waterfront park on the Hart Peninsula. They wanted to preserve their community’s character as well as one of the last great natural places in the city.
But NLT almost lost their chance: developers were keenly interested in purchasing the land and the land trust didn't have the resources to buy it. Luckily, a “conservation buyer” saved the day and purchased the property for more than $4 million. This gave NLT the time it needed to raise the funds to acquire the property. They immediately began work and the Campaign to Save Farm Creek was born.
The property NLT wanted to save was on the Hart peninsula. For generations, the Hart family cared for the peninsula that came to bear the family name. Over time, portions of the property were sold off and with the each subsequent owner the future of the tidal marshes, woodlands and scenic vistas became uncertain. It wasn’t until NLT’s leadership and the Campaign to Save Farm Creek that a vision for the peninsula’s future took shape.
On Earth Day 2007, the City of Norwalk, the current owner of the majority of Hart peninsula, placed a permanent conservation easement on 10 acres of untouched woods and tidal marshes. When combined with two existing NLT nature preserves - totaling 4 acres - all that remained to complete Farm Creek Preserve was the acquisition of the 2-acre property at 34 Sammis Street.
Through contributions large and small-from children’s lemonade stands up to a generous grant from the local tax district-the Campaign to Save Farm Creek Preserve had raised $2 million dollars. In early 2008, NLT used this contribution, along with a loan, to purchase the property from the conservation buyer. With the Sammis Street property now conserved, they renewed their fundraising efforts to pay back the loan.
Less than a month after the purchase, NLT approached The Conservation Fund and requested to refinance their loan at a significantly lower interest rate through the Fund’s Land Trust Loan Program. Reggie Hall, the program's manager, was happy to oblige. “Like so many of our local land trust partners around the country, NLT is doing amazing work. The level of professionalism at which they operate and their ability to generate community support and complete such a complex project is astounding. But what is most impressive about the Norwalk Land Trust is that they are an all volunteer organization with no paid staff. Truly inspiring! It is a privilege for the Fund to help in any way that we can and we feel fortunate to call the Norwalk Land Trust a partner.”
Now the wildlife in the area is ensured a home and the people of Norwalk can enjoy the pathways and benches along the water for generations to come. But NLT isn't done yet – once they pay down their debt, they have plans to convert the century old stone barn on the former Hart property into a modest nature center for visitors.
Click on the links below to learn more about Norwalk Land Trust's work establishing Farm Creek Preserve.
Farm Creek Preserve Informational Brochure
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Powered by: Phase2 TechnologyThe Conservation Fund National Office
1655 N. Fort Myer Drive, Suite 1300
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2156
Phone: 703-525-6300
Fax: 703-525-4610
Email: postmaster@conservationfund.org