Latest News

The National Park Foundation (NPF) is excited to announce a request for a Letter of Interest (LOI) for a new Partner Housing Catalyst Program. This program seeks to identify, support, and accelerate partner led projects that address critical workforce housing shortages in and around national parks, leveraging at least $10 million in NPF private funding to expand community involvement and …

Got milkweed? The Xerces Society is currently offering free milkweed seedlings to Land Trusts throughout the state!  The Western monarch population has declined dramatically over the past several decades, and the Xerces Society believes that increasing the amount of milkweed available to support Monarch breeding throughout their range is one significant action everyone can take to help save monarchs.   To …

A multimillion-dollar purchase of 207 acres by the Peninsula Open Space Trust adds a critical safety facet to the preservation of  Coyote Valley in South County. The $5.5 million purchase of a former dairy farm by the nonprofit protects the northwestern ridge of Coyote Valley from future development.  Read more >>

California Council of Land Trusts is excited to announce the availability of approximately $1.75 million in Round 2 of Project Advancement Grants specifically for conservation land trusts. In 2024, CCLT awarded approximately $1.9 million in the first round of funding. Details on funded projects are available here. Supported generously by the California Wildlife Conservation Board, this program supports 6-12 month …

Co-executive director of Rivers & Lands Conservancy Nicole Padron penned this piece for the Los Angeles Daily News: Land trusts throughout California work locally and in unison to create a network of protected private lands across the state. Federal agencies like the US Forest Service manage more than 45% of California’s land. I learned this statistic as an undergrad in …

*The funding opportunities presented in this list are not exhaustive or complete. CCLT encourages organizations to check federal agency websites for up-to-date information about the status of federal grant programs. 

The SmokePath Explorer has been developed by Sonoma Technology in partnership with CAL FIRE as a new planning tool for prescribed fire. The tool analyzes 20 years worth of meteorological variables to generate the probability of smoke impacts from a prescribed fire. It also identifies the population, educational facilities, and healthcare facilities that have the potential to be affected by …

Lake County Land Trust Welcomes New Executive Director, Angela De Palma-Dow The Lake County Land Trust (LCLT) is pleased to welcome its new Executive Director, Angela De Palma-Dow, who has joined the Land Trust as of April 1. De Palma-Dow is a well-known figure in Lake County having worked for the County of Lake for the last six years as …

WATSONVILLE, CA—Elkhorn Slough Foundation (ESF) successfully launched a new major effort called the Elkhorn Forever Campaign with a kick-off celebration on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. The event, which took place at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Visitor Center, brought together ESF leadership, campaign chairs, major supporters, and media to kick off a critical $12 million campaign to secure …

4/18/25 – Yesterday, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy awarded over $13.6 million to a total of 13 projects to expand public access, enhance climate resilience, mitigate wildfire risk, and return land to California’s native tribes. Santa Cruz CountyA grant of up to $460,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to complete final planning and permitting tasks …

April 16, 2025 | Thank you to everyone that submitted videos to the Film Fest! You can find the winning videos on CCLT’s social media platforms as well as on our YouTube Channel. Congratulations to the winners! Most Popular Video winner: Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy Most Inspirational Video winner: Sonoma Land Trust Most Entertaining Video winner: Peninsula Open Space Trust For more information …

A Year of Growth and Connection California Council of Land Trusts’ (CCLT) purpose is to conserve California’s extraordinary land and water resources through a strong network of land trusts with one cohesive voice across urban and rural communities. 2024 was a year of great impact for CCLT on behalf of the land trust community in California. We launched two significant …

The Karuk Tribe and the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) have entered into a historic agreement as part of CNRA’s and California Environmental Protection Agency’s (CalEPA) announcement that SB 310 (Dodd 2024) is now in effect. This landmark legislation and agreement acknowledge tribal sovereignty and addresses historical injustices while contributing to the mitigation of catastrophic wildfire by enabling CNRA and …

Congratulations to our members!

The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County announced that the Estrada Ranch—1,205 mountainous acres in the heart of the Pajaro Hills in Santa Cruz County—has been protected in perpetuity through a conservation easement.  Read More 

Earlier this month, Save Mount Diablo closed escrow on the Ginochio Schwendel Ranch. With this purchase, they are permanently protecting a 98-acre property along the Marsh Creek wildlife corridor between Clayton and Brentwood—just one week after receiving approval for the last half of necessary funding.  Partners included the Ginochio family, the Wildlife Conservation Board for providing significant funding to the …

“Sierra Foothill Conservancy is honored to work in partnership with the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation to return first stewards to the land with the Big Rock Project. Rematriation of this land is part of our ongoing collaboration which focuses on restoring the ethics and values of indigenous people and indigenous stewardship to the land. The principles of reciprocity are values …

*The funding opportunities presented in this list are not exhaustive or complete. CCLT encourages organizations to check federal agency websites for up-to-date information about the status of federal grant programs. 

Land Trust Alliance (LTA) recently shared a newly created resource hub for land trusts with updates and information to help navigate the rapidly changing federal funding landscape. From an overview of the latest Federal actions to the potential implications of Federal funding and contracts, LTA’s new resource serves as a vital source of information and updates for land trusts.   In …

As of July 21, 2025: The bill is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee. It is on what is called the “Suspense File.” We are working with TNC, the Author’s office and other staff in the Legislature on moving the bill forward to the whole Senate when the Appropriations Committee meets after the legislative recess. Thank you for all your …

Redbud Resource Group recently shared its new teaching resource, “A Classroom Guide to Appreciating Cultural Burning & Good Fire,” to share how cultural burning supports healthy landscapes, strong ecosystems, and thriving Indigenous traditions. Review and utilize this new tool to help start a meaningful conversation with the youth and students you work with. Review the Guide

Golden State Land Conservancy has made their presentation about conservation easements and how they work available to our community. This is a perfect introduction to land conservation for anyone interested in spreading the word about this conservation tool. Land Trusts are invited to link this video to their website and share it widely through their networks. The animation was sponsored …

The San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust (Trust) in Fresno, CA is celebrating the growth and expansion of the River Camp Inclusion Program, focusing on providing outdoor recreation opportunities for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DDs). This program enables local youth with I/DDs to participate fully in the organization’s outdoor day-camp alongside typically developing peers, with additional support …

Judge Loren AliKhan from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of a group of nonprofit organizations in finding that they are likely to succeed in their challenge to the pause on all federal grants, loans, and other federal assistance programs. The judge found that the nonprofits proved that the “funding freeze would be economically …

Help shape California’s Climate Bond Funding! Prop. 4 will invest $10 billion over the next five years to strengthen wildfire resilience, secure safe drinking water, restore natural areas, and implement nature-based solutions. To ensure this funding reaches the people and places that need it most, CNRA wants your input! Take the California Climate Bond: Grant Programs Feedback survey to help …

Your perspective is needed to inform the development of new conservation financing tools and how to make them accessible. In partnership with the Conservation Finance Network and the Land Trust Alliance, LegacyWorks Group is conducting a survey of the conservation community to understand the use of bridge loans and the need for education about them within the community. The survey …

Based on your location, you’re invited to participate in Nonprofit Compensation Associates’ 2025 Compensation & Benefits Survey to help your organization find out how the local nonprofit community is responding to current economic conditions.  The Northern California survey covers 48 counties, from Del Norte County in the far northwest to Inyo County in the far southeast.   The Southern California survey …

CCLT is pleased to be the co-sponsor of AB 900 (Papan) Environmental protection: 30×30 goals: land conservation: science-based management and stewardship, along with our partners at The Nature Conservancy. Stay tuned for ways to engage and learn more about this bill as it moves through the legislative process. Read AB 900 (Papan) – 30×30 Land Stewardship