Land trusts often face unique hurdles in maintaining a high-functioning board, including finding new board members, orienting them to the organization, and retaining high levels of engagement. Often, addressing a few underlying issues can lead to major organizational improvements.

This toolkit is designed to provide practical tools and insights to address these challenges by offering actionable resources to:

• Identify gaps and strengths within your board.
• Align your board’s efforts with your land trust’s mission, vision, and strategy.
• Develop clear roles and responsibilities for board members and committees.
• Establish effective recruitment, onboarding, and training practices.
• Foster accountability and continuous improvement.

We hope you’ll find the tools and strategies needed to build a more engaged, diverse, and impactful board.

How to Use the Toolkit

This toolkit is organized into focused sections, each addressing a critical aspect of board development. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining existing practices, you can explore the sections in any order based on your organization’s current needs.

Click the section titles, below, to be brought to a dedicated page for each topic containing practical guidance, templates, tools, and links to further reading.

1. Board Diagnostic Tools: Assess your board’s composition, strengths, and areas for improvement.
2. Mission, Vision, and Values Alignment: Ensure your board’s efforts align with your organization’s guiding principles.
3. Succession Planning Basics: Create a roadmap for smooth leadership transitions.
4. Defining Roles and Responsibilities: Clarify governance and operational roles for board members and committees.
5. Recruitment Strategies: Attract skilled and committed board members.
6. Onboarding and Training: Prepare new board members for success.
7. Accountability and Evaluation: Build a culture of self-reflection, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Supporting Your Board’s Development

At CLCC, we understand the unique needs of Connecticut’s land trusts. As your partner in conservation, we’re here to offer personalized guidance and coaching on board-related challenges.

CLCC is also able to facilitate training sessions tailored to your organization’s needs through our Boardroom Briefings program, or offer a more in-depth planning or visioning session for your land trust. CLCC also works frequently in partnership with the Land Trust Alliance to support the Connecticut land trust community. As an organization supporting land trusts nationwide, the Alliance’s New England Program builds the capacity of land trusts through Land Trust Standards and Practices, educational offerings, training programs, grants and financial assistance, preparation services related to accreditation, convenings, and peer groups. 

Whether you’re seeking help with recruitment, role clarity, or strategic planning, our team is just a call or email away. Contact us to discuss how we can support your efforts.

CLCC Contact: Aaron Lefland, Deputy Director, 860-852-5512

LTA Contact: Jen Plowden, New England Senior Program Manager, 978-595-3871

Toolkit Development

This toolkit includes content originally created by Megan Motil of Parallel Solutions and Connie Manes of Manes Consulting as part of educational offerings provided by CLCC and the Alliance. You can access their presentations using the links below.

Organizational Development and Leadership Succession Workshop Series – Megan Motil, 2024
Session 1; Session 2; Session 3

Succession Planning Workshop Series – Connie Manes, 2023
Intro Slides; Workshop Handout