Policy Toolkit

Grassroots Toolkit: Spread the News of the Easement Incentive

The enhanced easement incentive expired December 31, 2009, but we believe it's likely Congress will renew it in 2010 and make it retroactive to January 1st.  We still hope the incentive will be renewed, so this page includes resources for spreading the word about this valuable conservation tool.

The Alliance has created this Grassroots Outreach Toolkit to assist land trusts with educating potential easement donors, elected officials and the meida about this powerful incentive.  Not all materials have been updated to reflect the expiration of the incentive--we will post updated versions if/when the incentive is extended. The toolkit provides the information needed to reach out to key audiences in a timely, cost-effective way.

Looking for tools to recruit cosponsors directly? Click here.

Media Outreach | Host an Event | Inform Landowners | Thank Cosponsors

Publicize the Incentive, and Legislation to Extend it, via the Media

• Thanksgiving themed Op/Ed or letter to the editor - contact communications@lta.org for help in customizing
• Talking Points on the extended tax incentive
• Template press release on the expiring incentive and legislation to renew it
• A sample letter to the editor
• A sample op-ed for your local newspaper
• Sample email for forwarding press clips to Congress

 

Host an Event to Inform Potential Easement Donors

• Tips for hosting a local public education event
• A sample event flyer
• A sample event media advisory
• A sample invitation letter for elected officials
• Prefer to simply invite your Rep. to visit a conserved property? Click here for our guide to hosting that kind of visit.
  
  

Share the News with Potential Easement Donors

• Brochure: Using the Conservation Tax Incentive--SOLD OUT! This brochure includes a brief introduction to the incentive and answers to frequently asked questions for landowners considering a conservation easement. Please feel free to print copies of our free PDF version. We'll update this publication if/when the incentive is renewed. In the meantime, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, which discusses the rules in place for 2010.
  
• A sample two-page fact sheet for potential easement donors

Thank Your Members of Congress for Co-sponsoring

• A sample thank you from your organization to Members of Congress
• A sample thank you letter for your easement donors to send to their Representatives
• Sample press release to publicly thank your Members of Congress for cosponsoring
• Sample article for your newsletter to thank your Members of Congress for cosponsoring
• Sample Letter-to-the-editor thanking easement incentive cosponsors
• ADVOCATES alert with more ideas for saying thank you

Please feel free to adjust any of these pieces to your particular communications needs.  Should you require further assistance, please don’t hesitate to e-mail Policy@lta.org.

Thank you for helping to spread the word on this great opportunity to support conservation!