Policy Toolkit

Grassroots Toolkit: Spread the News of the Enhanced Easement Incentive

UPDATE: The incentive will expire December 31, 2011, but may be renewed retroactively. We will update Grassroots Toolkit materials if and when the incentive is extended.

Congress recently renewed the enhanced tax deduction for conservation easement donations through December 31, 2011!  That gives us just 12 months to educate potential easement donors about this important conservation tool and persuade Congress to make it permanent!

The Alliance has created this Grassroots Outreach Toolkit to assist land trusts with educating potential easement donors, elected officials and the media about this powerful incentive.  By acting fast, farmers, ranchers and other landowners an receive full credit for conserving their land and will demonstrate the value of this incentive to policy makers.  The toolkit provides the information needed to reach out to key audiences in a timely, cost-effective way.

Seeking co-sponsors for legislation to make the easement incentive permanent? Click here for sample materials and talking points.

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

Publicize the Incentive via the Media and Your Newsletter

• Talking Points on the enhanced easement incentive
• Sample press release announcing easement incentive renewal
• Sample letter to the editor
• Sample op-ed for your local newspaper
• Sample newsletter article

Share the News with Potential Easement Donors

• PDF Brochure: Using the Conservation Tax Incentive -- We don't currently plan to sell printed copies of the updated brochure. Please feel free to print copies of the PDF or borrow it's language, much of which is repeated on our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you still have copies of the old brochure, feel free to use them with stickers indicating the new Dec 31, 2011 expiration date (details remain the same).
• A sample two-page fact sheet for potential easement donors

Host an Event to Inform Potential Easement Donors & Elected Officials

• 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? View our guide to hosting that kind of visit.

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 email for forwarding press clips to Congress
• A dozen 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 or to suggest we add another resource, please don’t hesitate to e-mail Policy@lta.org.  For complete coverage and technical details regarding the enhanced incentive and it's renewal, visit www.lta.org/easementincentive.

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