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Northeast Wilderness Trust

Grant Range
$100K - $0.3M

Northeast Wilderness Trust - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Annual Revenue: $13,772,558 (FY 2024)
  • Total Assets: $56.3 million
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $250,000
  • Program Launch: 2020
  • Geographic Focus: New England and New York (ME, NH, VT, NY, MA, CT)
  • Partners Funded: 6 land trusts, 12,000+ acres protected since 2020

Contact Details

Northeast Wilderness Trust 17 State Street, Suite 302 Montpelier, VT 05602

Phone: (802) 224-1000 Email: info@newildernesstrust.org Website: https://newildernesstrust.org

Wildlands Partnership Contact: Caitlin Mather, Land Protection Director Email: caitlin@newildernesstrust.org Phone: (802) 224-1000 ext. 112

Overview

Founded in 2002, Northeast Wilderness Trust is the only land trust working across New England and New York exclusively to protect land as wilderness. With total assets of $56.3 million and annual revenue of $13.8 million (FY 2024), the organization is completely focused on forever-wild conservation. In 2020, Northeast Wilderness Trust launched the Wildlands Partnership program to accelerate wilderness conservation across the region by providing local land trusts with financial resources and technical expertise to protect forever-wild landscapes. The program addresses a critical goal set forth by Harvard Forest's Wildlands & Woodlands initiative to conserve at least 10% of forestland as wilderness by 2060. The organization is LTA-accredited and has conserved approximately 56,000 acres across 49 projects under current President & CEO Jon Leibowitz's leadership since 2017.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Wildlands Partnership Program - Currently closed to new applications

The Wildlands Partnership provides funding to LTA-accredited land trusts for wilderness conservation projects:

  • Existing Fee Lands: Up to $100,000 to support conservation easements on land already owned by partner land trusts
  • New Land Acquisitions: Up to $250,000 to support acquisition of new lands for wilderness protection
  • Application Method: Rolling basis when open; interested organizations should contact Caitlin Mather to be notified when applications reopen
  • Transaction Support: Funds may be used for transaction costs (excluding legal fees)

Wildlands Carbon Program

Partner land trusts can enroll conserved wildlands in Northeast Wilderness Trust's aggregated forest carbon project:

  • Receive a prepayment to use toward additional conservation work
  • Earn ongoing revenue share as carbon credits are issued and sold
  • Unrestricted income with minimal risk
  • The program has generated over $580,000 from just two properties
  • Aggregation model makes carbon revenue accessible to small land trusts that wouldn't meet traditional 3,500-acre minimum

Priority Areas

  • Forever-wild forest conservation - Land protected in perpetuity with no logging, development, or intensive management
  • Large forest blocks - Parcels totaling 500+ acres (can be aggregated from multiple non-adjacent parcels)
  • Wildlife connectivity - Properties that support wildlife habitat and biological diversity
  • Climate resilience - Forest blocks that contribute to climate mitigation
  • Geographic diversity - Projects across New England and New York states
  • Community engagement - Partner land trusts that can provide local knowledge and community connections

What They Fund

  • Conservation easement transaction costs (excluding legal fees)
  • Reserves for future stewardship costs
  • Contributions toward land acquisition costs
  • Technical support and guidance on forever-wild conservation

What They Don't Fund

The program is specifically designed for land trusts, not individual landowners or other types of organizations. Projects must:

  • Involve LTA-accredited land trusts
  • Result in perpetual forever-wild conservation easements
  • Meet project selection criteria for parcel size, resiliency, context, and geographic diversity

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership:

  • Jon Leibowitz, President & CEO (promoted February 2024, previously Executive Director since 2017) - Under his leadership, NEWT has conserved approximately 56,000 acres across 49 projects. Leibowitz serves on the Rewilding Leadership Council, the Steering Committee of Wildlands and Woodlands, and the Board of Vermont Parks Forever.
  • Nicie Panetta, Vice President of Advancement (hired February 2024)
  • Caitlin Mather, Land Protection Director - Primary contact for Wildlands Partnership program; previously worked as a Paralegal at Vermont Land Trust

Board of Directors: Northeast Wilderness Trust has a dedicated Board of Directors spanning the Northeast (specific current board members not publicly listed on website).

Quote from Leadership:

Jon Leibowitz, President & CEO: "The Wildlands partnership offers a streamlined, cost-effective way for land trusts to add another dimension to their work while saving places for future generations."

Sophie Ehrhardt, former Wildlands Partnership Coordinator: "Our goal is to ignite a renewed conversation around wildlands protection—between land trusts, philanthropists, and the general public."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Current Status: Applications are currently closed. The organization recommends subscribing to their newsletter to receive updates about when the Wildlands Partnership Program reopens for applications.

When Applications Are Open:

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Applicant must be an LTA-accredited land trust
  • Proposed project acres must total 500 or more (may be aggregated from multiple non-adjacent parcels, though adjacent lands are preferred)
  • Projects must be located in New England or New York
  • Land must be protected with a perpetual forever-wild conservation easement

Evaluation Criteria: Northeast Wilderness Trust evaluates prospective Wildlands Partnership projects using Project Selection Criteria that consider:

  • Parcel size
  • Resiliency
  • Context (proximity to other protected lands, wildlife habitat)
  • Geographic diversity
  • Other project dimensions

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly stated. The organization appears to work closely with interested land trusts throughout the evaluation and partnership development process.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication restrictions have been stated. Given the rolling application format when open, land trusts are encouraged to maintain contact with the organization and reapply when circumstances change or new projects develop.

Application Success Factors

Key Success Elements:

  1. LTA Accreditation is Mandatory - This is a non-negotiable requirement. Land trusts must complete the accreditation process before applying.

  2. Forever-Wild Commitment - Projects must involve perpetual conservation easements that prohibit logging, development, subdivisions, commercial activities, farming, and timber cutting. Landowners retain rights to non-motorized, non-mechanized recreation.

  3. Adequate Parcel Size - While individual parcels can be aggregated, the total project should reach at least 500 acres. Cornwall Conservation Trust successfully aggregated three preserves (200 acres, 100 acres, and 75 acres) to total 375 acres, suggesting some flexibility.

  4. Local Knowledge and Community Connection - As Jon Leibowitz stated, "In exchange for financial and technical support, land trusts provide the Wilderness Trust with a connection to their local communities and knowledge of their landscape."

  5. Carbon Program Enrollment - Consider how your project could benefit from Wild Carbon revenue. James "Wylie" Huffman, Executive Director of Indian River Lakes Conservancy, noted: "Access to this program and the forever-wild easement protection...supports our conservation goals and gives us a chance to educate visitors on the importance of wild places and permanency."

Funded Project Examples:

  • Frenchman Bay Conservancy (Maine): Received $100,000 toward their $900,000 capital campaign to acquire 1,400 acres as part of the Frenchman Bay Community Forest in 2021 - the first completed Wildlands Partnership conservation easement.

  • Indian River Lakes Conservancy (New York): Enrolled 1,072-acre Grand Lake Reserve in the Wildlands Partnership with forever-wild easement protection.

  • Cornwall Conservation Trust (Connecticut): Enrolled 375 acres across three separate preserves (Greyledge Preserve, Nancy Nauts Dobbs Preserve, Red Mountain Preserve), with NEWT covering transaction expenses, stewardship reserve, and significant contribution toward land acquisition.

Strategic Advice:

  • Northeast Wilderness Trust is unique in the region for its exclusive focus on wilderness conservation - align your project messaging with wilderness values, not just general conservation
  • Emphasize the climate resilience and wildlife connectivity benefits of your project
  • If you're not yet LTA-accredited, begin that process before approaching NEWT about partnership opportunities
  • Consider how your organization can contribute local community knowledge and engagement to the partnership
  • Be prepared to discuss long-term stewardship plans for forever-wild land

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Accreditation is essential: Only LTA-accredited land trusts are eligible; plan accordingly if you're not yet accredited
  • Flexible parcel aggregation: You can combine multiple non-adjacent parcels to meet the 500+ acre guideline, as Cornwall Conservation Trust demonstrated with three separate preserves
  • Dual revenue streams: Partnerships include both upfront grant funding ($100,000-$250,000) AND ongoing carbon market revenue through Wild Carbon program
  • Applications currently closed: Subscribe to NEWT's newsletter and maintain contact with Caitlin Mather to learn when applications reopen
  • Forever-wild is non-negotiable: All funded projects must accept perpetual conservation easements prohibiting logging, development, and intensive management
  • Two-way partnership: NEWT values what land trusts bring to the relationship - local knowledge, community connections, and landscape expertise
  • Carbon program innovation: The aggregated carbon model is the first of its kind in the Northeast, making carbon revenue accessible to smaller land trusts

References

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