First Time Accreditation
Learn what it takes to get accredited.
Watch and Learn
Understand the Steps
Land trusts preparing for first-time accreditation, start here. Gain a deeper understanding of process steps and get a preview of the online application platform.
Getting started
The Accreditation Process
The first-time accreditation process is a multi-step journey, often spanning multiple years for preparation. Use the outline below for an overview, then explore each step in detail to gain a deeper understanding of what’s involved.
Explore the Value of Accreditation
If you haven’t already, take some time to understand the value and benefits of accreditation.
Evaluate if You’re Ready
Accreditation requires extensive preparation, with many land trusts starting years in advance of applying.
Several resources can help you understand the preparation needed and assess your readiness for accreditation.
Get Started with Accreditation
When you’re ready to start the process, you can learn more about what to expect and how to manage the process.
A variety of resources are available to help set your land trust up for success.
Submit Registration
First-time accreditation slots are assigned through a lottery system. Lottery opening dates are announced in our monthly e-newsletter and will be available on our website. Lottery entrance includes submitting a registration form and paying an $850 fee.
If there are more registrants than the Commission has the capacity for that year, the lottery is used to assign land trusts to a specific application year. Using a lottery gives everyone an equal chance at being assigned to apply in the next year (versus the subsequent year). Assigning land trust to different years reflects the Commission's applicant capacity for each year and its commitment to ensuring a fair consistent review process.
Land trusts are notified of the lottery results and which year they have been assigned to apply within a month of the lottery closing date.
Complete Pre-Application
The pre-application is submitted online through the accreditation management system; access to the system opens three months before the due date to submit the pre-application.
After the pre-application is submitted, the Commission will review it and notify the land trust about the projects selected, the targeted verification items selected and the application fee. This notification is sent about eight weeks before the application due date.
Complete Application
The first-time application is completed entirely online through the accreditation management system; land trusts will have access to the system at least six months before the application due date.
The application consists of an application questionnaire, application documentation, and documentation for the project and targeted verification items selected by the Commission from the pre-application.
Make sure to plan ahead to ensure that your land trust has all the information needed to ensure the application can be submitted electronically by the application due date.
After Your Submission
The applicant and Commission have a conference call one to four months after the application due date. The phone call is scheduled in advance and an agenda with specific questions about the application is provided about one week before the call.
About two to four weeks after the call, the Commission sends an Additional Information Request (AIR). The AIR outlines any additional documentation or corrective action needed to show how the applicant is meeting the Standards.
The applicant is notified of the due date for the responses to be uploaded and submitted in the accreditation management system. The due date is between one to three months after receipt.
The Commission then considers all the information gathered during the application process and makes a decision on the application; the decision is made approximately 10 months after the application is submitted.