Targeted Verification Items and Selected Projects
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Learn about how the Commission uses Targeted Verification Items and Selected Projects to verify specific practices of your land trust.
Targeted Verification Items
Targeted verification includes a narrow set of documents to show how the land trust met the requirements in a specific area. Based on your land trust’s pre-application answers and documentation, the Commission may request documents be uploaded, in the AMS, for specific transactions or activities.
The list of documents that could be requested for each type of targeted verification item can be found in the:
First-Time Reference Application Packet (see “Targeted Verification Item Documents”)
OR
Renewal Reference Application Packet (see "Targeted Verification Item Documents")
The items selected by the Commission are based on a review of the pre-application materials, and related documentation from the land trust is due at the time of the application.
At first-time accreditation, if the pre-application is accepted, the land trust will receive the list of projects and targeted verification items about eight weeks before the application due date.
At renewal, the land trust will receive the list of projects and targeted verification items about six weeks before the application due date. The online application portal notes the date the land trust can expect those items to be added to the online application.
If you find that your land trust is missing documents needed for the verification process, the best course of action is to provide a brief narrative explaining the situation. Do not attempt to re-create documents for the purposes of augmenting the application.
Selected Projects
The Commission selects specific conservation easements or fee properties listed on the Land Conservation Project List provided in your pre-application. Your land trust then provides a complete set of documentation for that project in the AMS.
The number of complete projects selected depends on how many projects in each category – conservation easements or fee properties – your organization holds at time of pre-application.
At first-time accreditation, the number of projects selected is capped at six, unless there is an extraordinary circumstance. The number of selected projects is typically as follows. For each category of holding (conservation easement and/or fee ownership):
1–25 holdings = up to 2 project files in this category
26–50 holdings = up to 3 project files in this category
51–100 holdings = up to 4 project files in this category
101–200 holdings = up to 5 project files in this category
>200 holdings = number determined on a case-by-case basis
At renewal, the number of selected projects will generally be capped at four (two easements and two conservation fee properties); additional projects may be selected if the land trust had a large volume of transactions over its accredited term.
The Commission has created a project documentation list that contains the potentially-required documentation for any type of conservation project (easement, fee, purchase, donation, mitigation, etc.). This list can be found here as part of the:
First-Time Reference Application Packet (see “Conservation Easement Project Documentation” and “Conservation Fee Project Documentation”)
Renewal Reference Application Packet (see “Conservation Easement Project Documentation” and “Conservation Fee Project Documentation”)
While documentation must include the donor or landowner’s name, as applicable, we strongly encourage you to redact social security or tax identification numbers.