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Accreditation Fees

  • Resource Type: Toolkit

Plan for and understand your land trust's application fee.

Fee Overview

Accreditation fees are structured to provide land trusts of all sizes with the opportunity to participate in the accreditation program. The accreditation program is supported by accreditation fees but is also sustained each year by thousands of commissioner volunteer hours and income from an endowment from generous individuals and funders.

Fee Schedule Key Information

  • There are a registration fee and an application fee.

  • The fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

  • The $850 registration fee is due at the time of registration (for first-time this means at the time of entering the lottery).

  • The application fee is invoiced after the pre-application is submitted and is due on the application due date.

  • The application fee is based on a land trust’s total annual expenses.

Note that land trusts applying for third renewal have a different fee schedule, please select the correct document below.

The application fee is all inclusive, meaning it covers the application review, outreach calls, any consultations over the accredited term with Commission staff, and all other accreditation actions and activities (except appeals).

Accreditation Fees FAQs

Accreditation fees are based on an applicant's "Total Expenses" as reported on the Form 990, Form 990EZ, or Form 990-N submitted by the applicant as part of its pre-application. Some organizations have diverse missions and land conservation may be only one of many programs; however, because the entire organization is being accredited, accreditation fees are based on the organization's total annual expenses – not just the programs related directly to land conservation.

You may contact the Commission to request a possible fee adjustment if a) the organization's "Total Expenses" includes the purchase of fee properties or conservation easements, b) your organization had amount(s) reported on Schedule I (Grants and Other Assistance to Organizations, Governments and Individuals), or c) accounting adjustments such as write-offs and depreciation of land. Fee adjustments are evaluated and approved by the Commission in its sole discretion on a case-by-case basis.

  • The Commission, while an independent program of the Alliance, relies on the Alliance's programs and services to undertake our work. The Alliance creates and maintains the Standards and supporting materials and provides educational support and training. The Standards and the supporting materials are the cornerstone of accreditation and the accreditation requirements.

  • While accreditation fees and an endowment raised by the Alliance cover the Commission's direct operating costs, the Alliance supports the Commission by providing shared resources, such as technology, human resources and financial management for our operations. Membership fees contribute to these shared resource costs.

  • The Commission also relies on the commitment of volunteer commissioners who collectively donate about 3,000 hours each year reviewing applications to keep costs affordable for applicants

The accreditation fee schedule, jointly approved by the Alliance and Commission, reflects that Alliance members receive, as a member benefit, a discount on the accreditation application fees. Land trusts who are not members of the Alliance will pay fees that reflect the full cost of providing the accreditation program and the services provided by the Alliance.

The Alliance-member fee discount approach became effective in 2022. If the land trust applies in 2022 or later, the land trust will pay an additional fee pro-rated to the number of years the land trust was not a member. The additional fee will need to be paid at next application or, on prior arrangement with the Commission, it can be paid in two installments.

The Commission encourages land trusts to be members of the Alliance in order to take full advantage of the many resources available. The Alliance provides its members access to critical background information on the accreditation indicator elements and sample policies and procedures. Attending conferences and trainings and reading publications will help ensure the land trust is up to date with essential best practices and legal requirements as part of achieving and maintaining the excellence represented by the accreditation seal.

The non-member fee above that paid by members will be transferred to the Alliance at or near the time the application fee is received. The fees transferred to the Alliance are to reimburse it for accreditation services and general operational support.

Some applicants get paid help to organize and scan documents; other land trusts need to secure high-speed internet for more efficient uploads to the online application. First-time and renewal materials are submitted electronically; there are no application printing/copying/shipping costs.

Accreditation fees are posted annually. An inflation rate of 3% should be used for planning purposes when applying or renewing sometime beyond the current fee schedule. Land trusts preparing for third renewal (fourth application) should budget for a seven-year-term fee pro-rated to the corresponding five-year-term fee.

Staying accredited has many benefits, including gaining an extended accreditation term. After a successful third renewal application, the Commission will award accreditation for a seven-year term, rather than a five-year one. Application fees for the extended term will follow the same guidelines as previous renewals with the exception that the application fee will be pro-rated to a term of seven years (e.g., a $10,000 fee for five years is $2,000/year; so, a seven-year fee would be $14,000).