77% of Land conservation organizations lack funds to pursue worthy preservation projects

Back in late 2008, when LCAT was just an infant, I conducted a survey of land preservation organizations around the nation.  You can read the survey here.  Over 1,100 organization were asked to participate.

I was curious at the time to gauge the interest and need for the services that LCAT would provide.  I needed to know as I ramped up activity, that my passion was not mis-placed.

As it turns out, the survey revealed and confirmed most of my suspicions. Nearly 70% of the organizations reported that they lost land preservation opportunities due the the lack of funds; nearly 77% reported that they didn’t even pursue preservation opportunities because of a lack of funds, and 63% reported that the immediate availability of funding would have made the difference.

The respondents didn’t just fill in the check-boxes.  Some of the most compelling responses came in the comments:

“The logic for your organization is compelling. It is tough to get donors to raise cash for a land purchase overnight, especially when facing a deep-pocketed developer. If an emergency [funds were] available, donors would then come out of the woodwork to pay [them] back.”

“The housing bust is a huge opportunity for the land preservation community. . . . If funds and skilled real-estate negotiators were available to broker transactions, a lot of open space could be purchased at fire-sale prices.”

“Government zoning and development commissions are a huge hindrance to curbing urban sprawl. If a strong *smart growth* advocacy presence was felt at zoning meetings, perhaps these commissions would not always vote pro-development.”

“There are many opportunities that we have on the back burner, waiting for financial possibility of success.”

At the time they got the survey, in fact , some of the respondents were facing urgent funding needs:

“Right now, we are facing a need for emergency funding! We expect to receive a grant, and our “committed” source for matching funds has just backed out. If we get the grant, we do not know at this point how or whether we will be able to raise the matching funds.”

The significant responses are shown graphically below.

4. Over the past five years, have you lost conservation or preservation opportunities because you did not have sufficient funds?

69.2% Yes (36) 28.8% No (15) 1.9% View “Other” Answers “Other” Answers

5. Over the past five years, have you declined to pursue preservation or conservation opportunities because you did not have sufficient funds?

76.9% Yes (40) 21.1% No (11) 1.9% View “Other” Answers “Other” Answers

6. Over the past five years, would the immediate availability of emergency funding have made a difference in your organization’s ability to preserve or conserve an important parcel of land?

62.7% Yes (32) 27.4% No (14) 9.8% View “Other” Answers “Other” Answers

7. Over the past five years, would the immediate availability of emergency funding have been the determining factor in a final decision whether to enter into a transaction for the preservation or conservation of an important parcel of land?

53.0% Yes (26) 36.7% No (18) 10.2% View “Other” Answers