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2026 New Executive Director Peer Group Application

Thank you for your interest in the 2026 New Executive Directors Peer Group. We look forward to gathering with you!

Please take five to ten minutes to fill out this group application. Land Trust Alliance staff will review your responses and use them to help shape our time together, incorporating your learning priorities and leveraging your knowledge to help other peers learn. Select information (as noted) will be shared with other peers on a contact list.

Please respond by January 23, 2026 to ensure you receive an invitation to our first meeting on February 5. We will continue to review new applications received by Sep. 30.
Eligibility:
You must be a new (3 years or fewer in position) executive director of a Land Trust Alliance member land trust operating in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and/or US Virgin Islands.
Map of the Land Trust Alliance's Eastern Division states, also listed above.
1.Please share your contact information. It will be shared with other group members.(Required.)
2.Amount of time in the executive director/lead executive position at your current land trust.
(Required.)
3.Amount of additional time in any executive leadership role(s) at any organization.
(Required.)
4.Total amount of time working at land trusts.
(Required.)
5.How is your organization staffed?
(Required.)
6.What aspects of your new leadership position excite you the most?
7.What topics would you like to learn more about? What topics are areas of strength for you?

Please choose as many as you'd like, and it's OK to click both for a topic. We will share your Areas of Strength with the group.

For Want to Learn topics, feel free to include specific requests in the Other box.
Want to Learn
Area of Strength
Boards
Building community-centered organizations
Compliance with laws and regulations
Equity/inclusion/access
Financial management
Fundraising
Human resources
Land acquisition
Nonprofit leadership
Personal management (time, attention, etc.)
Planning (strategic, conservation, program or work planning)
Staff management
Stewardship
8.To make the most of this peer learning experience, we are looking for individuals who can commit to participating in all or most of the scheduled sessions. In addition to our virtual 90 minute meetings, you will have the opportunity to meet informally with a peer in pairs outside of our sessions. Pre-work is generally not assigned for sessions, but occasionally we will suggest some tasks to prepare in advance (e.g., think about a problem you're working through, take a strengths-based leadership assessment, etc.).

Are you willing to commit to this group experience?(Required.)
9.Is there anything else you would like to share with us at this time?