The Acquisition Fund
Stop the Threat to Wild Lands
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
“You cannot get through a single day
without having an impact on the world around you.
What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide
what kind of difference you want to make.”
– Dr. Jane Goodall
The Southeast Alaska Land Trust is raising $250,000 in extra funds for The Acquisition Fund.
Alongside our larger fundraising plan, SEALT will raise $250,000 to build a robust fund that allows a nimble response to conservation opportunities that align with SEALT’s conservation mission.
Why the urgency?
The current real estate market and other pressures drive our need to conserve as much land as possible in the next ten years. With The Acquisition Fund, SEALT can accomplish Southeast Alaska’s land acquisition goals.
We’re facing many stressors, but we also have ample opportunities to save land now.
The iconic “Field of FIreweed” in Juneau, then and now. SEALT had the opportunity to purchase and preserve this property but was unable to due to a lack of funding. Photos © Skip Gray.
Or contact us to learn more about The Acquisition Fund.
The Acquisition Fund Is Critical
The Acquisition Fund enables us to act upon and secure conservation opportunities as they arise. With a strong Acquisition Fund, SEALT can be nimble and meet our conservation goals.
A Sitka black-tailed deer seen on the Bruin Wetlands conservation property. The Bruin Wetlands conservation easement conserves an additional 129 acres on Admiralty Island, outside of the Kootznoowoo Wilderness Area.
How does The Acquisition Fund function?
Enables SEALT to Act Quickly
The Acquisition Fund is a tool that will allow SEALT to quickly seize unique opportunities. In today’s current Real Estate market, it’s crucial to have the ability to act quickly when a priority parcel comes up for sale. Funding for purchases outside of The Acquisition Fund comes with restrictions, and often a lengthy approval process. Sometimes sellers require an expedited sale due to personal needs. When the timing is tight, it’s important to have the financial ability to act quickly.
Allows SEALT to Act On Priority Parcels
The primary purpose of The Acquisition Fund is to acquire priority parcels. SEALT recently provided financial support to an outside organization for the permanent conservation of an inholding in a wilderness area located in central Southeast Alaska. Instead of relying on outside organizations, these inholdings could be conserved by Southeast Alaskans, with local ownership over outcomes and relationships on the land.
The Very Beary Berry Wetlands conservation property; 71 acres conserved in 2019. Conservation of this parcel was made possible with seed money from a large donation made by a generous supporter.
Quadruples SEALTs Buying Power
At SEALT, we are constantly seeking out and applying for grant funding to conserve and steward land in Southeast Alaska – it is critical to our success as an organization.
Every grant has different requirements, and often one of those requirements is that we provide funds to match the grant award. This means that for a grant requiring a 25% match, a fully empowered Acquisition Fund could allow SEALT to leverage grant funding up to $1 million.
Seeds Large Projects
The Acquisition Fund can kick-start major projects by providing seed money. It can be used for due diligence like surveys and environmental assessments, or to accept donations of land without a cash contribution to establish its long-term management.
In 2019, SEALT used similar seed money for the permanent conservation of the Very Beary Berry Wetlands conservation property, in Juneau. The conservation of this property increased the conservation lands in that area by 71 acres. The swift conservation of this project was possible because of a visionary donor who wanted their contribution to be used for land acquisition. The Very Beary Berry Wetlands project was the inspiration and catalyst for the land trust and key community supporters to begin building what is now The Acquisition Fund.
The Nelson Homestead conservation property; 129 acres conserved in 2013.
How is the Fund managed?
SEALT established The Acquisition Fund with private, charitable donations for spending exclusively on land acquisition projects. Donations are pooled to allow SEALT to act on opportunities as they present themselves. Funds donated to The Acquisition Fund are invested conservatively by a financial firm, so our money is always working for us and growing.
The Acquisition Fund will go toward:
- expanding and connecting resilient lands
- increasing community access
- providing community ownership over conservation outcomes in Southeast Alaska
Have questions?
We would love to talk to you about this new conservation opportunity. Please contact us by phone or email at: (907) 586-3100 or info@sealt.org.