Land for Good

Land for Good is a United States nonprofit organization focused on facilitating farmland access, supporting farm succession, and strengthening agrarian stewardship across New England and beyond. The organization offers advising, training, research, and resource development to connect retiring landowners, beginning farmers, and land trusts. Working at the intersection of long-term stewardship and rural livelihoods, Land for Good engages with philanthropic foundations, government agencies, academic institutions, and conservation organizations.

History

Land for Good traces its roots to a late-20th-century movement addressing farmland loss and intergenerational transfer challenges in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Founded in 1989 by Carol Stock and collaborators from University of Vermont Cooperative Extension, the organization emerged alongside peer efforts such as National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and Rodale Institute to preserve family farms. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Land for Good expanded programming in response to demographic shifts documented by researchers at Tufts University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and University of New Hampshire. Partnerships with regional land trusts including The Trust for Public Land and Vermont Land Trust enabled pilot projects on conservation easements, while collaborations with federal agencies like United States Department of Agriculture offices and the Natural Resources Conservation Service informed policy-relevant guidance. In the 2010s Land for Good scaled its advisory services, drawing on frameworks from Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education and models tested by Heifer International and National Young Farmers Coalition. Recent years saw the organization adapt to crises affecting agriculture, aligning with initiatives by AmeriCorps, Farm Aid, and state departments of agriculture.

Mission and Programs

Land for Good’s mission centers on ensuring farmland remains viable and accessible for new generations of farmers while supporting ethical transfer from outgoing landowners. Programmatic pillars mirror efforts by entities such as Kresge Foundation, Ford Foundation, and The Rockefeller Foundation in rural resilience. Core programs include succession planning workshops likened to curricula at Middlebury College and Bates College extension courses, land access fellowships modeled after Slow Food USA apprenticeships, and mediation services inspired by practices at American Arbitration Association tailored for agricultural transitions. Land for Good also offers specialized training for land trusts comparable to programming at Land Trust Alliance and provides policy briefings that inform state legislatures and municipal boards including those in Montpelier, Vermont and Concord, New Hampshire.

Services and Resources

The organization maintains a suite of advisory, educational, and technical assistance resources. Individual advising connects prospective farmers with landowners and easement holders, paralleling matchmaking approaches used by National Young Farmers Coalition and Farmer Veteran Coalition. Publications include guides on farm leases, conservation easements, and business succession influenced by research from Northeastern University and University of Massachusetts Amherst. Land for Good’s tools range from template agreements to decision trees used by Trust for Public Land and American Farmland Trust. Training offerings include online modules, in-person workshops, and cohort-based accelerator programs similar to offerings at Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education and Rodale Institute. The organization also curates case studies featuring farms and initiatives in counties across Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont, often referenced by extension educators at Cornell University and Pennsylvania State University.

Impact and Outreach

Land for Good has helped facilitate numerous land transfers, lease agreements, and succession plans, influencing farm viability in New England communities such as Windham County, Vermont and Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Impact evaluations draw on quantitative and qualitative methods used by Urban Institute and Pew Charitable Trusts to measure outcomes like increased beginning farmer tenure and preserved agricultural acreage. Outreach includes conferences and panels alongside organizations such as Northeast Organic Farming Association and Sustainable Food Trust, and presentations at venues like Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group gatherings and state fair forums. Media coverage has cited the organization in reports produced by outlets including NPR and The Boston Globe, and its resources have informed curricula at land-grant institutions like University of Connecticut and University of Rhode Island.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding for Land for Good combines grants, earned revenue, and philanthropic support typical of nonprofits that collaborate with foundations and public agencies. Major partners and funders have included regional and national entities such as Kresge Foundation, Surdna Foundation, New England Grassroots Environment Fund, and state departments of agriculture in Maine and Vermont. Programmatic partnerships extend to land trusts like Vermont Land Trust, conservation nonprofits such as The Trust for Public Land, and academic collaborators at University of Vermont and Cornell University Cooperative Extension. The organization also leverages cooperative relationships with networks including Land Trust Alliance and advocacy groups such as National Young Farmers Coalition to amplify policy influence and resource distribution.

Category:Agricultural organizations in the United States Category:Non-profit organizations based in Vermont