Policies and Bylaws

The Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy is a transparent, responsible, and accountable organization. Having a clear mission and a strategic vision, and robust policies in combination with our dedicated working board allows us to protect your land today for everyone’s life tomorrow.

UPLC was recently awarded full accreditation through the Land Trust Alliance! This new accreditation ensures that we are protecting land today for life tomorrow in the most responsible manner possible, and shows our capability to keep our promise of “forever.”

*Page Update in Progress. Please see below the line for older policies as new policies are updated.

Our Policies:

  1. Ethics, Mission, and Community Engagement
    1. 1A Mission
    2. 1D Ethics Policy
  2. Compliance with Laws
    1. Compliance with Laws2A
    2. Nonprofit Incorporation and Bylaws
    3. Tax Exemption
    4. Records Policy
    5. 2E Public Policy
  3. Board Accountability
    1. 3A Board Responsibility
    2. 3B Board Composition
    3. 3c Board Governance
    4. 3D Preventing Minority Rule
    5. 3E Delegation of Decision Making
    6. 3F Board Approval of Land Transactions
  4. Conflicts of Interest
  5. Fundraising
    1. 5A Legal and Ethical Practices
    2. 5B Accountability to Donors
    3. 5D Marketing Agreements
  6. Financial Oversight
    1. 6A Annual Budget
    2. 6B Financial Records
    3. 6E
    4. 6G
    5. 6H
    6. 6I
  7. Human Resources
    1. 7F Personnel Policies
    2. 7GCompensation and Benefits
  8. Evaluating and Selecting Projects
    1. 8A Identifying Focus Areas
    2. 8B Project Selection and Criteria
    3. 8C Federal and State Requirements
    4. 8D Public Benefit of Transactions
    5. 8E Inspection
    6. 8F Documenting Conservation Values
    7. 8G Planning
    8. 8H Evaluating the Best Conservation Tool
    9. 8I Evaluating Partnerships
    10. 8J Evaluating Risks
    11. 8L Nonconservation Lands
    12. 8M Public Issues
  9. Ensuring Sound Transactions
    1. 9A Legal Review and Technical Expertise
    2. 9B Independant Legal Advice
    3. 9C Environmental Due Diligence
    4. 9D Determining Property Boundaries
    5. 9E easement Drafting
    6. 9F Documentation of Purposes and Responsibilities
    7. 9G Record-keeping
    8. 9H Title Investigation and Subordination
    9. 9I Recording
    10. 9J Purchasing Land
    11. 9K Selling Land or Easements
    12. 9L Transfers and Exchanges of Land
  10. Tax Benefits and Appraisals
    1. 10A Tax Code Requirements
    2. 10B Appraisals
    3. 10C No Assurances on Deductibility or tax Benefits
    4. 10D Donee Responsibilities
  11. Conservation Easement Stewardship
    1. 11A Funding easement stewardship
    2. 11A2 Landowner Guide
    3. 11B Baseline Documentation Report
    4. 11C Easement Monitoring
    5. 11D Landowner Relationships
    6. 11E Enforcements of Easements
    7. 11F Reserved and Permitted Rights and Approvals
    8. 11G Contingency Plans and Backups
    9. 11H Contingency Plans of backup Holder
    10. 11I Amendments
    11. 11J Condemnation
  12. Fee Land Stewardship
    1. 12A Funding Land Stewardship
    2. 12B Stewardship Principles
    3. 12C Land Management
    4. 12D Monitoring Land Trust Properties
    5. 12E Land Stewardship Administration
    6. 12F Community Outreach
    7. 12G Contingency backup
    8. 12H Nonpermanent Holdings
    9. 12I Condemnation
  1. Compliance with Laws
  2. Board Accountability
  3. Conflicts of Interest
  4. Fundraising
  5. Financial and Asset Management
    1. Audit and Review
    2. Grants
    3. Financial Management
  6. Volunteers, Staff, and Consultants
  7. Evaluating and Selecting Conservation Projects
    1. UPLC Policy
    2. Federal Policy for Public Benefit
  8. Ensuring Sound Transactions
  9. Tax Benefits
  10. Conservation Easement Stewardship
    1. Funding
    2. Monitoring
  11. Fee Land Stewardship
    1. Funding Preserves
    2. Monitoring Preserves
    3. Managing Preserves

Bylaws

2018 IRS Forms 990