Yolo Land Trust

What Yolo Land Trust does

Yolo Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 and headquartered in Woodland, California, with a single mission: to conserve farmland in Yolo County. As of late 2025, the organization has permanently protected 13,085 acres across 79 farms through voluntary agricultural conservation easements, legal agreements that permanently restrict development while allowing landowners to retain ownership and continue farming. Its primary customer segments are Yolo County farm and ranch landowners (family and multi-generational operations), local governments and developers required to mitigate farmland conversion under Yolo County's General Plan, and community supporters/donors.

The organization's core offering is the conservation easement itself, supplemented by educational services including succession planning workshops, carbon farm planning in partnership with the Yolo Carbon Farm Partnership, and a Soil Health Stewards Program with American Farmland Trust. Its annual "A Day in the Country" fundraiser (running since 1989) is both a community engagement vehicle and a revenue source. Revenue is generated through five streams: individual and corporate donations, government grants (notably the California Strategic Growth Council's SALC Program), developer mitigation payments tied to county-mandated 1:1 to 1:3 acre offset requirements, event sponsorships and ticket sales, and planned giving/legacy gifts. The organization is led by Executive Director John Currey (since January 2022), Land Stewardship Director Liz Heckles, and Development & Communications Manager Stacy Wear, under Board President Mary-Ann Warmerdam.

Operationally, YLT functions as a community-led nonprofit with no proprietary technology platform; it relies on direct landowner relationships, formal partnerships with the City of Davis (22 easements, 3,533 acres), Sacramento Region Working Lands and Open Space Group, and state/federal agencies. YLT released a 2025-2030 Strategic Plan targeting a 30% increase in permanently conserved acreage (3,900 additional acres) by 2030, with recent operational momentum underscored by a $2.34 million SALC grant in 2025 that protects 800 acres across four family farms.

Name

Yolo Land Trust

Legal name

Yolo Land Trust

Website

https://theyololandtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Yolo Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that permanently conserves farmland in Yolo County, California, through voluntary agricultural conservation easements. It has protected 13,085 acres across 79 farms and serves family farmers, local governments, and developer-mitigation clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural conservation easements
• Farmland preservation
• Land trust services
• Conservation stewardship
• Agricultural land protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations from supporters who believe in farmland conservation mission. Direct donations, recurring gifts, and one-time contributions support operations and conservation projects.
2. Government Grants: Funding from state programs including Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program, California Strategic Growth Council, Department of Conservation, and former California Farmland Conservancy Program and USDA Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program.
3. Agricultural Mitigation Payments: Payments from developers required to mitigate farmland conversion per Yolo County's General Plan Agriculture Conservation and Mitigation Program. Developers must purchase conservation easements equal to 1-3 acres of comparable farmland for every acre lost to development.
4. Event Revenue and Sponsorships: Revenue from annual A Day in the Country fundraiser and related events, including ticket sales, sponsorships, and auction items. Legacy sponsorships at $4,000, Steward sponsors at $3,000, Advocate at $2,000, and Supporter at $1,000.
5. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Estate gifts, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, gifts of stock, and beneficiary designations allow donors to make lasting contributions to farmland conservation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Yolo Land Trust is a nonprofit land trust that acquires, holds, and stewards voluntary agricultural conservation easements on farmland in Yolo County, California, permanently limiting development rights while landowners retain ownership and continue farming. The organization complements this core service with educational programs such as succession planning workshops, carbon farm planning resources, and a Soil Health Stewards Program, and sustains operations through donations, state grants, agricultural mitigation fees, and the annual A Day in the Country fundraiser.

Product overview

Yolo Land Trust is a nonprofit farmland conservation organization that primarily offers agricultural conservation easements—voluntary legal agreements that permanently protect farmland from development while allowing landowners to retain ownership. The organization supplements this core offering with educational programs including succession planning workshops for farmers, carbon farm planning resources, and the Soil Health Stewards Program. Their signature fundraising event, A Day in the Country, celebrates local agriculture and supports conservation efforts. The organization does not operate a software platform or technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agricultural Conservation Easements Voluntary legal agreements between private landowners and Yolo Land Trust that permanently limit development rights on farmland, preserving agricultural use while landowners retain full ownership. For family farmers, multigenerational farming operations, and agricultural landowners in Yolo County, with secondary use by local governments and developers satisfying mandatory mitigation requirements.
• A Day in the Country Annual ticketed farm-to-fork fundraising event celebrating Yolo County agriculture, featuring tastings from regional chefs, wineries, and breweries. Brings together farmers, food lovers, and conservationists; includes tiered sponsorships (Legacy $4,000, Steward $3,000, Advocate $2,000, Supporter $1,000).
• Succession Planning Workshops Educational workshops helping farmers and ranchers transfer agricultural land to next-generation owners, addressing estate planning, business transition, appraisals, and conservation strategies. Co-hosted with California Rangeland Trust and other partners.
• Carbon Farm Planning Partnership Collaborative initiative with Carbon Cycle Institute, Center for Land-Based Learning, and Yolo County RCD offering workshops and resources on carbon farming practices to improve soil health and sequester carbon on conserved agricultural lands.
• Soil Health Stewards Program Program engaging conservation easement landowners to promote soil health practices including cover cropping, compost applications, hedgerows, and irrigation management, connecting farmers with funding opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 13,085 acres permanently protected across 79 farms in Yolo County
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• City of DaviscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partnership for farmland conservation through Measure O open space funding and open space development impact fees. City of Davis has partnered with YLT on 22 conservation easements totaling 3,533 acres of farmland, creating community separators and protecting open vista. Most recently collaborated on 120-acre Gill family almond orchard conservation.
• American Farmland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Land Transfer Navigators program supporting equitable farm and ranch land transfers. YLT Executive Director participates as a Navigator. Also partnered on Soil Health Stewards Program providing $10,000 grant for landowner outreach on soil health practices.
• Land Trust AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYLT is a proud member of Land Trust Alliance (LTA) joining 947 other land trusts. LTA provides standards, education, and training that guides YLT's business practices. Staff participate in training and networking groups within LTA.
• California Council of Land Trusts (CCLT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCLT awarded Project Advancement Grant to Sacramento Region Working Lands and Open Space Group including YLT. CCLT connects land trusts across California and advocates for conservation policy.
• Sacramento Region Working Lands and Open Space GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative of seven regional land trusts (American River Conservancy, Bear Yuba Land Trust, Mother Lode Land Trust, Placer Land Trust, Sacramento Valley Conservancy, Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust, and YLT) working to align conservation priorities and pursue RCPP funding through NRCS for agricultural easements.
• Yolo County Resource Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Yolo Carbon Farm Partnership providing workshops on soil health practices and carbon farming. Collaboration includes The Carbon Cycle Institute and The Center for Land-Based Learning.
• The Center for Land-Based LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Yolo Carbon Farm Partnership and hosts Carbon Farm Planning workshops and field days. Also partnered on Bogle Gives Back National Ag Day event.
• California Rangeland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted 'Conserving Your Legacy' workshop on farm and ranch succession planning. California Rangeland Trust holds one of the largest conservation easements in Yolo County on Stone family ranch headquarters.
• Yolo Arts / Art & Ag ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting artists with conserved farms for plein-air painting and photography. Nationally recognized program raises community awareness about farmland preservation through visual arts.
• Reclamation District 2068minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Stone family on tail water return system installation, reducing groundwater pumping needs for irrigation on conserved pastureland.
• Paul Muller / Full Belly FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongtime supporter who connects chefs with local growers for A Day in the Country event. Full Belly Farm provides produce for event tastings and farmland for succession planning workshops.
• Bogle Family VineyardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for A Day in the Country 2024 event. Family has conservation easement with YLT on nearby farmland. Hosted Bogle Gives Back event supporting YLT on National Ag Day.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust: Direct peer in the Sacramento Region Working Lands and Open Space Group. Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust holds agricultural conservation easements in Sutter County and aligns regional RCPP strategy with Yolo Land Trust and other Sacramento-area trusts.
• Mother Lode Land Trust: Direct peer in the Sacramento Region Working Lands and Open Space Group. Mother Lode Land Trust focuses on working lands and open space in the Sierra Nevada foothills, sharing funders, NRCS pathways, and regional advocacy with Yolo Land Trust.
• Bear Yuba Land Trust: Direct peer in the Sacramento Region Working Lands and Open Space Group. Bear Yuba Land Trust holds working lands easements in Nevada and Yuba Counties, sharing RCPP strategy and pursuing co-funded regional conservation outcomes with Yolo Land Trust.
• California Rangeland Trust: Direct peer that already holds one of the largest conservation easements in Yolo County (Stone family ranch). California Rangeland Trust focuses on ranch and rangeland easements statewide, co-hosts succession planning workshops with YLT, and competes for the same SALC and USDA NRCS funding pools.
• Sacramento Valley Conservancy: Direct peer and co-member of the Sacramento Region Working Lands and Open Space Group. Sacramento Valley Conservancy is a regional land trust operating in the greater Sacramento area, pursuing agricultural and open space conservation easements with the same NRCS and state funding programs as Yolo Land Trust.
• American River Conservancy: Direct peer in the Sacramento Region Working Lands and Open Space Group. American River Conservancy holds agricultural and conservation easements in the foothills east of Sacramento, pursuing the same RCPP, SALC, and state Climate Investments grants as Yolo Land Trust.
• Placer Land Trust: Direct peer in the Sacramento Region Working Lands and Open Space Group. Placer Land Trust conserves agricultural and natural lands in Placer County with a similar easement-and-monitoring model funded by SALC, NRCS, and private donations.

Broad incumbents

• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit partner and Land Transfer Navigators collaborator. American Farmland Trust is a broad incumbent in farmland conservation, runs federal policy advocacy, operates the Soil Health Stewards Program that funds YLT, and convenes the practitioner network Yolo Land Trust belongs to.

Others

• Land Trust Alliance: National trade association of which Yolo Land Trust is a member (alongside 947 other trusts). Land Trust Alliance provides accreditation standards, training, and federal advocacy that underwrite the operating practices and credibility of YLT and comparable land trusts.

Regional players

• Solano Land Trust: Adjacent-county peer operating in Solano County next to Yolo. Solano Land Trust runs a similar agricultural conservation easement program, competes for SALC grants, and serves a comparable small-family-farmer customer base just across the county line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/YoloLandTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/yololandtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yolo-land-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yolo Land Trust