Tri-Valley Conservancy
Preserve Land. Connect Communities. Enrich Life.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Tri-Valley Conservancy works to conserve land in an ever-developing world to protect and promote agricultural lands and ensure sensitive ecosystems and watershed open space thrive. We do this by arranging and maintaining easements on property within the South Livermore Valley Specific Plan and beyond that preserve land from development in perpetuity. The SLVSP requires that development occurring in the South Livermore Valley must preserve one acre for every house built and for every acre built on, an additional acre must be preserved. We have worked to preserve not only the land in the Livermore Valley, but sensitive habitats all throughout the region. To ensure that this legacy of land preservation lives on in our community we have created a youth education program, 'Discovery: Youth in Nature', aimed at teaching fourth graders in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District about the importance of nature and land stewardship in their community.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Discovery Youth in Nature
Connecting 4th grade boys and girls with the outdoors through hands-on environmental science lessons and experiential exploration in a park to help them understand the importance of land preservation. For nearly half the students, this is their 1st hike ever. After the program, 100% of students want to preserve land in their community.
In 2019, we reached every 4th grade class in Livermore. In 2020, we broadened our reach in response to lockdown measures and brought our program online, encouraging kids to explore nature all around them. This year, we are launching our pilot program in Pleasanton in 2021 to double the number of boys and girls reached.
Where we work
Awards
Environmental Stewardship Award 2019
Pleasanton Weekly
Affiliations & memberships
Land Trust Alliance 2010
California Council of Land Trusts 2004
TOGETHER Bay Area 1997
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of acres of land protected
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Farmers
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Land put under Conservation Easement for preservation in perpetuity since 1994
Number of students educated through field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Discovery Youth in Nature
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The Discovery youth in Nature Program seeks to educate students in the Tri-Valley on land stewardship and the importance of nature in their community.
Total dollar amount of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Grants received for large projects outside of land acquisition and easements
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Donor number as well as contribution amount steadily increased over the last 10 years
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Tri-Valley Conservancy was created in 1994 with the South Livermore Valley Specific Plan (SLVSP) with the aim to create an urban growth boundary and conserve open space and agriculture in the California Tri-Valley in the face of further development. In addition to supporting agriculture properties in Livermore, we work to preserve land for parks and connect trails to provide access to our open space for generations to come. We are working to expand 'Youth in Nature' to reach every fourth grade classroom in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District as well as expand into the Pleasanton Unified School District.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Tri-Valley Conservancy partners with state and local government organizations to preserve sensitive habitats and land threatened with development. We continue to seek out new partnerships in order to mitigate new land holdings, provide access to open space and connect trails across different public parks. Tri-Valley Conservancy is also continuing conversations with local school districts to spread the word about Discovery: Youth in Nature, which is provided free of cost to elementary schools through the generous support of grants, sponsors and donations.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Tri-Valley Conservancy is the only accredited land trust in Alameda Country. We are certified by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to hold wildlife easements. We are granted funds towards acquiring new properties through our partner organizations and the South Livermore Valley Specific Plan. We are also generously supported by our partners and individuals in our community that believe in our mission of land conservation. We have continued to work with our partners, such as the Livermore Regional Park District and the East Bay Regional Park District, for mitigation and land use planning in order to expand parks and trails.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Tri-Valley Conservancy has successfully created an urban growth boundary around the City of Livermore. We have preserved more than 5,400 acres of land for open space and agricultural use since 1994 and continue to expand our reach into the Tri-Valley and beyond. We manage over 64 easements on over 100 properties, with some being wildlife conservation easements in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In addition, we have educated almost 1500 fourth grade students over the past four years of the Discovery: Youth in Nature program. Tri-Valley Conservancy would like to extend into the Pleasanton Unified School District and educate every fourth grade class in the area. We work to continue to preserve land for agriculture and open space as well as strengthen and develop our partnerships with land preservation and wildlife conservation organizations to ensure land preservation for generations to come.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Tri-Valley Conservancy
Board of directorsas of 09/08/2023
Ms. Lori Souza
Lori A. Souza
John Howard
Scott Akin
City of Livermore
Tamara Reus
Friends of Open Space & Vineyards
Sblend Sblendorio
Mark Triska
Jennifer Yeamans
County of Alameda
Cynthia Ross
David Kent
Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association
Kevin Baskin
Jim Folta
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Not applicable -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes