SALT - for Builders > Letter from the CEO
Letter from the CEO
Anything that is created begins in the imagination.
Clark A. Blasdell
When SALT was conceived in 1993, it was just a tiny seed looking for some fertile ground. I had a vision that responsible land resources management could be structured in a way that would benefit the donor as well as the recipient. Maintaining this vision of stewarding land in a balanced fashion required a lot of tenacity. I'm amazed that my vision germinated at all; I'm humbled that it has flourished beyond my wildest dreams.
The thing that has always kept us going has been a passion for helping people who want to build and find resources. We knew we could advise people on the best ways to donate land in order to maximize a return; I was motivated by a desire to help those people wanting to own a home or locate an affordable rental. I knew that a community could function as a healthy organism in an integrated way, the different parts reaching out, connecting and completing each other.
With our tiny seed and the fertile ground (literally!) of generous donors, we have guided contributors in creating land legacies which will affect generations to come. Few thought they could do so much good and benefit so many and at the same time secure a reasonable return on their contributions. While we helped them navigate the complex tax world of land donation, we also guided them in understanding the many different options available as to how land is donated, depending on future uses, to maximize multiple returns.
From NFH's inception in 1978 to the end of its operations in 2021, we worked with landowners, builders and investors to transform some "problem properties" into productive and fruitful legacy opportunities. Individuals and corporations have entrusted more than $11 million of assets to SALT. We have in turn cultivated these properties, and their value has grown to over $154 million. In these years, SALT helped structure entities that saved investors tens of millions of dollars in taxes.
SALT is unique because we can deliver a full array of land use options and wherever possible create more than one use for any given parcel. Land donors have received enhanced returns, many working people have new places to work and play, and private enterprises are able to provide more local jobs.
Land entrusted to SALT allows us to use the substantial expertise gained from three decades of experience. We can maximize and leverage tax advantages and benefits often available only through a knowledgeable and competent nonprofit. We structure a land legacy contribution that becomes a different kind of "LLC."
Land owners and donors took a chance on our seedling of a dream and together we have touched more lives than we ever imagined we would. As those we work with continue to inspire us, we are excited because we realize we've only begun to grow!
Clark A. Blasdell, President and CEO Suburban Alternatives Land Trust (SALT)