Technical Assistance Program

Available to CA CLT Network Member Organizations
working on CLT or community ownership projects

If you are based in San Joaquin Valley, please check out the SJV Technical Assistance Program

2026 Program Guidelines

  • Restarting the clock and increasing to 10-hrs per organization per year for each program area below, with the exception of Fundraising for CLT Operations TA, which is 6-hours per organization annually. Requests for extra hrs must come in via request forms.
  • Requests are valid for a 4-month period from date of submission or until the 10-hours are expended, whichever comes first. After 4-months, requests must be re-submitted for approval via the intake forms below. 
  • All TA requests must come in through the intake form and be submitted by a staff/board member or main representative of the CLT/organization.
  • Fiscal Sponsors: For your fiscal projects to access TA in any area, please have them first join the CACLTN membership
  • Spanish interpretation: Please indicate if you’re a monolingual speaker in your reques

REAL ESTATE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A CLT may find this program helpful when…

  • Trying to determine the feasibility of a specific acquisition opportunity.
  • Planning for rehab.
  • Working with tenants to convert units to homeownership.
  • Developing a property acquisition strategy.

The Real Estate TA Program is available to current dues-paying member organizations of the California Community Land Trust Network for use on CLT or closely related community ownership projects. If you are unsure about whether your organization is current on its CACLTN membership, please reach out to Lydia Lopez at [email protected].

After an organization submits a request form, CACLTN will review the request and respond within 3-7 business days. If approved, we’ll match the organization to a consultant with relevant expertise, who will contact the organization by email. 

All requests are valid for 3 months. If three months have passed since you last requested TA, please click “Apply” and select “Continuation of Request.” cu

TA provided through this program will consist of a 60 minute introductory session (online) with an expert consultant followed by up to nine hours of follow-up work with the consultant. The follow-up work can consist of subsequent coaching meetings, or hands-on assistance from the consultant such as document review. 

For more information, read the full Program Description.

Apply for real estate ta
Renew your Request

LEGAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A CLT may find this program helpful when…

  • Incorporating and drafting bylaws
  •  Applying for 501c3 status
  • Developing a ground lease
  •  Drafting a partnership agreement
  • Facilitating a donation or retained life estate
  • Suggesting language for a donor to add to their will/trust
  • Preparing a conservation easement

The Legal Assistance TA Program is available to current dues-paying member organizations of the California Community Land Trust Network for use on CLT-related issues and projects. If you are unsure about whether your organization is current on its CACLTN membership, please reach out to Lydia Lopez at [email protected]. 

After an organization submits a request form, CACLTN will review the request and respond within 3-7 business days. If approved, we’ll match the organization to an attorney with relevant expertise, who will contact the organization by email. 

All requests are valid for 3 months. If three months have passed since you last requested TA, please click “Apply” and select “Continuation of Request.” 

Assistance provided through this program will consist of an introductory meeting (online or by phone) with an attorney. The total of 10 hours of assistance may be rounded out by additional meetings or by time the attorney spends on drafting or reviewing documents.

For more information, read the full Program Description.

Apply for Legal TA
Renew Your Request

BUSINESS PLANNING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A CLT may find this program helpful when…

  • Creating a working business plan 
  • Revising an organizational budget
  • Projecting staffing and project needs
  • Getting started with long-term financial planning

The Business Planning TA Program is available to current dues-paying member organizations of the California Community Land Trust Network for use on CLT or closely related community ownership projects. If you are unsure about whether your organization is current on its CACLTN membership, please reach out to Lydia Lopez at [email protected]. 

After an organization submits a request form, CACLTN will review the request and respond within 3-7 business days. If approved, we’ll match the organization to an attorney with relevant expertise, who will contact the organization by email. 

All requests are valid for 4 months. If three months have passed since you last requested TA, please click “Apply” and select “Continuation of Request.” 

This program offers CLTs access to expert consultants for up to 6 hours of consultation and follow-up. This program may assist CLTs in the following areas: 

  • Basic concepts of business and sustainability planning
  • Assistance developing program and property management plans 
  • Assistance with developing a homeownership plan
  • Feedback and advice on budgeting and/or projecting staffing needs

Initial assistance provided through this program will consist of an introductory meeting (online or by phone) with the assigned consultant. The total of 10 hours of assistance may be rounded out by additional meetings or by the time the consultant spends on drafting or reviewing documents. 

For more information, please read the full Program Description.

Apply for business planning ta
Renew Your Request
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CAMPAIGN PLANNING & ADVOCACY
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A CLT may find this program helpful when…

  • Seeking advice on a public policy campaign and advocacy strategy
  • Communicating priorities and building relationships with policymakers or candidates
  • Understanding allowable activities for nonprofit organizations

The Campaign Planning and Advocacy TA Program is available to current dues-paying member organizations of the California Community Land Trust Network for use on CLT or closely related community ownership projects. If you are unsure about whether your organization is current on its CACLTN membership, please reach out to Lydia Lopez at [email protected].

After an organization submits a request form, CACLTN will review the request and respond within 3-7 business days. If approved, we’ll connect you with a provider with relevant expertise, who will contact the organization by email.

All requests are valid for 4 months. If three months have passed since you last requested TA, please click “Apply” and select “Continuation of Request.” 

This resource provides CACLTN members with strategy consultations on subjects related to local or regional advocacy campaigns. Topics may include educating elected officials, communicating priorities to candidates for office, relationship building, bond measure strategy and more.

Maddie’s campaign expertise encompasses:

  • Inclusive processes to identify policy priorities
  • Policy campaign strategy development and power analysis
  • Policy communications and messaging
  • Ground game and stakeholder relationship building
  • Maximizing the power of nonprofit advocacy under 501(c)(3) rules, including candidate engagememt

Initial assistance provided through this program will consist of an introductory meeting (online or by phone). Follow-up work can consist of subsequent coaching meetings or hands-on assistance such as providing or reviewing templates.

For more information, please read the Program Description.

Apply for Campaign Planning & Advocacy TA
Renew Your Request
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FUNDRAISING FOR CLT OPERATIONS
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A CLT may find this program helpful when…

  • Framing goals and planning around staff bandwidth 
  • Developing a fundraising timeline
  • Strategizing around fundraising events & fundraising priorities
  • Designing a Gift Acceptance Policy

Fundraising for CLT Operations  is available to current member organizations for CLT and community ownership entities. If you are unsure about your CACLTN member status, please reach out to Lydia at [email protected]. 

Eligible organizations approved for TA will be notified in writing.

Requests are valid for 4 months. If the 4 months have passed since you requested TA, please click “Apply” and select “Continuation of Request” to use remaining hours. 

Consultations up to 6 hours annually per organization may include these and other related topics:  

  • Forming a holistic strategy based on your current network of funders and growing new relationships with prospective donors
  • Fundraising in a challenging fundraising climate
  • Strategizing around fundraising events, including managing staff and volunteer bandwidth and roles
  • Stewarding funding partners for long-term collaborations 
  • Some TA time may be used for reviewing an organization’s grant proposal 

Limitations of Fundraising for CLT Operations TA:

  • Not available to write grant narratives or submit an application on behalf of an organization 
  • Not intended to cover acquisitions & rehab fundraising. For that related offering, please apply to Real Estate &/or Business Planning TA.  
For more information, please see Program Guidelines.
AppLy HERE
Organizational Capacity Building

ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A CLT may find this program helpful when…

  • Taking an idea for community ownership into an operational plan
  • Educating staff, boards, and stakeholders about community ownership or CLTs with solid examples
  • Taking your CLT into its next chapter of growth with staff and board
  • Creating governance and membership structures in the organization, creating bylaws (for licensed attorney bylaws review please request legal TA)
  • Strategizing with you about your vision and strategic next steps

Organizational Capacity-Building TA is available to current member organizations for CLT and community ownership entities. If you are unsure about your CACLTN member status, please reach out to Lydia at [email protected]. 

Eligible organizations approved for TA will be notified in writing.

Requests are valid for 4 months. If the 4 months have passed since you requested TA, please click “Apply” and select “Continuation of Request” to use remaining hours. 

Initial assistance provided through this program will consist of an introductory meeting (online or by phone). Follow-up work can consist of subsequent coaching meetings or hands-on assistance such as reviewing governance structure plans or strategic next steps.

Eligible organizations can request up to 10 hours of this type of TA. For questions, please contact Shirley at [email protected].

Apply here

Meet Your Providers

Real Estate and Business Planning TA Providers

CTY Housing

CTY Housing is a consulting firm based in Los Angeles that works with affordable housing developers, public agencies, and CDFIs  in every stage of the development process, from concept to completion.  For our CLT clients, we provide financial feasibility analysis and business planning assistance.  Specifically, we have helped CLTs develop a framework for growth that includes evaluating the financial feasibility of different product types, setting development goals, identifying potential partnerships, staffing levels, and job descriptions to enable the CLTs to achieve those goals, identifying strategies for supporting organizational growth,  and forecasting organizational revenue and expenses.  

Areas of Assistance/Coaching:

  • One on One (i.e. One on organization) assistance with your specific needs in the following areas:
    • Assessing the feasibility of potential new projects
    • Assembling financing & subsidy needed for new projects
    • Plotting a plan—or process—for navigating acquisition & starting development/rehab
    • Financial statement analysis 
    • Strategic planning 
Land & Liberty – Francis McIlveen

Land + Liberty

For the past 19 years, Francis worked at the Northern California Land Trust in multiple capacities:  handling various real estate transactions—from helping low-income families buy and sell CLT homes, to acquisition & development of new projects (including financing & subsidies), to handling donations of property. Francis also served as the Real Estate Broker for NCLT’s Community Realty Brokerage.

Francis oversaw almost all aspects of the acquisition and rehab process for NCLT’s anti-displacement projects, including providing technical assistance and training to housing coops and homeowner’s associations. He also provided technical assistance and coaching to emerging CLTs.

Francis also has experience handling various organizational and fiduciary responsibilities such as reviewing, negotiating and executing various contracts, financial instruments & similar obligations; participating in the annual audit process; and handling various director level organizational needs.

Areas of Assistance/Coaching:

  • One on One (i.e. One on organization) assistance with your specific needs in the following areas:
    • Assessing the feasibility of potential new projects
    • Assembling financing & subsidy needed for new projects
    • Plotting a plan—or process—for navigating acquisition & starting development/rehab
    • Special considerations for co-op conversions, small site (non-LIHTC) projects, rehab of occupied properties, community driven projects
    • Special considerations for CLT ownership models

Legal TA Providers

Christina Oatfield Attorney & Advocate

Christina Oatfield

Christina is an attorney specializing in legal issues affecting cooperatives, nonprofits, and small creative businesses. For the last 5 years she has had her own law practice in which she provides general counsel to dozens of nonprofit organizations, including about five community land trusts and several other organizations engaged in stewarding real estate for charitable purposes. Many of her clients are led by and serve people of color in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Her nonprofit organization clients range from those in the early steps of formation to those with multiple decades of history and tens of millions in real estate assets. 

Prior to her starting her own law practice, she worked at the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC) for 8 years leading legislative advocacy campaigns to advance homemade food sales, local agriculture, worker cooperatives, affordable housing land trusts, housing cooperatives, and local investing. Christina has written and coauthored numerous legal information materials for nonprofit and business leaders, including several guides for the California Community Land Trust Network.

Impact Matters Law LLP

Real Estate and Community Ownership of Land: Our real estate law practice includes negotiation and documentation of purchase, lease, and financing transactions, as well as structuring securities offerings (both debt and equity) involving real estate. 

We have also supported numerous projects furthering community and intentional ownership of land, including:

  • Forming, managing, and fundraising for impact-oriented real estate funds;
  • Negotiating and facilitating a land donation back to a Native American tribe;
  • Advising tenant groups and community organizers on property acquisition; and
  • Supporting community land trusts (CLTs) and limited equity housing cooperatives (LEHCs) with legal needs.

Social Enterprise, Community Wealth Building, and Cooperatives: We have special expertise and experience in supporting community-oriented or impact-minded enterprises seeking non-traditional capital and creative relationships with their investors. We have also served as special securities counsel on cooperative and alternative economy projects. As a result of our corporate and securities law expertise, clients turn to us for creative legal structures for ownership, governance, and fundraising.

We also have substantial experience advising cooperatives, such as worker-owned, consumer-owned, and multi-stakeholder cooperative businesses. In addition, we handle employee buyouts and cooperative conversions wherein we advise on the purchase of existing businesses to employees.

Public Counsel

We are a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. 

We have experience with: California and federal nonprofit law and regulation, including 501(c)3 incorporation, CLT governance, bylaws, and ground leases, and community preference and tenant selection, including analyzing local policies for compliance with the Fair Housing Act 

Our firm can also provide some general resources on CLT-related policy advocacy, such as TOPA/COPA. 

Robin Rudderow

After a 30+ year career in San Francisco as a business, real property and estate planning attorney in a small firm, I was pleased to move to Sonoma County in 2015 to start my own legal practice with a focus on estate planning and real property matters.

From 2018 to 2021 I was on the Board of CommonSpace CLT. When I stepped off the board, I expanded my legal practice to include community land trusts. For the CLT world, I’ve worked on a retained life estate transaction, several donations and bargain sales, and prepared a ground lease that successfully persuaded the Assessor to make a low valuation of the property due to the restrictive re-sale provision in the ground lease.

My background in real property matters includes real property sales and leasing, title and property tax issues, co-tenancy agreements, and financing documents. My work in estate planning has helped me understand people’s needs in thinking about their ultimate plans for their assets. The LLM-Tax degree I obtained in 2005 has been useful in understanding the tax consequences of the various transactions my clients have engaged in.

Conservation easements in conjunction with a CLT are an interesting way for CLTs to preserve the land and save money on taxes, especially in rural areas. My work with the Bodega Land Trust has given me good experience with conservation easements, and I’m excited to see how these concepts can be blended with community land trusts to both steward the land and provide affordable housing.

For fun, I love to garden at my Sebastopol home, and I enjoy being the volunteer archivist for the Rancho Bodega Historical Society.

I am thrilled to join the CACLTN’s Legal TA panel! I’m available for an initial 30-minute consultation to talk through potential donations or transactions AT NO CHARGE. Please fill out the request form to get started.

Campaign Planning & Advocacy TA Provider

Maddie Ribble, Co-Director for Policy

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (617) 697-2107

Maddie Ribble (he/him) joined the California Community Land Trust Network in 2025, leading the Network’s policy and advocacy operations in addition to providing executive organizational leadership. Maddie’s career has been focused on building campaigns, coalitions, and partnerships to change policy, reform systems, and build community power. Most recently, he served as Interim Vice President for Policy at The Children’s Partnership (TCP), an advocacy organization advancing health equity and racial justice for California families. At TCP, Maddie led the organization’s efforts to advance digital equity and housing justice, including co-founding the Housing Justice as Health Equity Collaborative.

Prior to relocating to California in 2021, Maddie served for 13 years as Director of Public Policy and Campaign Strategy at the Massachusetts Public Health Association. Maddie’s advocacy and coalition leadership at MPHA were instrumental in major policy reforms and investments, including victories related to transportation justice, affordable housing, healthy food access, and local public health infrastructure, among others.

Maddie has also worked extensively as a neighborhood activist in a variety of organizing, advocacy, and governance roles with community-based organizations focused on affordable housing, including serving as a board member of a nonprofit affordable housing developer. Maddie currently lives in Long Beach with his partner and two children.

Fundraising for CLT Operations TA Provider

Lydia Lopez, Co-Director for Organizing and Partnerships

Lydia Lopez joined the CA CLT Network in 2022, supporting the network’s curriculum, policy, convening, and technical assistance programs to members. Prior to this role, she was Executive Director at La Raza Centro Legal, where she supported access to affordable housing and civil rights through legal programs. She has worked with both tenants and homebuyers, and designed and implemented Habitat for Humanity’s Credit Repair Program, which was launched concurrently in San Francisco (Bayshore neighborhood) and other Bay Area cities.

Lydia has also worked with immigrants seeking asylum and family reunification, and conducted Flores Settlement monitoring of detention conditions. She believes in strategic partnerships and consulting indigenous populations through collaborations that could create lasting impact by promoting mutual education and change. She has served on the boards of CSC, La Raza Centro Legal, Centro del Pueblo, and NISGUA, and is currently serving on the board of USSen. Lydia grew up in Guatemala City and Caye Caulker, Belize, and holds a BA in Political Science from Stanford University and a J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law.

Organizational Capacity Building TA Provider

Kim Thompson

Kim served as Executive Director of the Community Land Trust Association of West Marin (CLAM) for eight years, and has a twenty five year track record in community development. This includes organizational development, community-based housing and asset development, tenant and community organizing, and policy advocacy at all jurisdictional levels. She is originally from Fresno, CA and has worked on regional efforts in the San Joaquin Valley; she currently lives in Marin County  where she coordinates a collaborative of community land trusts.

Kim supports start-up CLTs, new CLT programs, or community ownership efforts by:

  • Strategizing with you about how to grow and implement your vision
  • Leading groups through key start-up questions, shaping & implementing a workplan to create a new community ownership effort.
  • Clarifying roles & responsibilities across staff and boards for CLT work
  • Organizational development and transition for new & existing CLTs including staffing plans, communications, developing effective partnerships and strategic planning
  • Addressing CLT membership, board representation, resident representation, governance and bylaws
  • Providing education about the CLT model for staff, boards, and stakeholders, highlighting the principles of community land trusts and providing operational examples

 

With Support From

Have Questions?

Contact Shirley Kawafuchi, Program Manager, at (510) 244-3784 or via email below.

CONTACT

Unless otherwise stated, each Network member organization starts with 6 hours of technical assistance (TA) per program area – Real Estate, Legal, Business Planning, and Campaign Planning and Advocacy – for the calendar year. For grant disbursement reasons, these allotted hours cannot be transferred/traded between TA areas. However, CACLTN staff will consider requests for additional hours on a case-by-case basis.

By utilizing this technical assistance, you agree that it in no way should be construed as rendering any legal advice.