North Florida Land Trust Recognized as a Top Workplace in Florida

The nonprofit land conservation organization was chosen by Florida Trend for inclusion on its Best Companies to Work For In Florida List

Jacksonville, Fla., Aug. 1, 2025 – North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) was recently named one of Florida’s Best Companies To Work For by Florida Trend magazine. The annual list, featured in the August issue, ranks companies in small, medium, and large employer categories. NFLT ranked ninth out of 36 in the Best Small Companies category. The nonprofit land conservation organization, which has 18 employees and two consultants, has been operating in Florida since 1999.

“We all work hard here, together in what we call a posse, with passion and dedication,” said Allison DeFoor, president and CEO of NFLT. “It is an honor that the workplace we have created together is recognized by Florida’s #1 business journal. We are humbled as we return to our work.”

NFLT underwent an evaluation of workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. NFLT leadership completed an in-depth questionnaire about the nonprofit’s practices, programs, employee benefits, policies, and population statistics. Employees were then asked to participate in a survey, which included questions about their experience, job satisfaction, workplace culture, and other topics. NFLT was required to have at least an 80 percent employee response rate, but they exceeded that with 100 percent participation from staff. Florida Trend used combined scores from the questionnaire and the surveys to determine the final ranking.

“Our annual ‘Best Companies To Work For In Florida’ program once again shows what sets the state’s best employers apart from others — and it’s not paychecks or profit margins,” says Florida Trend Executive Editor Amy Keller. “While those help, of course, the best companies invest in people and find creative ways to motivate and reward employees and help them grow. They’re also purposeful about creating a great culture. These employers find ways to encourage connection and camaraderie — and they also prioritize giving back to their communities, understanding that it can have a profound impact on morale. Their examples offer an excellent roadmap for companies seeking to differentiate themselves from the competition.”

“Always a step ahead… this year’s group of Best Companies To Work For In Florida stand out among their competition,” says Florida Trend Publisher David Denor. “Dynamic thinkers, creative and inspiring in their actions, and enterprising in their industries – these companies recruit, retain and deliver distinctive workplace environments and employee benefits plans to keep their staff engaged, involved and constantly collaborating. These organizations deliver a glimpse into future workforce and workplace environments.”

The Best Companies To Work For In Florida program is managed by Florida Trend and Workforce Research Group and is endorsed by the HR Florida State Council. Workforce Research Group managed the registration, survey and analysis and determined the final rankings. For a list of the Best Companies To Work For In Florida, go to FloridaTrend.com/BestCompanies.

About North Florida Land Trust

North Florida Land Trust is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the quality of life by protecting North Florida's irreplaceable natural environment. Founded in 1999, NFLT has preserved tens of thousands of acres of land through the donation or purchase of land as well as conservation easements. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with willing landowners and public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visit nflt.org.

About Florida Trend

Florida Trend business magazine is read by 292,000 influential business executives, civic leaders and government officials each month. Its award-winning reporting covers regional and statewide business news, industry executives and the business sectors they represent, as well as information on Florida's lifestyle, arts and culture scene. FloridaTrend.com offers eNews alerts, covering daily morning and afternoon breaking news; Business Beat, a weekly video newscast highlighting Florida’s top business news stories; and weekly eNewsletters providing information, insight and details on Florida's growing industry sectors including health care, education, real estate, small business and movers and influencers. FloridaTrend.com attracts nearly a million pageviews and over 140,000 unique visitors each month.

About Workforce Research Group

Workforce Research Group (WRG) works with partners worldwide to establish and manage “Best Places to Work,” “Best Companies” and “Best Employers” programs. Through its thorough workplace assessment, utilizing employer questionnaires and employee-satisfaction surveys, WRG identifies and recognizes companies that have been successful in creating and maintaining workplace excellence. For more information, visit www.WorkforceRG.com.