Montana Conservation Corps
“Inspire young people through hands-on conservation service to be leaders in their communities.”
The work
What they do
Conservation corps placing crews on Montana’s public lands for trail work, habitat restoration, and fire mitigation. Works closely with USFS, NPS, and BLM.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) inspires young people through hands-on conservation service to be leaders, stewards of the land and engaged citizens who improve their communities.”
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Guarding the water
$10.5MMCC programs bring together hands-on conservation service in the outdoors with leadership development, civic engagement and workforce training to develop young people as productive individuals and engaged citizens.
Read it as they filed it
MCC programs bring together hands-on conservation service in the outdoors with leadership development, civic engagement and workforce training to develop young people as productive individuals and engaged citizens. MCC helps young people develop vital competencies and discover their capacity to lead in their lives and their communities. In 2025, expenses supported three delivery models: 1) young adult crew-based experiences; 2) individual placement models for young adults; and 3)youth corps opportunities for Montana teens. In the young adult programs, members ages 17 and up completed an AmeriCorps term of service of three to nine months. They served on a four to six-person crew or individually in intern or fellow positions. For youth ages 14-18, MCC offered service expeditions of various lengths during the summer, as well as full-summer positions as part of Corps-to-Career Youth Corps crews with federal agency partners. MCC also supported two Piikuni Lands Corps crews and school-based programs in coordination with partners on the Blackfeet Tribal Nation. Through meaningful service projects, corps members cultivated service values and a vigorous work ethic, learned practical job skills, developed as effective leaders and crew members, practiced responsible land stewardship, and made lasting contributions to our communities and environment. MCC conducted over 315 community and conservation service projects in 2025. Projects met community and public lands needs in Montana and surrounding states in the Northern Rockies and Great Plains regions. Projects involved a variety of conservation work including trails building and maintenance, invasive species mitigation, wildfire rehabilitation and fuels reduction, historic restoration, biological monitoring, habitat enhancement, fencing, watershed restoration, and community service. Significant accomplishments in 2025 included improvements to 1,525 miles of recreational trails that enhanced safety and access to public lands, restoration of 8,816 acres including 4,236 acres treated for invasive and noxious weeds, planting 17,568 trees, and repairing or installing 115 miles of fencing to reduce wildlife mortality and improve habitat management. A youth participant reflected: I did MCC and it was amazing. I loved the structure, the work we do, the people we meet, and the overall experience. I learned so much.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Guarding the water
$1.6MThe Big Sky Watershed Corps (BSWC) is a partnership between Montana ConservationCorps, Montana Association of Conservation Districts, and Montana WatershedCoordination Council.
Read it as they filed it
The Big Sky Watershed Corps (BSWC) is a partnership between Montana ConservationCorps, Montana Association of Conservation Districts, and Montana WatershedCoordination Council. BSWC activates community-based solutions for watershed health and protection. BSWC AmeriCorps members serve with local watershed-related groupsthroughout the state of Montana where they increase the capacity of host site organizations to lead community based, citizen-led watershed stewardship. Home-grown solutions to local watershed issues, on the ground watershed education and outreach, volunteer training, stream restoration projects and water monitoring initiatives make a measurable difference in local conservation efforts. BSWC AmeriCorps members gain practical, professional experience in watershed stewardship while developing skills for project leadership, collaborative management, volunteer engagement, and the role of citizens in leading change in their communities.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
89 cents of every dollar goes to the work
That ratio is a good sign, not a scorecard. Plenty of great groups run leaner and lumpier. What matters is the extremes, and Montana Conservation Corps is nowhere near one.
Backed on the record by Kendeda Fund, latest filing FY23.
$12,111,543 programs, $1,310,984 management, $126,683 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The people
Who does the work
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. Orgs that claim their page can update it same-day. Work at MCC? Claim this page.
Those 84 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If MCC is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Make it 85The filings
14 years of filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $5,187,937 |
| 2012 | $5,392,060 |
| 2013 | $5,604,288 |
| 2014 | $5,768,378 |
| 2015 | $6,298,904 |
| 2016 | $6,734,673 |
| 2017 | $7,194,838 |
| 2018 | $7,438,355 |
| 2019 | $7,859,830 |
| 2020 | $7,091,631 |
| 2021 | $9,071,371 |
| 2022 | $10,116,488 |
| 2023 | $12,425,886 |
| 2025 | $13,881,556 |
From $5.2M in 2011 to $13.9M in FY25, across 14 public filings. The 2025 peak of $13.9M reads like one-time gifts, so trust the line, not the peak.
The Montana congressional delegation averages 7 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Ways in
How to help
89 cents of your dollar goes straight to the work above.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
Find it on their site ↗SpeakComment and callOpen comment windows and call scripts for fights like these, ready to send.
Public Lands Action NetworkFollowWatch the mapEvery threatened place in the country, tracked, with who stands for each.
Threatened Lands MapStand with Montana Conservation Corps
35 years on the ground, 84 volunteers, 89 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.