Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
“To ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat, and our hunting heritage.”
The work
What they do
Ensures the future of elk and other wildlife, their habitat, and the hunting heritage.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “TO ENSURE THE FUTURE OF ELK, OTHER WILDLIFE, THEIR HABITAT AND OUR HUNTING HERITAGE.”
Where the money went, FY2024
The work, and what it cost
Keeping the wild alive
$30.9MREPRESENTS LAND ACQUISITIONS, CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, LAND EXCHANGES AND DONATIONS, AND HUNTER AND PUBLIC ACCESS RELATED PROJECTS.
Including $2,931,207 granted onward, most of it $1,693,707 to Utah Department Of Natural Resources.
Read it as they filed it
LAND PROTECTION AND ACCESS: REPRESENTS LAND ACQUISITIONS, CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, LAND EXCHANGES AND DONATIONS, AND HUNTER AND PUBLIC ACCESS RELATED PROJECTS. RMEF IDENTIFIES AND PRIORITIZES THE MOST CRUCIAL ELK WINTER AND SUMMER RANGES, MIGRATION CORRIDORS, AND CALVING AREAS USING GIS MAPPING, INTERNAL CRITERIA AND PRIORITIES, PARTNERSHIPS, AND FIELD-BASED PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE. THE HIGHEST PRIORITY HABITAT OR ACCESS AREAS ARE PROTECTED THROUGH ACQUISITION OR EASEMENT. ACQUISITIONS ARE THEN USUALLY CONVEYED INTO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP. CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ALLOW PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO PROTECT THEIR LAND IN PERPETUITY FROM DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER USES THAT COULD DIMINISH THE HABITAT VALUE.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Keeping the wild alive
$19.9MREPRESENTS PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE ESSENTIAL FORAGE, WATER, AND COVER COMPONENTS OF WILDLIFE HABITAT.
Including $3,787,137 granted onward.
Read it as they filed it
HABITAT STEWARDSHIP: REPRESENTS PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE ESSENTIAL FORAGE, WATER, AND COVER COMPONENTS OF WILDLIFE HABITAT. TYPES OF PROJECTS INCLUDE RESTORING ASPEN COMMUNITIES, FIGHTING THE SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS, BOOSTING LAND PRODUCTIVITY WITH PRESCRIBED BURNING, AND THINNING OF FORESTS. RMEF FUNDS WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AS WELL AS FENCING PROJECTS TO PROVIDE BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Bringing people into the fight
$13.0MREPRESENTS GRANTS AND OTHER COSTS TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN HUNTING AND OTHER OUTDOOR PURSUITS THROUGH SKILLS INSTRUCTION, MENTORING, CONSERVATION OUTREACH AND HUNTING RELATED PRODUCT.
Including $1,324,320 granted onward.
Read it as they filed it
HUNTING HERITAGE: REPRESENTS GRANTS AND OTHER COSTS TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN HUNTING AND OTHER OUTDOOR PURSUITS THROUGH SKILLS INSTRUCTION, MENTORING, CONSERVATION OUTREACH AND HUNTING RELATED PRODUCT.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Keeping the wild alive
$3.3MREPRESENTS ENGAGEMENT THROUGH ADVOCACY, COLLABORATION, RESEARCH AND MANAGAMENT WITH A FOCUS ON KEY MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES SUCH AS WILDLIFE DISEASE, POPULATION DYNAMICS, MIGRATION CORRIDORS, ELK ECOLOGY AND PREDATOR MANAGE...
Including $1,176,805 granted onward.
Read it as they filed it
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT: REPRESENTS ENGAGEMENT THROUGH ADVOCACY, COLLABORATION, RESEARCH AND MANAGAMENT WITH A FOCUS ON KEY MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES SUCH AS WILDLIFE DISEASE, POPULATION DYNAMICS, MIGRATION CORRIDORS, ELK ECOLOGY AND PREDATOR MANAGEMENT.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
74 cents of every dollar goes to the work
Read it as a snapshot, not a scorecard. Splits move year to year with grants and campaigns, and healthy shops live all across this range.
$67,074,810 programs, $4,613,697 management, $18,395,681 fundraising. Form 990, FY2024.
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 RMEF? Claim this page.
Those 8,400 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If RMEF is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Make it 8,401The filings
13 years of filings
13 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $56,372,640 |
| 2012 | $79,251,317 |
| 2013 | $49,560,969 |
| 2014 | $48,275,297 |
| 2015 | $64,448,982 |
| 2016 | $43,495,661 |
| 2017 | $53,266,842 |
| 2018 | $66,561,688 |
| 2019 | $59,005,461 |
| 2020 | $68,412,497 |
| 2021 | $61,910,976 |
| 2022 | $66,007,163 |
| 2024 | $100,089,143 |
From $56.4M in 2011 to $100.1M in FY24, across 13 public filings.
The record
On the Hill
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has hired federal lobbyists: 40 filings from 2020 to 2026, naming 45 bills. The filings, at the Senate.
Most filed on animals, real estate/land use/conservation and natural resources.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation files 2 related organizations on its return: Rocky Mountain Elk Fnd Group Return (501(c)(3)) and Hunt To Conserve INC (501(c)(4)). A related organization shares people or purpose; it does not share the books.
Across the 11 states where they work, the congressional delegations average 66 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Help complete this profile. If you work here, claim it to add your current campaigns, recent wins, and the best way for supporters to get involved.
Ways in
How to help
74 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 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
42 years on the ground, 8,400 volunteers, 74 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.