Yellowstone Forever
“Protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park through education and philanthropy.”
The work
What they do
Official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. Fundraising, education programs, Yellowstone Institute field courses, and park project support.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “YELLOWSTONE FOREVER (YF) SERVES AS THE OFFICIAL NON-PROFIT PARTNER FOR YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (PARK). YF'S PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE GRANTS AND IN-KIND SUPPORT TO THE PARK THROUGH PHILANTHROPIC AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES.”
Where the money went, FY2026
The work, and what it cost
Keeping the wild alive
$13.1MYELLOWSTONE FOREVER FUNDS PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT PROTECT YELLOWSTONE’S ECOSYSTEM AND WILDLIFE, PRESERVE THE PARK’S HERITAGE, HISTORY, AND TRAILS AND ENHANCE VISITOR EXPERIENCES AND EDUCATION.
Including $12,534,004 granted onward, most of it $1,763,195 to National Park Service.
Read it as they filed it
YELLOWSTONE FOREVER FUNDS PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT PROTECT YELLOWSTONE'S ECOSYSTEM AND WILDLIFE, PRESERVE THE PARK'S HERITAGE, HISTORY, AND TRAILS AND ENHANCE VISITOR EXPERIENCES AND EDUCATION. WILDLIFE GRANT FUNDING SUPPORTED NATIVE FISH RESTORATION; GRIZZLY BEAR, WOLF AND COUGAR RESEARCH; AND A VARIETY OF SPECIES OF BIRDS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO YELLOWSTONE'S NATURAL ECOSYSTEM. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) AND THROUGH TRIBAL CONSULTATION, YELLOWSTONE FOREVER (YF) LEADS THE OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMMING OF THE YELLOWSTONE TRIBAL HERITAGE CENTER. LOCATED AT OLD FAITHFUL, THE CENTER SERVES AS A VITAL SPACE WHERE INDIGENOUS ARTISTS, SCHOLARS, AND PRESENTERS FROM THE 27 ASSOCIATED TRIBES OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK DIRECTLY ENGAGE WITH VISITORS THROUGH EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT. DURING THE SUMMER, APPROXIMATELY 320,000 VISITORS EXPERIENCED THE CENTER. THE CENTER HOSTED 33 TRIBAL DEMONSTRATORS AND FEATURED A TOTAL OF 155 ARTIST DAYS. PRESENTERS REPRESENTED 19 OF THE 27 TRIBES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARK. THROUGH DIVERSE DEMONSTRATIONS, THE CENTER PROVIDES A UNIQUE PLATFORM FOR CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND ENHANCING VISITOR UNDERSTANDING.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2026, signed under penalty of perjury.
Saving land outright
$2.9MYELLOWSTONE FOREVER (YF) HAD OVER 327,673 TRANSACTIONS AT 11 STORES (9 IN THE PARK, 1 IN GARDINER, MT AND 1 AT QUAKE LAKE VISITOR CENTER).
Including $11,896 granted onward.
Read it as they filed it
YELLOWSTONE FOREVER (YF) HAD OVER 327,673 TRANSACTIONS AT 11 STORES (9 IN THE PARK, 1 IN GARDINER, MT AND 1 AT QUAKE LAKE VISITOR CENTER). VISITORS TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK AND THE SURROUNDING AREA PURCHASED TRIP PLANNING MATERIALS, EDUCATIONAL GAMES, ART, APPAREL, OUTDOOR GEAR, BOOKS, AND COLLECTIBLES. SEVERAL OF THE ITEMS SOLD ARE ONE-OF-A-KIND OR PRODUCED DIRECTLY BY YF. ALL ITEMS SOLD BY YF IN THE STORES ARE APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND HELP FOSTER A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING, APPRECIATION, AND ENJOYMENT OF YELLOWSTONE AND ITS SURROUNDING ECOSYSTEM. EVERY PURCHASE SUPPORTS VITAL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2026, signed under penalty of perjury.
Keeping the wild alive
$2.7MYELLOWSTONE FOREVER (YF) OFFERS TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT FOSTERS A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE WILDLIFE, GEOLOGY, AND CULTURAL HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.
Read it as they filed it
YELLOWSTONE FOREVER (YF) OFFERS TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT FOSTERS A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE WILDLIFE, GEOLOGY, AND CULTURAL HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. OUR EXTENSIVE ARRAY OF PROGRAMS PROVIDES UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES TO EXPERIENCE AND APPRECIATE YELLOWSTONE. COLLABORATING CLOSELY WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS), WE ENSURE THE HIGHEST QUALITY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES WITH THE INTENT TO CREATE FUTURE STEWARDS WHO ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THIS ICONIC NATIONAL TREASURE. THIS YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 4,273 VISITORS PARTICIPATED IN YF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, RESULTING IN A TOTAL OF 54,531 CONTACT HOURS, DEMONSTRATING OUR SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ENHANCING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2026, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
73 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.
$18,739,399 programs, $3,485,554 management, $3,585,431 fundraising. Form 990, FY2026.
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 Yellowstone Forever? Claim this page.
Those 99 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If Yellowstone Forever is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Make it 100The filings
9 years of filings
9 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2017 | $5,304,294 |
| 2018 | $15,865,453 |
| 2019 | $15,196,417 |
| 2020 | $14,346,181 |
| 2021 | $10,813,281 |
| 2022 | $24,864,461 |
| 2023 | $21,060,958 |
| 2024 | $21,308,600 |
| 2026 | $34,471,459 |
From $5.3M in 2017 to $34.5M in FY26, across 9 public filings. The 2026 peak of $34.5M reads like one-time gifts, so trust the line, not the peak.
The Wyoming congressional delegation averages 3 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
The Montana congressional delegation averages 7 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
The Idaho congressional delegation averages 4 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Ways in
How to help
73 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.
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Threatened Lands MapStand with Yellowstone Forever
93 years on the ground, 99 volunteers, 73 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.