Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Inc. (RMEF) is a public charity based in Missoula, Montana, focused on conserving elk and other wildlife, their habitat, and hunting heritage. Its work includes land protection and access, habitat stewardship, wildlife management, research, and hunting heritage and conservation outreach.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc gave $8.4M across 112 grants in 2024 (avg $75K), top state Utah. 47% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,411,536
- +70.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 112
- +12.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $75,103
- +52.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $13,000
- Total assets
- $151,500,836
- +7.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (53 of 112, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Utah (20% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Review the applicable program guidelines and contact the Regional Director for your state. RMEF’s grant-program page also provides access to its grant portal.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5705 Grant Creek Rd, Missoula, MT 59808
Phone: (406) 523-4500
Website: https://rmef.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc
Project Advisory Committee (PAC) Grant Program - Habitat Enhancement, Wildlife Management and Research
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
State Grant Program - Hunting Heritage and Conservation Outreach
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Utah Department of Natural Resources ($1.7M). Together the top 10 received $5.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
425 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 312 grants of 425 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
RMEF describes its conservation work as national. Its PAC program supports projects in 28 states with wild, free-ranging elk herds. In its 2024 itemized grants, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Utah (20%), Oregon (17%), Montana (7%), Pennsylvania (7%), and Idaho (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 112 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 53 of 112 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $122K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $33K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4.0M (2020) to $8.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 112 grants totaling $8.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Utah Department of Natural Resources Salt Lake City, UT | Land Protection | $1,693,707 |
| Usda Forest Service Portland, OR | Habitat Stewardship | $1,100,022 |
| Pennsylvania Game Commission Harrisburg, PA | Land Protection | $582,300 |
| Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Morristown, TN | Land Protection | $358,655 |
| Montana Department of Fish Wildlife & Parks Helena, MT | Habitat Stewardship | $316,047 |
| Colorado Parks and Wildlife Grand Junction, CO | Habitat Stewardship | $281,719 |
| Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Asheville, NC | Land Protection | $250,000 |
| Pheasants Forever Janesville, WI | Habitat Stewardship | $232,893 |
| Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Frankfurt, KY | Habitat Stewardship | $224,626 |
| Idaho Department of Fish & Game Idaho Falls, ID | Wildlife Management | $222,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
RMEF says its primary revenue sources are public contributions, including gifts of land, investment income, and corporate sponsorships.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $151,500,836 | $100,089,143 | $90,084,188 | $8,411,536 | 112 | $9,460,484 |
| 2023 | $141,374,719 | $83,528,636 | $74,173,733 | $4,929,644 | 100 | $5,173,485 |
| 2022 | $130,743,568 | $66,007,163 | $54,864,004 | $3,966,605 | 69 | $1,067,523 |
| 2021 | $133,708,601 | $61,910,976 | $46,105,636 | $4,070,918 | 67 | $696,168 |
| 2020 | $115,073,136 | $68,412,497 | $62,017,586 | $3,962,978 | 77 | $8,364,784 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
RMEF’s stated mission is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat, and hunting heritage. Its four core programs are land protection and access, hunting heritage, habitat stewardship, and wildlife management.
Its land protection and access work includes acquisitions, conservation easements, land exchanges and donations, and projects related to hunter and public access. Habitat stewardship projects may improve forage, water, and cover through activities such as prescribed burns, forest thinning, noxious weed control, and habitat restoration. Wildlife management work includes advocacy, collaboration, research, and management related to issues such as disease, population dynamics, migration corridors, elk ecology, and predator management. Hunting heritage grants and other activities support skills instruction, mentoring, conservation outreach, and hunting-related products.
RMEF supports IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) organizations, government entities, sportsmen’s organizations, and educational institutions; its grant-program page says applicants must have an IRS-issued EIN, and that it does not offer grants to individuals. Examples among its 2024 grantees include the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, whose stated mission is to conserve habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and outdoor recreation places in North Carolina and Tennessee; the Illinois Conservation Foundation, which says it supports natural-resource, educational, and recreational programs; and the National Wild Turkey Federation, which says it is dedicated to wild turkey conservation and preserving hunting heritage.
Grantmaking
IRS filing data lists 112 itemized grants totaling $8,411,536 for 2024. The grants ranged from $5,090 to $1,693,707, with a median of $13,000. The largest listed awards included $1,693,707 to the Utah Department of Natural Resources for land protection; $1,100,022 to the USDA Forest Service for habitat stewardship; and $582,300 to the Pennsylvania Game Commission for land protection.
Other listed 2024 awards included $358,655 to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for land protection, $316,047 to Montana Department of Fish Wildlife & Parks for habitat stewardship, and $281,719 to Colorado Parks and Wildlife for habitat stewardship. Among nonprofit grantees, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy received $250,000, the Illinois Conservation Foundation received $125,000, and the Wildlife Management Institute and Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies each received $100,000.
RMEF describes two currently open programs. Its Project Advisory Committee (PAC) Grant Program funds habitat enhancement, wildlife management, and research in states with wild, free-ranging elk herds, which it identifies as 28 states. Its State Grant Program supports hunting heritage and conservation outreach, including outdoor skills programs, mentored hunts, and outreach activities. For both programs, RMEF directs prospective applicants to contact the Regional Director for their state. The general grant-program page says proposals are governed by program guidelines and criteria and that projects are evaluated for alignment with RMEF priorities. The available program information requires an IRS-issued EIN and identifies eligible applicant types, but does not provide a deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists R. Kyle Weaver as President and CEO; Shane Cronk as CFO and Treasurer; Steve Decker as Chief Revenue Officer; Grant Parker as General Counsel and Secretary; Rodney Triepke as Managing Director of IT; Casey Cline as Controller; Blake Henning as Chief Conservation Officer; Jennifer Doherty as Managing Director of Mission Operations; Kirk Murphy as Director of Field Operations – Northwest; and Riza Lesser as Managing Director of Marketing and Communications.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc is led by R. Kyle Weaver, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 10 of 25 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
R. Kyle Weaver
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$380K (2020) → $592K (2024)
Fred Lekse
Chair
Chair → Director, 2022
Director → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rodney Triepke
Managing Director of It
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$188K (2020) → $187K (2024)
Kirk Murphy
Director of Field Operations - Nw
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$122K (2020) → $142K (2024)
Charlie Decker
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dave Stephens
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donna McDonald
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Wright
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Holland
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Robinson
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maurice Hull
Director
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Todd Walker
Director
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ashlee Strong
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James J. Baker
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vince Rosdahl
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marc Pierce
Director
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Ray
Director
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Blake Henning
Chief Conservation Officer
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$165K (2020) → $177K (2024)
Grant Parker
General Counsel & Secretary
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$148K (2020) → $190K (2024)
Shane Cronk
CFO & Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer → CFO & Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$144K (2020) → $270K (2024)
Steve Decker
Chief Revenue Officer
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$167K (2020) → $260K (2024)
Casey Cline
Controller
On filings since 2022
50 hrs/week
$127K (2022) → $189K (2024)
Riza Lesser Mng Dir
Of Marketing & Communications
On filings since 2023
50 hrs/week
$137K (2023) → $151K (2024)
Jennifer Doherty Mng Dir
Of Mission Operations
New on the 2024 filing
50 hrs/week
$142K (2024)
Tobias Toby Buck
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (18)
- Former: Anderson Smith (2020–2023) — Director of Development
- Former: Chad Franklin (2020–2023) — Mng. Director of Field Operations
- Former: Kent Johnson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Martin Vavra PhD (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Timothy Delaney (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Doherty (2020–2022) — Director of Lands
- Former: Mark Baker (2020–2022) — Chair
- Former: Chuck Roady (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Kristoffer Lofstrom (2022) — Director of Field Operations - E
- Former: Riza Lesser (2022) — Mng. Director of Marketing & Committee
- Former: Bill Pine (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Dennis Radocha (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Eric Johnson (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Nancy Hadley (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Scott Swasey (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Troy Sweet (2020–2021) — Director of Field Operations - Sw
- Former: Ralph Cinfio III (2020) — Director of Support Services
- Former: Tw Garrett (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $592K, to R Kyle Weaver (President & CEO). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc
How much does Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc give each year?
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc gave $8.4M across 112 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $4.9M across 100 grants.
What is Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $13,000, and its average grant was $75,103, across 112 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc that year got $23K on average.
Where does Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc give grants?
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's top state is Utah, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Oregon (17%) and Montana (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Bozeman, MT (4 grants), Portland, OR (3 grants), Laramie, WY (3 grants) and Cody, WY (3 grants).
Does Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 112 grants with a stated purpose on Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Hunting Heritage" (52 grants), "Habitat Stewardship" (38 grants) and "Wildlife Management" (18 grants).
Who are Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Utah Department of Natural Resources ($1,693,707), Usda Forest Service ($1,100,022) and Pennsylvania Game Commission ($582,300), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc?
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc reported $151.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $100.1M.
What does Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc fund?
RMEF’s stated mission is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat, and hunting heritage. Its four core programs are land protection and access, hunting heritage, habitat stewardship, and wildlife management. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc?
Review the applicable program guidelines and contact the Regional Director for your state. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's EIN?
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0421425. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/rocky-mountain-elk-foundation-inc-morg_d311b817a28a41de838f190b714c493a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_810421425_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/rocky-mountain-elk-foundation-inc-morg_d311b817a28a41de838f190b714c493a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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