The Vital Ground Foundation Inc
Vital ground works to ensure the recovery and long-term survival of grizzly bears and the many native species that share their range through the protection and restoration of wildlife habitat and landscape linkages, and by supporting community-based programs that prevent conflicts between people and wildlife.
The Vital Ground Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Vital Ground Foundation Inc gave $21K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Montana. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $20,699
- -22.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- -33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,350
- +16.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,350
- Total assets
- $27,743,389
- +13.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Montana (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Vital Ground Foundation Inc
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Vital Ground Foundation Inc
Who The Vital Ground Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks ($11K). Together the top 2 received $21K.
Grant Size Distribution
10 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 10 grants of 10 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Vital Ground Foundation Inc gives
- Giving fell 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2020) to $52K (2023). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $21K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Helena, MT | $5,000 grant - securing store grain on private lands$5,699 grant - drone purchase for bear conflict management | $10,699 |
| National Wildlife Federation Missoula, MT | Retire the Badger Two Medicine Grazing Allotment | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Vital Ground Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $27,743,389 | $10,218,738 | $7,203,720 | $20,699 | 2 | $621,824 |
| 2024 | $24,380,269 | $5,067,558 | $2,370,250 | $26,710 | 3 | $573,600 |
| 2023 | $22,103,827 | $6,685,566 | $2,219,074 | $51,541 | Total only | $336,919 |
| 2022 | $17,450,380 | $5,489,727 | $2,374,135 | $29,500 | 3 | $107,275 |
| 2021 | $13,941,782 | $7,544,506 | $3,486,395 | $21,500 | 2 | $1,066 |
| 2020 | $9,746,782 | $2,654,450 | $1,371,694 | $10,000 | 2 | $2,767 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About The Vital Ground Foundation Inc
Based on IRS filings
The Vital Ground Foundation Inc is a public charity, based in Missoula, MT. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $27.7M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $21K. Net investment income was $622K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Vital Ground Foundation Inc is led by Ryan Lutey, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 3 of 18 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ryan Lutey
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$110K (2020) → $207K (2025)
Ken Hick
Chair
Trustee → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jo Lowe
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Hechtel
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maureen Mayer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sou Barrett
Trustee
Secretary → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Birmingham
Trustee
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dale Becker
Trustee
On filings since 2023
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Danielle Feidler
Trustee
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cheri Cooley-Hick
Trustee
On filings since 2024
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Chadwick
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meggen Arthur-Wilson
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Fey
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Davitt
Employee
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$111K (2025)
Shannon Drye
Employee
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$117K (2025)
Theresa Young
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tim Polich
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Dusek
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Andrea Nasi (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Doug Chadwick (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Kelly Johnson (2020–2024) — Chair
- Former: Lynne Seus (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Russell Fox (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Stuart Strahl (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Tom Fey (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Meggen Wilson (2024) — Trustee
- Former: Wally Becky (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Jack Capp (2021–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $207K, to Ryan Lutey (Executive Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Vital Ground Foundation Inc
How much does The Vital Ground Foundation Inc give each year?
The Vital Ground Foundation Inc gave $21K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $27K across 3 grants.
How large is The Vital Ground Foundation Inc?
The Vital Ground Foundation Inc reported $27.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.2M.
Where does The Vital Ground Foundation Inc operate?
The Vital Ground Foundation Inc has awarded grants in Idaho, Montana, Virginia, Washington.
What is The Vital Ground Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Vital Ground Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-0483446. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 4, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Vital Ground Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common
The Arthur M Blank Family Foundation
Atlanta, GA
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation funds work in Atlanta’s Westside, democracy, the environment, mental health and well-being, youth development, and founder initiatives, with a focus on Georgia and Montana and some national impact. In 2024, grants ranged from $500 to $20 million, with a median of $50,000. It makes grants by invitation and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$466.3M
Grants
586
Total Given
$212.1M
Mighty Arrow Family Foundation
Fort Collins, CO
Mighty Arrow Family Foundation funds early-stage organizations and projects focused on climate change, food systems, land and water stewardship, and social justice, primarily in the Western United States, especially Colorado and California. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,500 to $100,000, with a median of $25,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests; grants are by invitation only.
Assets
$11.9M
Grants
71
Total Given
$1.7M
Wilburforce Foundation
Seattle, WA
Wilburforce Foundation funds science-driven land, water, and wildlife conservation, habitat connectivity, conservation policy, and grantee capacity in priority regions across Western North America, including parts of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $800,000, with a median of $50,000. Applicants should speak with the appropriate program officer before developing a proposal; unsolicited requests are not explicitly addressed.
Assets
$153.3M
Grants
225
Total Given
$19.3M
The Nature Conservancy
Arlington, VA
The Nature Conservancy funds conservation work, including land and easement acquisition, research, planning, organizational capacity, and sustainable agriculture, across the United States and internationally. In 2025, its grants had a median of about $31,000, with awards ranging from about $5,000 to $2.1 million; some regional programs offer grants of up to $100,000.
Assets
$10.1B
Grants
671
Total Given
$67.8M
Wildlife Conservation Society
Bronx, NY
Wildlife Conservation Society funds conservation projects focused on wildlife, wild places, and related environmental issues, with work spanning more than 60 countries. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,132 to about $1.27 million, with a median of about $52,500; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
39
Total Given
$6.9M
Cedar Tree Foundation
Boston, MA
The Boston-based Cedar Tree Foundation supports U.S. environmental work, including children’s environmental health, regenerative grazing, civic engagement, conservation, and environmental education. Its 2024 grants ranged from $2,500 to $1,664,075, with a median of $50,000, but it says it is no longer awarding new grants. It accepts no unsolicited requests.
Assets
$85.9M
Grants
119
Total Given
$9.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Montana
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Vital Ground 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.
The Vital Ground Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?