Wild Sheep Foundation
WSF ENHANCES WILD SHEEP POPULATIONS, PROMOTES SCIENTIFIC WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, AND EDUCATES THE PUBLIC AND YOUTH ON SUSTAINABLE USE AND THE CONSERVATION BENEFITS OF HUNTING WHILE PROMOTING THE INTERESTS OF THE HUNTER.
Key facts about Wild Sheep Foundation
- EIN
- 42-1109229
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,957,260
- Grants made (2025)
- 62
- Average grant
- $144,472
- Median grant
- $30,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (36 of 62, 2025)
- Total assets
- $7,978,087
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Wild Sheep Foundation funds
None of its 60 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Sheep Enhancement" (60 grants).
Is Wild Sheep Foundation open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 36 of 62 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $36K; repeat grants $295K. How we count
Medians: $16K first-time, $48K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Wild Sheep Foundation
- How to evaluate Wild Sheep Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.0M
-6.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.0M
+6.3% YoY
Grant Count
62
+19.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$144K
-10.8% YoY
About Wild Sheep Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Wild Sheep Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on Environment & Animals, based in Bozeman, MT. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $8.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 62 grants totaling $9.0M. Net investment income was $497K.
Focus Areas
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,978,087 | $8,527,230 | $7,462,307 |
| Revenue | $14,811,770 | $14,448,948 | $10,665,444 |
| Expenses | $15,229,843 | $14,023,871 | $10,294,388 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $496,924 | $707,101 | $384,322 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 20, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 27, 2026)
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
230 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include State Fish & Game Program Funding ($6,011,824), Arizona Game & Fish ($357,900), Wild Sheep Legacy Foundation ($324,825).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| STATE FISH & GAME PROGRAM FUNDING | SHEEP ENHANCEMENT | $6,011,824 |
| ARIZONA GAME & FISH | — | $357,900 |
| WILD SHEEP LEGACY FOUNDATION | SHEEP ENHANCEMENT | $324,825 |
| LEADING EDGE AVIATION LLC | SHEEP ENHANCEMENT | $162,867 |
| HELI SOURCE LTD | SHEEP ENHANCEMENT | $118,753 |
| TOWN OF VAIL | SHEEP ENHANCEMENT | $117,924 |
| CONSERVATION VISIONS | SHEEP ENHANCEMENT | $100,000 |
| GIA 2425-55 | SHEEP ENHANCEMENT | $98,556 |
| VECTRONIC AEROSPACE | SHEEP ENHANCEMENT | $82,550 |
| CONKLIN FOUNDATION | SHEEP ENHANCEMENT | $76,450 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gray Thornton | President/Ce | 60 | $397,082 |
| Clinton Bentley | Director | 3 | — |
| Bralli Clifford | Director | 3 | — |
| Sam Cunningham | Director | 3 | — |
| Jann Demaske | Secretary | 3 | — |
| Larry Jacobs | Treasurer | 3 | — |
| Larry Johns | Director | 3 | — |
| Kevin Kehoe | Director | 3 | — |
| Charlie Kelly | Chair | 3 | — |
| Emilio Rangel | Director | 3 | — |
| Kyle Stelter | Vice Chair | 3 | — |
| Logan Young | Director | 3 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Wild Sheep Foundation?
Wild Sheep Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on Environment & Animals, based in Bozeman, MT. It holds $8.0M in total assets as of 2025.
How large is Wild Sheep Foundation?
As of 2025, Wild Sheep Foundation holds $8.0M in total assets with $14.8M in annual revenue. It awarded 62 grants totaling $9.0M in 2025.
What size grants does Wild Sheep Foundation award?
In 2025, Wild Sheep Foundation awarded 62 grants totaling $9.0M — an average of about $144K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Wild Sheep Foundation's EIN?
Wild Sheep Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1109229. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.