American Prairie Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Bozeman, Montana, registered in 2001, with $44,696,566 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 54% of spending to programs.
Revenue (FY2024)
$44.7M
▲ 78.6% vs prior year
Environment median: $250K
Expenses (FY2024)
$15.4M
Net assets
$202.3M
Employees
72
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For American Prairie Foundation: 54% to programs · $3 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For American Prairie Foundation: 158 mo reserves · +66% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For American Prairie Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For American Prairie Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Our mission is to create the largest nature reserve in the contiguous united states, a refuge for people and wildlife preserved forever as part of america's heritage.
External communications: american prairie strives to work collaboratively and to make positive contributions to the communities around us, both economic and cultural, by building meaningful relationships with local groups and leaders in and around the seven-county region where american prairie operates. the national discovery center in lewistown is a social and educational hub providing meaningful community resources and connections in central montana.continued on schedule o . . .sharing stories from the prairie is a priority, and our marketing efforts have been focused on showcasing the visitor experience and elevating our public access model, including through features in 60 minutes, outside magazine, fast company, and local publications. by raising general awareness in montana, our web traffic, lodging bookings and visitation inquiries have all increased substantially.
Visitor experience and education: american prairie provides public access to more than 140,000 acres of deeded land, along with seamless access to an additional 386,000 acres of adjacent public land. this expansive landscape supports thriving wildlife habitat and offers outstanding opportunities for hiking, hunting, and wildlife viewing. by ensuring public access to these lands, american prairie invites people to explore and connect with the prairie ecosystem, with the promise that each visit will reveal a wilder, more vibrant landscape. continued on schedule o . . . in addition to land access, american prairie operates the american prairie field school, a k12 education program offering free day and overnight experiences for montana public school students. these programs are designed to foster curiosity and a deeper understanding of the region's natural and cultural heritage through immersive, hands-on outdoor learning. together, these efforts support conservation, recreation, and education across one of north america's most iconic and ecologically significant landscapes.
Revenue grew from $5.4M (FY2013) to $44.7M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Operating margin
65.6%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$206.8M
Total liabilities
$4.5M
Net assets
$202.3M
Salaries & benefits
$5.3M
35% of expenses
Board members
19
18 independent
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $44,696,566▲78.6% | $15,356,995▲32.8% | $202,279,415▲19.3% | $206,769,425▲20.6% | 990 |
| 2023 | $25,022,771▼60.7% | $11,562,813▲6.6% | $169,526,124▲10.3% | $171,484,657▲1.3% | 990 |
| 2022 | $63,644,878▲48.5% | $10,843,086▲9.3% | $153,696,035▲39.2% | $169,332,169▲17.8% | 990 |
| 2021 | $42,861,456▲169% | $9,916,306▲18.3% | $110,405,038▲43.2% | $143,723,396▲38.3% | 990 |
| 2020 | $15,939,388▼4.8% | $8,381,432▼24.9% | $77,122,337▲11.1% | $103,954,693▲2.6% | 990 |
| 2019 | $16,746,676▲17.8% | $11,161,293▲14.7% | $69,439,433▲9.2% | $101,314,532▲15.7% | 990 |
| 2018 | $14,215,078▼16.6% | $9,733,319▲16.5% | $63,607,666▲7.4% | $87,578,525▲4.9% | 990 |
| 2017 | $17,043,323▲34.4% | $8,356,267▲28.0% | $59,227,407▲17.5% | $83,470,853▲17.1% | 990 |
| 2016 | $12,683,610▲54.6% | $6,525,801▲19.9% | $50,391,981▲14.7% | $71,262,674▲38.5% | 990 |
| 2015 | $8,203,017▲16.9% | $5,444,819▲9.5% | $43,928,411▲7.3% | $51,461,601▲6.4% | 990 |
| 2014 | $7,016,742▲31.0% | $4,970,939▲21.5% | $40,935,689▲5.4% | $48,359,923▲3.5% | 990 |
| 2013 | $5,354,366 | $4,090,860▲9.8% | $38,838,097▲3.5% | $46,707,551▼4.6% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $3,724,311▲23.0% | $37,524,673▲53.6% | $48,957,475▲47.2% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $3,027,109 | $24,425,453 | $33,267,671 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Highest-paid: Alison Fox — $331,200 (2.16% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alison Fox | Ceo | 40 | $331,200 |
| Pete Geddes | Chief External Relations Officer | 40 | $217,067 |
| Heather Griner | Chief Operations & Finance Officer | 40 | $200,235 |
| Sam Beebout | Chief Philanthropy Officer | 40 | $156,649 |
| Garrett Budds | Chief Conservation Officer | 40 | $130,674 |
| Trevor Gordon | Director of Finance | 40 | $127,645 |
| Alissa Yessel | Director of People and Culture | 40 | $124,189 |
| Robyn Miller | Director of Events | 40 | $106,957 |
| Alan Airth | Director | 1 | — |
| Bill Hilf | Chair (as of 5/24) | 1 | — |
| Bob Greenlee | Director | 1 | — |
| Danny O'shaughnessy | Director | 1 | — |
| David Coulter | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| George Matelich | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Jacqueline Badger Mars | Director | 1 | — |
| Jay Abbe | Director | 1 | — |
| Jeffrey Talpins | Director | 1 | — |
| John Banovich | Director | 1 | — |
| Karen Petersen Mehra | Director | 1 | — |
| Keith Anderson | Director (thru 09/24) | 1 | — |
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsay Simonds Consulting | Fundraising Consulting Services | $316,523 |
| American Storyteller | Specialized Contractor, Fundraising Even | $312,929 |
| American Public Land Exchange Inc | Real Estate Commission | $293,830 |
| Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation | Spacial Ecology Work | $150,545 |
130 grants to American Prairie Foundation totaling $40.2M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Environment & animal protection | 2024 | $225,000 |
| Greater Horizons | Environment & animals | 2024 | $200,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | International | 2024 | $132,500 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Environment & animal protection | 2024 | $109,000 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Environment | 2024 | $54,000 |
| Greater Kansas City Community Foundation | Environment & animals | 2024 | $50,000 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2024 | $45,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $37,152 |
| Greater Washington Community Foundation | General support | 2024 | $25,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $12,412 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $12,000 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $6,250 |
| Minneapolis Foundation | Donor advised, environment | 2024 | $6,000 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $1,635,750 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $1,471,835 |
2 grants totaling $608K in FY2024. All grants made by American Prairie Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Montana State Parks Foundation Inc | Gift stewardship of the land for the continued preservation and future interpretation of the area's comprehensive human and natural history. | $600,000 |
| Fort Belknap Reservation (lucky Charms 4-h) | Community support to promote life skills through 4-h. | $7,614 |
Explore more
Data for American Prairie Foundation (EIN 81-0541893) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.