Bitter Root Land Trust Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BRLT PARTNERS WITH LANDOWNERS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO CONSERVE the WATER, WILDLIFE, AND WORKING FARMS AND RANCHES IN MONTANA'S BITTERROOT VALLEY FOR all GENERATIONS, utilizing conservation easements, fee purchases, and proactive land stewardship.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 24.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 120
- Highest pay
- $110,017, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 24.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $957,170 spent. In 2024, Bitter Root Land Trust advanced its mission of building a lasting conservation legacy in the Bitterroot Valley by partnering with local families and the broader community to conserve working farms and ranches, wildlife and fisheries habitat, scenic open lands, and public recreational opportunities. Together, these efforts protected more than 520 acres from Stevensville to Victor, preserving prime agricultural soils and habitat for elk, mule deer, and other wildlife. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. Program Service Area 1: Conservation ProjectsBitter Root Land Trust partnered with local families and the community to conserve 520 acres in Stevensville and Victor in 2024. This included two new conservation easements that safeguarded a diverse range of community and natural benefits.Program Service Area 2: Conservation Easement Monitoring, Stewardship, and Land Management/EnhancementThe Stewardship program monitored all 57 of our conservation easements and fee land holdings in 2024.Program Service Area 3: Conservation EducationIn 2024, Bitter Root Land Trust advanced its mission of building a lasting conservation legacy in the Bitterroot Valley by partnering with local families and the broader community to conserve working farms and ranches, wildlife and fisheries habitat, scenic open lands, and public recreational opportunities. Together, these efforts protected more than 520 acres from Stevensville to Victor, preserving prime agricultural soils and habitat for elk, mule deer, and other wildlife. BRLT staff secured and spent $1,669,000 from public sources to purchase conservation easements on these properties. These funds were paid directly to landowners at closing and, accordingly, are not reflected as revenue or expenses of BRLT in this 990. BRLT also continued its partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to implement a $4.9 million grant designed to diversify agricultural conservation, support beginning farmers and ranchers, and accelerate the pace of conservation in the Bitterroot Valley. Through this program, BRLT completed one project in 2024, partnering with Danny Roy to permanently conserve 176 acres. As in past years, staff also monitored all 57 existing conservation easements, along with BRLTs fee title property. In addition to land conservation, Bitter Root Land Trust once again invested in conservation education programs to raise community awareness among both adults and students about the importance of the Bitterroot Valleys water, wildlife, and working agricultural lands. BRLT hosted IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild concert, held at the Sunset Bench Conservation Easement in Stevensville, which brought community members together to experience music on conserved land. BRLT staff partnered with other organizations and governmental entities, as well as participated in community events to expand conservation education opportunities for all ages.Program Service Area 1: Conservation Project Work Fishing and Recreational Access Projects:In 2024, Bitter Root Land Trust continued its partnership with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Bitterroot National Forest to enhance recreation infrastructure at the C. Ben White Memorial Fishing Access Site and Trailhead near Conner, MT. Through this partnership, planning continued for the installation of a pit toilet to better serve visitors enjoying the area. Completed Conservation Projects: I.In January 2024, Danny Roy partnered with the Bitter Root Land Trust to conserve his 176-acre family ranch near Victor, MT. The propertys diverse landscape of timber, wetlands, and open meadows provide exceptional habitat for wildlife, including elk, white-tailed deer, sandhill crane, moose, and turkeys. Located near several completed and in-progress conservation easements, this working ranch provides a corridor for wildlife to travel safely from the cover of the Bitterroot National Forest to neighboring ranchlands below. Funding for the Roy easement was provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program.II. In October 2024, Bitter Root Land Trust completed the 344-acre Ellison conservation easement with siblings Dan, Mike, Sarah, Cathy, and Rebecca in Stevensville, MT. Situated northeast of downtown Stevensville, the ranch is an expansion of the more than 7,000 acres of contiguous private conservation easements completed by local landowners in partnership with Bitter Root Land Trust and other organizations in the Burnt Fork neighborhood. Bisected by North Burnt Fork Creek, the ranch will continue to be critical habitat for wildlife including white-tailed and mule deer, turkeys, great blue heron, a variety of waterfowl, great-horned owls, sandhill cranes, and many raptor species. Funding for the Ellison easement came from the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program and Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE).In addition to completing critical conservation projects, Bitter Root Land Trust staff worked with local and federal partners to advance agricultural conservation programs in the Bitterroot Valley that promote farmland protection, agricultural diversification, and generational succession. Interest from landowners continued to grow, with staff meeting dozens of families exploring conservation options. These conversations led to new projects slated to move forward in 2024 and beyond. Through partnerships with local landowners, the NRCS, and the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program, many families are choosing to conserve their lands for future generations. Program Service Area 2: Conservation Easement Monitoring, Stewardship, and Land Management/Enhancement I.Conservation Easement Monitoring and Enforcement: Bitter Root Land Trust remained committed to uphold
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1998.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
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