The Power of Private Philanthropy in Protecting Open Lands

In the face of rapid growth and development, GVLT set an ambitious goal in its 2023-2028 strategic plan: to triple our pace of conservation. After conserving 50,000 acres in our first three decades, aiming to conserve an additional 25,000 acres in just five years was a bold undertaking. Yet, three years into that plan, we are nearing this goal, and we aren’t slowing down.

This acceleration is a powerful story of collaboration. Landowners are more committed than ever to protecting their land for agriculture, wildlife, and scenic views. To meet growing demand, GVLT has expanded its Lands team and made a deeper commitment to Park County through our place-based Northern Yellowstone Open Lands initiative. And, importantly, private philanthropy has emerged as a critical driver, propelling conservation forward when it’s needed most.

A Collaborative Approach to Conservation

Conservation easements are voluntary agreements that limit development on private lands while keeping them in private hands. Landowners can donate a conservation easement for a tax incentive or receive cash compensation for a portion of the easement's value. The latter model makes conservation accessible to a wider range of families, helping them to keep land intact, reinvest in their agricultural operations, or finance generational transitions.

GVLT has a long history of successfully securing public funding for these projects. A notable recent example is in Park County, where a GVLT-led partnership was awarded a $7.85 million grant in 2022 from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to support conservation in this unique landscape. With this grant, our Northern Yellowstone Open Lands team was able to partner with multiple landowners to establish conservation easements, including recent projects in the stunning Trail Creek and Mill Creek drainages. These easements ensure multi-generational farms and ranches remain whole, wildlife corridors stay intact, and the Yellowstone River is protected.

Private philanthropy has also played a crucial role in supporting these projects—with foundations and individual donors committing $2.6 million to our Northern Yellowstone Open Lands program’s Park County conservation projects since 2022.

Atira Conservation, founded by Nicole Adimey and Brett Irwin, was one of the key donors.

"We understand the power of private land," Nicole explains. "To have true landscape-level conservation—a swath of land where animals can migrate through—you need private landowners. It’s also important to have community buy-in, and we saw landowners who support conservation easements and understand the tool’s ability to keep working lands working.”

This sentiment is echoed by other private funders, including glassybaby, which expanded its renowned artisan glassblowing operations to Livingston, Montana, in 2023. Lee Rhodes, founder and owner of glassybaby, shared, "Supporting GVLT's Northern Yellowstone Open Lands initiative aligns with our mission to support hope and healing for people, animals, and the planet. The character of Park County is shaped by the landscape, particularly open lands. It was important for us to honor that character by supporting this work.”

GVLT is deeply grateful for all the private funders supporting its Northern Yellowstone Open Lands initiative, including the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Cinnabar Foundation, Cross Charitable Foundation, Heart of the Rockies' Keep It Connected Program, Kendeda Fund, Makowski Conservation Trust, Park County Community Foundation, Solso Family Foundation, and three anonymous donors.

Navigating Challenges and Looking Ahead

In late 2024, another GVLT-led partnership was awarded a transformational $25 million NRCS RCCP grant, designed to protect another 20,000 acres in Park County. Unfortunately, these funds were later rescinded. Despite this setback, GVLT has been able to move forward with its conservation work in Park County with the support of private philanthropy.

“Supporting our work in Park County, as well as in Gallatin and Madison counties, is a good opportunity for individuals and organizations to give back to their communities and protect their backyard for generations to come,” says GVLT Director of Development Justin Barth.

Looking ahead, the uncertainty of public funding makes this private support increasingly critical to ensuring the conservation of the unparalleled landscapes of Park County and throughout southwest Montana. If you are inspired to help accelerate this vital work, please contact Justin at justin@gvlt.org.

Together, we can ensure that our landscapes remain forever open for future generations.