Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Incorporated
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is a Missoula, MT–based nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and hunting heritage. RMEF operates national programs including land protection and access, habitat stewardship, wildlife management, and a grant program that funds conservation projects.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Conservation organizations, land trusts, state wildlife agencies, or project partners working on habitat stewardship, land protection, wildlife management, or hunting-heritage programs; applicants should be able to manage grants at the $10k–$500k scale and demonstrate programmatic alignment.
Good Fit
- • Project explicitly focused on habitat stewardship, land protection, or wildlife management.
- • Partnerships with state agencies or land trusts, or capacity to deliver field conservation work.
- • Track record managing grants in the $25k–$250k range (or larger for statewide projects).
- • Geographic relevance to western U.S. landscapes, though national projects are considered.
- • Clear outcomes and reporting capacity for on-the-ground habitat or access work.
Geography
Observed grants in the latest year reached roughly 27 states with an out-of-state share far larger than in-state, indicating a multi-state/national footprint rather than a strictly local funder.
Recipient Variety
The latest year funded 94 distinct recipients across government agencies, conservation nonprofits and land trusts, with 112 grants overall; this is a broad recipient set even though a handful of large grants capture a sizable share of dollars.
New Applicants
Behavioral evidence shows 45 new recipients in the latest year and an active mix of returning and first-time grantees across three observed years, which suggests new entrants can and do enter the portfolio; the signals did not flag a formal posted application process, so applicants should still confirm current submission mechanics on the funder’s website or contact channels.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
