The Montana Land Reliance
The Montana Land Reliance reported $26.1 million in revenue and $23.2 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $94.14 went to program services, $4.55 to management and general costs and $1.31 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 93.9% of the total. Government grants made up 63.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $147,203 (MANAGING DIRECTOR). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 248% between 2020 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $23MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $26M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$30.54 $8.0M
- Government grants$63.30 $17M
- Investment income$6.16 $1.6M
Other revenue was negative: −$9,464. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 94.1% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 4.5% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.3% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 93.9% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 63.3% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $147,203 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.63% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 19.0 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 13 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseLand projects: mlr worked with numerous landowners in 2024 to permanently protect private lands for continued agricultural production, open space, and natural habitat. Thirty new conservation easements were completed by mlr in 2024 that protected, in perpetuity, approximately 68,799 acres. Mlr has protected a total of 1,388,496 acres of agricultural/recreational lands in montana. That acreage includes 350,697 acres in the greater yellowstone ecosystem; 21,570 acres in the northern continental divide ecosystem; 232,027 acres of crop/hay/pasture lands; 1,156,469 acres of range and forest lands…
Stewardship and monitoring: mlr stewardship staff monitor each property on which mlr holds a conservation easement. Stewardship/monitoring activities carried out by staff involves visiting or viewing aerial photos of each easement property on an annual basis to ensure that the terms of the conservation easements are being upheld. The stewardship staff also works with existing easement holders to supply natural resource information for the landowner to improve their land holdings for conservation purposes. Stewardship staff works with legal counsel in regard to any potential issues that arise…
Education and outreach activities: mlr staff travel across the state of montana conducting meetings with potential clients, county planning boards, county commissioners, various agricultural groups/organizations, and other community groups to provide answers to their questions and to conduct general educational activities focused on the benefits of land conservation and conservation easements. For these outreach activities, mlr publishes various educational brochures and an annual report to provide information and enhance the transparency of its public interest activities. Additionally, staff…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MANAGING DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $129,260 | $0 | $17,943 | $147,203 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $112,456 | $0 | $23,095 | $135,551 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $107,297 | $0 | $16,204 | $123,501 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Montana Land Reliance (Part VII, line 2).
5 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b13 · 11 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 537
- Volunteers Part I, line 627
Private foundation grants it received
38 private foundations reported grants to The Montana Land Reliance totaling $839K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Montana Land Reliance's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Montana Land Reliance, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Montana Land Reliance spent in 2024, $94.14 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Triangle Land ConservancyDurham, NC · revenue $26M · programs 67.6% · FY2025
- Greenpeace FundWashington, DC · revenue $26M · programs 76.9% · 2024
- Minnesota Land TrustSaint Paul, MN · revenue $26M · programs 89.3% · FY2025
- Natural Lands TrustMedia, PA · revenue $27M · programs 85.7% · FY2025
- Montgomery County Green Bank CorporationRockville, MD · revenue $26M · programs 84.4% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of The Montana Land Reliance's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Montana Land Reliance reported that 94.1% of its $23.2 million in expenses went to program services, 4.5% to management and general and 1.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Montana Land Reliance pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Montana Land Reliance reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $147,203, for the role of MANAGING DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Montana Land Reliance get its money?
Of $26.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 93.9% came from contributions and grants (including 63.3% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Montana Land Reliance a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 81-0369262 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202522819349301412 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442969349301199 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313039349302186 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202233189349308503 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103059349301540 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 81-0369262: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.