Yellowstone Forever ("yf") serves as the official non-profit partner for Yellowstone national park ("park"). Yf's purpose is to provide grants and in-kind support to the park through philanthropic and educational initiatives.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
66¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.3M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2026
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2026, this tax year; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 7
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $9.0M a year · 37% of revenue · last 7 filings
Fine: a surplus in 6 of the last 7 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 7 filings
Spent on programs
66%
of spending
Fine: 66% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.3M
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $1.8M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 0.1 months of spending in cash, plus $1.8M in investments.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
11
named funders · $249K
Looks good: 11 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$5.1M
30% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 30% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$14.3M
Spent
$17.2M
To programs
66%
Net assets
$11.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2026
Revenue
$14.3M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$14.3M
FY2021$10.8M
FY2022$24.9M
FY2023$21.1M
FY2024$21.3M
FY2025$41.8M
FY2026$34.5M
Expenses
$17.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$17.2M
FY2021$7.7M
FY2022$9.7M
FY2023$13.6M
FY2024$14.5M
FY2025$16.9M
FY2026$25.8M
Net assets
$11.7M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$11.7M
FY2021$15.0M
FY2022$30.1M
FY2023$37.3M
FY2024$43.8M
FY2025$69.1M
FY2026$78.6M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending February 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2026) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2026. IRS ruling in Jan 2016.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

66 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 66% · $11.4M Management & general 12% · $2.0M Fundraising 22% · $3.8M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

24 people listed on the 990; $1.3M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
President & CEO
$320,192Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Development Officer
$228,456Pt VII · Sec A
General Counsel
$159,782Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President of Retail Operations
$140,000Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Marketing Officer
$139,000Pt VII · Sec A
Interim President & CEO
$129,808Pt VII · Sec A
Regional Director of Philanthropy
$106,753Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Finance Officer
$93,654Pt VII · Sec A

Lisa Diekmann’s $299K as President & CEO is at the 63rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 324 $10–100M environment nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2026FY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Heather B White—————$138,462
Lisa Diekmann$299,182$264,418$218,615$217,789$179,522$57,632
Kelly Herman——————
Kristena Mills$184,197$158,824$143,076$139,077$122,272$13,074
Nina Novikoff$168,079$148,594$126,901———
Wendie Carr$159,881$155,026$142,928$136,327$124,527$118,807
Thomas Cluderay——————
Samuel Barkley$153,310$142,471————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Supports Yellowstone National Park through donations and educational programs.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $11.4M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Support for yellowstone national park. Cash grants support six initiatives: cultural treasurers, greenest park, ranger heritage, tomorrow's stewards, visitor experience, and wildlife grants were also spent on the canyon overlooks.

$5.7Mprogram expense
02

Visitor education product sales. Approximatley 270,000 transactions from customers and visitors to yellowstone national park who purchased educational and interpretive books, maps, DVDS, games, and other items that foster a deeper understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of yellowstone and its surrounding ecosystem at 8 park stores at…

$3.1Mprogram expense
03

Visitor eduction programming. Approximately 9,573 visitors to yellowstone national park attended over 673 yellowstone forever educational programs in natural history, geology, cultural history, wildlife, environmental conservation and presevation for a total of approximately 140,622 contact hours.

$2.6Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 11 funders →
Grants paid · 11 grants · $19.3M · 2019–2025
National Park ServiceFY2025$1,763,195
US Forest ServiceFY2025$3,581
National Park ServiceFY2024$2,288,632
National Park ServiceFY2023$3,317,907
US Forest ServiceFY2023$5,796
National Park ServiceFY2022$4,510,396
National Park ServiceFY2021$2,395,650
National Park ServiceFY2020$917,713
US Forest ServiceFY2020$6,634
National Park ServiceFY2019$4,077,389
US Forest ServiceFY2019$4,805

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$14.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.0M
Money outPt IX
$17.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$11.4M
Managementcol C$2.0M
Fundraisingcol D$3.8M
Owns and owesPt X
$11.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$113K
Total assetsLn 16$16.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.7M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$847K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$199K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$126K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.5M
Gains on assetsLn 7$52K
Total revenueLn 12$14.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$113K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$113K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9.5M
Total assetsLn 16$16.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.1M
Net assetsLn 32$11.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5150
VolunteersI 699
Fiscal year endsHeaderFebruary
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$44K$113K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.3M$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10.5M$9.5M
Total assetsLn 16$18.5M$16.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.9M$5.1M
Net assetsLn 32$14.6M$11.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$4.1M$4.1M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$688K$419K$109K$161K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$5.4M$3.3M$861K$1.3M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$205K$125K$32K$48K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$474K$288K$75K$111K
Payroll taxesLn 10$521K$317K$82K$122K
Legal feesLn 11b$56K$22K$5K$29K
Accounting feesLn 11c$93K$76K$3K$14K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$664K$664K
Investment management feesLn 11f$15K$15K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$286K$112K$27K$147K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$128K$47K$13K$67K
Office expensesLn 13$111K$70K$11K$29K
Information technologyLn 14$728K$266K$199K$263K
OccupancyLn 16$485K$234K$185K$67K
TravelLn 17$273K$196K$24K$53K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$76K$21K$37K$18K
InterestLn 20$241K$160K$29K$52K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1.1M$668K$275K$150K
InsuranceLn 23$157K$124K$21K$12K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.2M$779K$10K$440K
All other expensesLn 24e$152K$97K$22K$32K
Total functional expensesLn 25$17.2M$11.4M$2.0M$3.8M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2026 Latest $34.5M$25.8M$8.7M$78.6M 990 PDF
FY2025 $41.8M$16.9M$24.9M$69.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $21.3M$14.5M$6.8M$43.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $21.1M$13.6M$7.4M$37.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $24.9M$9.7M$15.2M$30.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $10.8M$7.7M$3.1M$15.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $14.3M$17.2M−$2.9M$11.7M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $14,346,181 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $10,338,399$9,681,607
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,903,460$2,014,188
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $158,342$125,538
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,796,216$2,524,848
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $15,196,417$14,346,181
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $5,579,757$4,082,194
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $7,325,543$7,337,787
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $809,630$663,675
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $5,330,280$5,123,939
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $19,045,210$17,207,595
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$3,848,793−$2,861,414
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $14,346,181 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $2,571,722 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$199,020
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$9,482,587
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$846,635
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$9,681,607
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,014,188$2,014,188
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $73,311$73,311
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $78,892$78,892
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $52,227$52,227
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$125,766−$125,766
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $4,664,802 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$228$14,346,181
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $17,207,595 across 22 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $4,082,194$4,082,194
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $418,608 · Management $108,756 · Fundraising $160,945$688,309
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $3,314,013 · Management $860,997 · Fundraising $1,274,163$5,449,173
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $124,808 · Management $32,426 · Fundraising $47,986$205,220
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $288,079 · Management $74,844 · Fundraising $110,760$473,683
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $317,100 · Management $82,384 · Fundraising $121,918$521,402
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $22,002 · Management $5,279 · Fundraising $28,874$56,155
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $76,040 · Management $2,926 · Fundraising $14,022$92,988
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $663,675$663,675
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $14,609$14,609
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $112,039 · Management $26,883 · Fundraising $147,032$285,954
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $47,417 · Management $13,365 · Fundraising $66,735$127,517
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $70,273 · Management $11,310 · Fundraising $29,428$111,011
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $266,040 · Management $198,843 · Fundraising $263,191$728,074
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $233,701 · Management $185,072 · Fundraising $66,575$485,348
IX-17 TravelPrograms $195,619 · Management $24,397 · Fundraising $53,469$273,485
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $20,778 · Management $37,231 · Fundraising $18,477$76,486
IX-20 InterestPrograms $159,872 · Management $28,873 · Fundraising $51,954$240,699
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $667,888 · Management $275,167 · Fundraising $150,475$1,093,530
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $124,302 · Management $21,323 · Fundraising $11,672$157,297
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $779,087 · Management $9,846 · Fundraising $439,969$1,228,902
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $97,462 · Management $22,021 · Fundraising $32,401$151,884
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $11,431,931 · Management $2,021,943 · Fundraising $3,753,721$17,207,595
Part X · Balance sheet $16,824,256 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $43,995$112,652
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $8$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $4,354,835$4,115,550
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $104,953$137,777
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $734,736$983,080
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $430,334$213,002
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $10,490,199$9,491,610
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $2,328,845$1,770,585
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $18,487,905$16,824,256
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $704,482$1,350,150
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $2,669$5,128
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $402,370$481,411
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,909,521$5,086,689
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $8,394,704$5,947,342
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $6,183,680$5,790,225
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $14,578,384$11,737,567
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $18,487,905$16,824,256
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $11,737,567 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$14,346,181
XI-2 Total expenses$17,207,595
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$2,861,414
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$14,578,384
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$20,597
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$11,737,567

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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