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.
48¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$802K 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

FY2021 · 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
48%
of spending
Concern: 48% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$802K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
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
$4.8M
24% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 24% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
19
of 18 voting members
Looks good: 19 of 18 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$10.8M
-25% vs prior year
Spent
$7.7M
To programs
48%
Net assets
$15.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2026
Revenue
$10.8M
FY2021▼ -25%
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
$7.7M
FY2021▼ -55%
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
$15.0M
FY2021▲ +28%
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 FY2021 Form 990 (year ending February 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 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

48 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 48% · $3.8M Management & general 23% · $1.8M Fundraising 28% · $2.2M

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

26 people listed on the 990; $802K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief of Staff
$147,306Pt VII · Sec A
Former President & CEO
$138,462Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Marketing Officer
$118,807Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Finance Officer
$114,994Pt VII · Sec A
Interim President & CEO
$109,563Pt VII · Sec A
Regional Director of Phila
$101,877Pt VII · Sec A
President & CEO
$57,632Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Finance Officer
$13,074Pt 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.

See Yellowstone Forever executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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.

Questions for Yellowstone Forever

Tap to ask. Yellowstone Forever sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Yellowstone Forever answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

3 programs · $3.8M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Yellowstone forever funds priority projects that protect, preserve, and enhance yellowstone national park. Money raised supports three initiatives: protect yellowstone's ecosystem and wildlife; preserve the park's heritage, history, and trails; and enhance visitor experiences and education.

$1.9Mprogram expense
02

Yellowstone forever had over 80,000 transactions at five stores (3 in the park, 1 in gardiner, 1 at quake lake) that were able to remain open during the pandemic. Visitors to yellowstone park and the surrounding area purchased books, maps, games, art, outdoor gear, calendars, DVD'S and more.

$1.3Mprogram expense
03

Yellowstone forever, in partnership with the national park service, provides educational programming that helps people enjoy, understand, and appreciate the wildlife, geology, and cultural history of the park.

$548Kprogram 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 FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$10.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.4M
Other incomeLn 4–11$856K
Investment incomeLn 3$453K
Money outPt IX
$7.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.8M
Managementcol C$1.8M
Fundraisingcol D$2.2M
Owns and owesPt X
$15.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.4M
Total assetsLn 16$19.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a18
IndependentVI 1b19
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$258K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$309K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$30K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$102K
Investment incomeLn 3$453K
Other incomeLn 4–11$856K
Gains on assetsLn 7$422K
Total revenueLn 12$10.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.1M
SavingsLn 2$3.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$5.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$8.2M
Other assetsLn 15$512
Total assetsLn 16$19.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32$15.0M
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$113K$5.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.8M$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9.5M$8.2M
Total assetsLn 16$16.8M$19.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.1M$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32$11.7M$15.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$924K$924K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$284K$175K$42K$67K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.5M$1.6M$379K$600K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$110K$68K$16K$26K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$169K$104K$25K$40K
Payroll taxesLn 10$247K$152K$37K$58K
Legal feesLn 11b$29K$10K$20K
Accounting feesLn 11c$74K$18K$55K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$999K$999K
Investment management feesLn 11f$22K$22K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$209K$183K$10K$17K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$12K$6K$6K$74
Office expensesLn 13$302K$80K$165K$58K
Information technologyLn 14$380K$56K$149K$175K
OccupancyLn 16$230K$86K$144K$483
TravelLn 17$19K$10K$5K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$3K
InterestLn 20$151K$151K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$798K$175K$560K$63K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$232K$121K$41K$69K
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.7M$3.8M$1.8M$2.2M

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 Viewing $10.8M$7.7M$3.1M$15.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $14.3M$17.2M−$2.9M$11.7M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $10,813,281 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $9,681,607$9,402,473
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,014,188$101,542
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $125,538$453,432
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,524,848$855,834
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $14,346,181$10,813,281
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $4,082,194$924,347
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $7,337,787$3,349,369
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $663,675$999,156
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $5,123,939$2,462,760
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $17,207,595$7,735,632
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$2,861,414$3,077,649
Part VI · Governance 19 of 18 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body18
VI-1b Independent voting members19
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 $10,813,281 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $816,440 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$29,608
VIII-1e Government grants$258,150
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$9,114,715
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$308,751
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$9,402,473
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $101,542$101,542
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $30,957$30,957
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $29,719$29,719
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $422,475$422,475
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$17,461−$17,461
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $27,136$27,136
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $974,837 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $435,971$10,813,281
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,735,632 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $924,347$924,347
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $174,696 · Management $42,372 · Fundraising $67,185$284,253
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,560,617 · Management $378,523 · Fundraising $600,187$2,539,327
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $67,550 · Management $16,384 · Fundraising $25,979$109,913
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $103,774 · Management $25,170 · Fundraising $39,910$168,854
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $151,815 · Management $36,822 · Fundraising $58,385$247,022
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $9,684 · Management $19,609$29,293
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $18,381 · Management $55,142$73,523
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $999,156$999,156
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $22,071$22,071
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $182,580 · Management $9,887 · Fundraising $17,011$209,478
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $5,943 · Management $5,927 · Fundraising $74$11,944
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $79,725 · Management $164,859 · Fundraising $57,846$302,430
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $56,135 · Management $149,023 · Fundraising $175,280$380,438
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $86,318 · Management $143,686 · Fundraising $483$230,487
IX-17 TravelPrograms $9,691 · Management $5,352 · Fundraising $4,313$19,356
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $2,892$2,892
IX-20 InterestManagement $151,052$151,052
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $175,183 · Management $560,306 · Fundraising $62,514$798,003
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $121,499 · Management $41,358 · Fundraising $68,936$231,793
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,750,009 · Management $1,808,364 · Fundraising $2,177,259$7,735,632
Part X · Balance sheet $19,862,866 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $112,652$2,132,522
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$3,287,365
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $4,115,550$2,919,588
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $137,777$53,708
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $983,080$1,248,785
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $213,002$217,438
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $9,491,610$8,231,345
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $1,770,585$1,771,603
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$512
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $16,824,256$19,862,866
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,350,150$511,930
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $5,128$8,517
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $481,411$75,363
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$2,351,002
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $5,086,689$4,846,812
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,947,342$7,702,565
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $5,790,225$7,313,489
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $11,737,567$15,016,054
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $16,824,256$19,862,866
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $15,016,054 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$10,813,281
XI-2 Total expenses$7,735,632
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,077,649
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$11,737,567
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$200,838
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$15,016,054

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.