What Five Valleys Land Trust does

Five Valleys Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization headquartered in Missoula, Montana, founded in 1972 (originally as the Five Valleys River Park Association, renamed in 1989) and nationally accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. Its core activity is negotiating perpetual conservation easements with private landowners across ten counties in western Montana, supplementing these with fee-simple acquisitions of ecologically or recreationally significant properties, including the 300-acre Rock Creek Confluence (purchased 2012), the 160-acre Marshall Mountain (2015), the 9.5-acre Lincoln Community River Park (2016), and the 2,500-acre Mount Dean Stone Community Forest. The organization stewards 86,322 acres under its care and has helped protect more than 97,700 acres cumulatively through nearly 200 conservation easements. Beyond easements, it delivers the Hands on the Land volunteer stewardship program, owns and operates public-access properties with 300+ miles of trails, partners with the University of Montana Bird Ecology Lab on long-running bird-banding research, and runs universal-access trail design initiatives in collaboration with Summit Independent Living.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across individual donations and planned giving (including QCDs, charitable remainder trusts, and bequests), federal grants (USDA NRCS Agricultural Land Easement, USFS Community Forest), state and local government funding (Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks, Missoula County Open Space Bond), and regional/national foundation grants (Atira Conservation, Cinnabar Foundation, Yellowstone to Yukon, Heart of the Rockies). The 2022 Montana Forever Campaign raised $4.523M from 230+ donors, and the organization is currently executing multi-million-dollar easement transactions such as Indreland Ranch ($2.8M project, January 2026) and Case Ranch ($4.8M project, March 2026). Services are free to landowners; the organization operates on a donor-supported, non-fee-charging model. Go-to-market is community-led: direct negotiation with private landowners, formal partnerships with municipal and county governments, tribal nations (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes), The Nature Conservancy, university researchers, and a 20+ member Mount Dean Stone Committee representing recreation, conservation, and accessibility stakeholders across western Montana.

Name

Five Valleys Land Trust

Legal name

Five Valleys Land Trust, Inc.

Website

https://fvlt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Five Valleys Land Trust is a nationally accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit that negotiates perpetual conservation easements and manages community open spaces across western Montana, stewarding over 86,000 acres through nearly 200 easements and serving private landowners, municipal partners, and conservation donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Conservation easement programs
• Wildlife habitat protection
• Community forest stewardship
• Land trust management

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors contribute cash, stocks, real estate, and personal property to support conservation work. Donors receive tax deductions for contributions.
2. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and beneficiary designations allow supporters to include Five Valleys in estate planning.
3. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): IRA owners age 70½ or older can distribute up to $100,000 directly to Five Valleys, reducing taxable income.
4. Government Grants: Funding from USDA NRCS Agricultural Land Easement program, Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks Recreational Trails Program, and USFS Community Forest grants.
5. Open Space Bond Programs: Missoula County Open Space Bond provides funding for conservation easements and property acquisitions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Five Valleys Land Trust is a nonprofit land conservation organization that helps private landowners place perpetual conservation easements on their properties and directly owns and manages community open spaces for public recreation and wildlife habitat across western Montana. It also operates donor-supported giving programs (donor-advised funds, planned/legacy gifts, qualified charitable distributions) and a volunteer stewardship program. The organization completed the $4.523M Montana Forever Campaign in 2022 and received a $600,000 USFS Community Forest grant in 2022.

Product overview

Five Valleys Land Trust operates as a land conservation organization offering a portfolio of programs centered on protecting western Montana's natural legacy. Core offerings include conservation easements (perpetual legal agreements protecting private land) and community open spaces (publicly accessible owned properties). Key properties include the Rock Creek Confluence Property (300-acre restoration site with trails and wildlife habitat), Mount Dean Stone Community Forest (2,500-acre recreation area), Lincoln Community River Park, and Marshall Mountain. Supporting programs include volunteer stewardship (Hands on the Land), donor-advised funds, legacy/planned giving options, and educational resources including a published history book documenting their 50-year conservation legacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Easements Perpetual legal agreements that restrict development on private land to conserve natural, agricultural, or scenic values, while the landowner retains ownership and continues to use the property; available to private landowners in western Montana.
• Rock Creek Confluence Property 300-acre conserved property at the confluence of Rock Creek and Clark Fork River east of Clinton, MT, featuring universal-access trails, bird banding stations, riparian restoration, and public access for recreation.
• Mount Dean Stone Community Forest Multi-thousand-acre community forest south of Missoula providing public recreation (hiking, biking, hunting, snowshoeing), scenic overlooks, elk winter range habitat, and organized race venues in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and other organizations.
• Lincoln Community River Park 9.5-acre river park providing public access to the Blackfoot River near Lincoln, Montana for community recreation.
• Marshall Mountain 160-acre conserved property on Marshall Mountain acquired for recreation and conservation programming.
• Donor-Advised Fund Giving Program Charitable investment-account giving program that allows donors to make tax-deductible contributions and recommend grants to nonprofits (including Five Valleys Land Trust) over time.
• Planned Giving / Legacy Giving Program Estate-planning giving vehicle offering bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, beneficiary designations, and Deferred Gift Annuities administered via the Montana Community Foundation for supporters who wish to include Five Valleys in long-term giving plans.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 acres protected across western Montana
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• Run Wild MissoulacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecreation partner on Mount Dean Stone Committee contributing to trail development and public access planning for the community forest.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-manager of Mount Dean Stone Community Forest; owns and manages 2,500-acre parcel on south side of Mount Dean Stone. Five Valleys works with TNC on trail development, wildlife habitat management, and forest health projects.
• Missoula Mountain Bike CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Mount Dean Stone Committee providing expertise on mountain biking trails and recreation planning.
• Summit Independent LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccessibility partner collaborating on universal trail design and inclusive recreation opportunities at Rock Creek Confluence and other properties.
• City of MissoulaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey municipal partner receiving transferred conservation lands. Recipient of Mount Dean Stone Corridor (350 acres) and other open space properties. Partner on open space bond program.
• Montana Fish, Wildlife & ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner on wildlife management, Block Management Access program, and recreational trails grants for Mount Dean Stone and other projects.
• Missoula CountyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty partner on open space bond program, contributing funding for conservation easements and property acquisitions across Missoula County.
• US Forest ServiceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner on Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program; awarded $600,000 grant for Mount Dean Stone Community Forest acquisition.
• Montana Department of Natural Resources and ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState partner on Mount Dean Stone Committee contributing to forest management and natural resource planning.
• Big Sky Brewing CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness sponsor supporting Mount Dean Stone Committee and conservation events in the community.
• onXmapssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMapping technology partner supporting Mount Dean Stone Committee with outdoor recreation mapping.
• University of Montana Bird Ecology LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner conducting annual bird banding at Rock Creek Confluence for 11+ years. Provides hands-on science education and population tracking data.
• Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation organization supporting landscape-scale connectivity projects including Indreland Ranch easement.
• Heart of the Rockies InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation organization providing funding and support for wildlife corridor and working lands conservation.
• Montana Land ReliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide agricultural land trust partnering on Case Ranch conservation easement project.
• Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes - Séliš-Ql̓ispé Culture CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner providing Salish language recordings and placenames for audio interpretation posts at Rock Creek Confluence.
• Missoula CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner whose Heavy Equipment Operation Program students helped with land restoration at Rock Creek Confluence.
• Westslope Chapter Trout UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFisheries conservation partner contributing to Rock Creek Confluence restoration and conservation efforts.
• Clark Fork CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed conservation organization partnered on Rock Creek Confluence restoration and fisheries work at Mount Dean Stone.
• Montana Natural History CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner using Rock Creek Confluence for natural history education programs.
• Missoula Parks and RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner collaborating on trail development and public access at Rock Creek Confluence.
• MPG RanchsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner supporting Rock Creek Confluence restoration and conservation efforts.
• Five Valleys AudubonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBird conservation organization contributing to Rock Creek Confluence bird habitat protection.
• Confederated Salish and Kootenai TribescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribe partner supporting Rock Creek Confluence restoration efforts and providing cultural perspectives.
• Montana Conservation CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation corps providing volunteer crews for trail building at Rock Creek Confluence and Mount Dean Stone.
• Eagle Scout Rex KoenigsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndividual volunteer who led wheelchair-accessible trail construction project at Rock Creek Confluence as Eagle Scout project.
• The Conservation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational conservation organization that helped facilitate Bluebird-North Hills property purchase as interim owner.
• Greenwing RestorationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRestoration expertise partner contributing to Sundance Ranch stream restoration and revegetation efforts.
• Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fisheries conservation partner in Sundance Ranch restoration working to protect bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout habitat.
• MTB MissoulacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMountain biking organization leading trail construction on House of Sky Trail and other Mount Dean Stone trails.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Montana Land Reliance: Statewide Montana agricultural land trust explicitly partnering with Five Valleys on the Case Ranch easement. Same product (working-lands conservation easements), same geography, overlapping donor and government-grant sources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FiveValleysLandTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/fivevalleyslandtrust
• Xx.com/fvlt_montana

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Five Valleys Land Trust