Rocky Mountain Field Institute

What Rocky Mountain Field Institute does

Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization founded in 1981 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, that delivers professional trail construction, ecological restoration, and watershed rehabilitation services across Southern Colorado and the Colorado Plateau. RMFI's core work comprises hand-built trail structures (rock steps, retaining walls, drainage crossings, armored trail corridors) using locally-sourced materials, with all construction completed by hand and without machinery in remote alpine environments above 11,300 feet. The organization also specializes in post-fire stabilization following events such as the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire and 2013 Black Forest Fire, and in watershed protection including habitat restoration for the endangered greenback cutthroat trout in the Bear Creek Watershed.

RMFI operates a hybrid revenue model combining contracted stewardship services for government land management agencies (U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, City of Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado Springs Utilities), individual donations and a tiered membership program (Bedrock $15/month, Foothill $25/month, Summit $50/month), and grants from foundations including Great Outdoors Colorado and the Pikes Peak Fund. The organization leverages a community-led go-to-market motion, engaging thousands of volunteers annually through hundreds of stewardship days, with 36,662 volunteers contributing 348,282 hours since 1989. Strategic partnerships with youth corps organizations (Mile High Youth Corps, Southwest Conservation Corps), nonprofit conservation groups (Access Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Colorado Fourteeners Initiative), and local brewery/gear retailers support volunteer recruitment, member benefits, and project execution across 20-25 active project sites per year.

Name

Rocky Mountain Field Institute

Legal name

Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Inc.

Website

https://rmfi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rocky Mountain Field Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 that delivers hand-built trail construction, ecological restoration, post-fire stabilization, and watershed rehabilitation on public lands across Southern Colorado and the Colorado Plateau, funded by government contracts, individual donations, tiered memberships, and foundation grants, and powered by 36,000+ lifetime community volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

akta.pro primary industry

Erosion Control & Slope Stabilization (Softscape/Planting Solutions) (HSAIABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Trail construction services
• Ecological restoration services
• Public lands stewardship
• Post-fire watershed rehabilitation
• Conservation volunteer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: Individual donations through online portal and monthly membership programs with tiered benefits (Bedrock $15/mo, Foothill $25/mo, Summit $50/mo). Members receive benefits including event invitations, quarterly hikes, branded merchandise, brewery discounts, and gear discounts.
2. Grants and Foundation Funding: Funding from private foundations, government agencies (municipal, county, state, federal), corporations, and other organizations. RMFI receives grants for specific conservation and stewardship projects.
3. Contracted Stewardship Services: RMFI provides fee-for-service stewardship work for land management agencies including trail construction, maintenance, ecological restoration, and post-fire recovery projects.
4. Vehicle and Gear Donations: Accepts vehicle donations through vehiclesforcharity.org and receives percentage of sales from Mountain Equipment Recyclers for donated outdoor gear.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers hands-on trail construction, maintenance, and ecological restoration services on Southern Colorado's public lands, including alpine, montane, foothills, and desert ecozones. The organization mobilizes professional trail crews alongside community volunteers and youth corps crews to complete post-fire stabilization, watershed rehabilitation, and habitat protection projects under contract with government land management agencies and through grant-funded programs.

Product overview

Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) is a nonprofit conservation organization that operates as a single unified offering focused on public land stewardship, rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization delivers hands-on trail construction, maintenance, and ecological restoration services through integrated programs including: Trail Stewardship Programs (professional trail crews and volunteer engagement), Youth Corps Engagement (partnerships with conservation corps), Education and Research Programs, and Crew Leader Training. Additional offerings include a Membership Program with tiered benefits and the Shovel Stories Podcast for community engagement. The organization works across diverse Colorado ecozones (alpine, montane, foothills, desert) and serves various user segments including individual volunteers, youth groups, corporate teams, and land management agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trail Stewardship Programs Professional trail construction, maintenance, and restoration services completed with community volunteers and youth corps crews across alpine, montane, foothills, and desert project sites in Southern Colorado.
• Volunteer Programs Community engagement programs offering hundreds of stewardship days annually for individuals, youth, school groups, and corporate groups to participate in trail work and conservation activities.
• Stewardship Crew Services Fee-for-service stewardship work for land management agencies including trail construction, maintenance, ecological restoration, and post-fire recovery projects, delivered by professionally trained trail crews.
• Youth Corps Engagement Partnerships with conservation and youth work corps organizations including Mile High Youth Corps and Southwest Conservation Corps to provide technical training in trail and restoration work to young environmental stewards.
• Education Programs Educational initiatives that engage community members and youth in environmental stewardship and conservation awareness.
• Research Programs Scientific research and monitoring initiatives supporting evidence-based restoration and conservation practices.
• Crew Leader Training Training programs for developing the next generation of trail crew leaders with technical and leadership skills.
• Membership Program Monthly contribution program with tiered membership levels (Bedrock $15/mo, Foothill $25/mo, Summit $50/mo) providing benefits including member events, quarterly hikes, branded merchandise, brewery discounts, and gear discounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70 miles of trail built, maintained, and restored since 2019
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Mile High Youth CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRMFI partners with Mile High Youth Corps to provide technical training to the next generation of environmental stewards. Young men and women work with RMFI on extended work hitches, often completely immersed in the backcountry.
• Southwest Conservation CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to educate and provide technical training to young environmental stewards through backcountry conservation projects.
• Access FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit climbing organization that provides funding and support for climbing conservation projects at Indian Creek and other locations.
• Bureau of Land ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary land management partner for projects including Indian Creek (Bears Ears National Monument), Shelf Road, Guffey Gorge, and Castleton Tower.
• U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for projects throughout Pike National Forest, including Pikes Peak watershed, Bear Creek Watershed, Barr Trail, and alpine 14er projects.
• The Nature ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Indian Creek Canyon management strategy development and recreational impact mitigation.
• Friends of Garden of the GodsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNonprofit partner supporting Garden of the Gods restoration and stewardship projects.
• Friends of Cheyenne CanonmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNonprofit dedicated to stewardship of North Cheyenne Cañon Park, partnering on trail projects.
• Coalition for the Upper South PlattecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Waldo Canyon Fire restoration and post-fire watershed management.
• Colorado Parks & WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for stewardship at Mueller State Park, Cheyenne Mountain State Park, and other state lands.
• Colorado Fourteeners InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Colorado Fourteeners Program for hiking impact mitigation on high peaks including Kit Carson and Challenger Point.
• Colorado CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner providing student volunteers and support for Indian Creek projects.
• Trout Unlimited - Cutthroat ChaptermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Gill Trail project to protect Gold Medal fishing waters and mitigate impacts on South Platte River.
• Colorado Springs UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Watershed Health Improvement Program addressing municipal water supply protection.
• City of Colorado SpringscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary municipal partner for TOPS (Trails, Open Space and Parks) stewardship projects throughout city parks and open spaces.
• El Paso CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Black Forest Regional Park and Pineries Open Space post-fire rehabilitation.
• SolMtn StudiosminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVideo production company that produced RMFI promotional video representing the organization's mission and work.
• Mountain Equipment RecyclersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGear retailer that accepts donations on behalf of RMFI, with percentage of sales supporting RMFI's work. Also provides 10% discount to Summit members.
• Goat Patch BrewingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrewery partner offering $1 off flagship beers for RMFI members at both locations.
• Mash MechanixminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCraft brewery partner providing member discounts to RMFI members.
• Fossil Craft Beer CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrewery partner providing member discounts to RMFI members.
• Cocktails After DuskminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCocktail spot partner providing member discounts to RMFI members.
• Boulder Climbing CommunityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClimbing community organization supporting Indian Creek stewardship projects.
• Front Range Climbing StewardsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClimbing stewardship organization supporting Indian Creek preservation efforts.
• Friends of Cedar MesaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOrganization supporting preservation efforts at Cedar Mesa and Bears Ears area.
• Pikes Peak Climbers AlliancemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClimbing advocacy organization partnering on Shelf Road climbing access trail maintenance.
• Sierra Club - Pikes Peak ChaptermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Pikes Peak Watershed Erosion Control and Restoration Project.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Colorado Fourteeners Initiative: Nonprofit specializing in sustainable trail construction and restoration on Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks. RMFI is a co-awardee with CFI on the U.S. Forest Service Chief's Honor Award for the Colorado Fourteeners Program and the two organizations work in overlapping alpine geographies.
• Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado: Colorado-based volunteer-driven nonprofit completing trail construction, restoration, and stewardship projects statewide. Closely comparable in mission, volunteer-mobilization GTM motion, and project delivery model to RMFI, with broader geographic coverage across Colorado.
• Mile High Youth Corps: Youth corps organization partnering with RMFI to provide technical training and extended backcountry conservation work. Comparable as a workforce-development and stewardship hybrid serving similar public land management partners in Colorado.
• Southwest Conservation Corps: Conservation corps deploying young adults on trail and restoration projects across the Four Corners region. Direct peer in youth corps model, project type, and federal agency contracting with USFS and BLM in geographies that overlap RMFI's.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy (Colorado Chapter): Large, established global conservation nonprofit with active Colorado programs. RMFI partners with TNC on Indian Creek Canyon management; TNC is much larger and broader in scope, but operates in the same public-land stewardship and conservation funding landscape.
• National Forest Foundation: Congressionally chartered nonprofit partnering with the U.S. Forest Service on restoration and stewardship. RMFI was a co-recipient of the 2021 USFS Chief's Honor Award with the NFF, indicating direct overlap in federal partnership work and funding sources.

Emerging players

• Access Fund: National nonprofit focused on climbing-area conservation. Access Fund partners with RMFI on Indian Creek stewardship, representing a partial-overlap peer in the climbing-conservation niche rather than a direct generalist trail/restoration competitor.
• Friends of the Inyo: Small nonprofit advocating for the Inyo National Forest and Eastern Sierra public lands. Comparable as a community-based land stewardship nonprofit with federal agency partnerships, but smaller in scope and focused on a different mountain region.

Regional players

• Pacific Crest Trail Association: Nonprofit that maintains and protects the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. Highly comparable in mission (long-distance trail stewardship, volunteer mobilization) but operates in a different geography (West Coast) and is much larger in scale.
• Appalachian Mountain Club: Oldest conservation and recreation organization in the U.S., maintaining trails and backcountry facilities primarily in the Northeast. Comparable in trail stewardship, hut systems, and volunteer engagement model, but serves a different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RMFIcolorado
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=KkEjenKR-vs
• Facebookfacebook.com/rocky.mountain.field.institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/rmficolorado

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Rocky Mountain Field Institute