Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

What Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation does

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Missoula, Montana. Its mission is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat, and the hunting heritage. RMEF delivers on this mission through habitat conservation, public land access improvements, and conservation education, reporting cumulative impact of more than 9.2 million acres protected or enhanced, 1.6 million acres of public land access opened or improved, and more than 15,000 completed conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects since founding. The organization is supported by more than 500 chapters and 11,000+ volunteers operating across all 50 U.S. states.

RMEF operates a portfolio of member-facing programs including the MyRMEF membership portal, the RMEF Shop e-commerce platform, Bugle Magazine (print and digital), RMEF Films (documentary content), the OutdoorClass streaming partnership for hunting education, and periodic raffles and sweepstakes. The organization also runs a conservation grant program and hosts events such as the inaugural RMEF Big Game Days in Missoula, Montana (July 16-19, 2026). Key commercial and mission-aligned partners include KUIU (Official Hunting Apparel Partner) and the University of Montana (Center for Hunting and Conservation). Kyle Weaver serves as President and CEO.

Revenue is generated through diversified, mission-aligned streams: annual membership dues, one-time and recurring donations (including planned giving, IRA gifts, donor-advised funds, and memorial/honorarium contributions), e-commerce sales of branded merchandise, and ticketed sweepstakes. The underlying technology stack is conventional and mission-supporting rather than differentiated: a website, e-commerce storefront, member portal, and content publishing infrastructure, with no disclosed AI, data, or proprietary software assets.

Name

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Legal name

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Website

https://rmef.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is a U.S. nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1984 that protects elk and big game habitat, expands public land access, and supports hunting heritage through memberships, donations, e-commerce, chapters, and volunteer-led programs nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Nonprofit

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Wildlife habitat conservation
• Conservation grant funding
• Hunting heritage advocacy
• Habitat restoration services
• Conservation membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees that provide access to member benefits including discounts, Bugle Magazine subscription, and participation in RMEF events and chapters.
2. Donations: One-time and recurring donations from supporters, including planned giving, IRA donations, donor-advised funds, and memorial/honorarium gifts.
3. E-commerce Sales: Sale of RMEF merchandise, apparel (men's, women's, youth), accessories, and gear through the organization's online shop.
4. Raffles and Sweepstakes: Periodic sweepstakes events such as the RMEF 2026 Summer Sweepstakes, offering prizes to ticket purchasers with proceeds supporting conservation efforts.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization that protects and enhances elk, other wildlife, and their habitat while preserving North American hunting heritage. It funds and delivers conservation projects, issues grants, operates a national chapter network of 500+ volunteer groups and 11,000+ volunteers, and generates revenue through memberships, donations, merchandise sales, raffles/sweepstakes, and educational media such as Bugle Magazine and the OutdoorClass streaming platform.

Product overview

RMEF operates as a non-profit conservation organization with a portfolio of programs supporting elk and big game habitat preservation. The organization combines a unified e-commerce platform (RMEF Shop) for merchandise sales with membership-based programs (MyRMEF), content platforms (Bugle Magazine, RMEF Films, OutdoorClass streaming service), and fundraising initiatives (Raffles & Sweepstakes). The portfolio also includes a Grant Program for conservation projects and annual events like Big Game Days. These offerings work together to advance RMEF's mission of ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat, and the hunting heritage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bugle Magazine: RMEF's official magazine covering conservation, hunting heritage, and wildlife topics.

Products and services

• RMEF Membership Annual membership program for individuals supporting elk and big game conservation, providing member benefits such as discounts, Bugle Magazine subscription, and chapter participation.
• RMEF Shop (Merchandise) Online retail storefront selling RMEF-branded apparel (men's, women's, youth), accessories, and gear directly to consumers.
• Bugle Magazine Official RMEF publication covering conservation news, hunting heritage stories, and wildlife habitat updates in print and digital formats.
• OutdoorClass Streaming Platform Subscription-based streaming platform partnered with RMEF providing hunting education content featuring experts like Randy Newberg and Corey Jacobsen.
• Raffles & Sweepstakes Annual fundraising sweepstakes program offering prizes such as hunting gear and experiences, with proceeds supporting RMEF's conservation mission.
• Conservation Grant Program Grant program providing funding to conservation projects focused on elk habitat, wildlife, and hunting heritage preservation.
• RMEF Big Game Days Inaugural annual four-day event held July 16-19, 2026 in Missoula, Montana, celebrating conservation, hunting lifestyle, and outdoor industry brands.
• Conserving America's Big Six Collection Merchandise collection celebrating big game conservation, branded as the 'Big Six Collection' and sold through the RMEF shop.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conserved nearly one square mile of big game country every day since 1984
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KUIUcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKUIU named Official Hunting Apparel Partner. Alignment of shared missions to conserve and enhance big game habitat, expand access for hunters, and uphold the vital role hunting plays in sustaining healthy wildlife populations.
• OutdoorClasscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRMEF partners with OutdoorClass streaming platform connecting members with respected hunting experts like Randy Newberg and Corey Jacobsen. Annual subscription provides hunting education content while supporting conservation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever: Pheasants Forever is a direct peer in upland game habitat conservation, structured as a 501(c)(3) with chapter-based fundraising and conservation delivery targeting hunters and conservationists — directly comparable in mission and operating model.
• Ducks Unlimited: Ducks Unlimited is the closest direct peer — a large, national 501(c)(3) dedicated to waterfowl and wetlands habitat conservation, funded by memberships, donations, and events, with a similar chapter-based grassroots model.
• Trout Unlimited: Trout Unlimited is a direct peer coldwater fisheries conservation nonprofit with a chapter-based model and similar mix of habitat restoration, public access, and hunter/angler member support — directly comparable in operating structure to RMEF.
• Boone and Crockett Club: Boone and Crockett Club is a direct peer conservation nonprofit dedicated to wildlife and hunting heritage, with a longer history and an emphasis on fair-chase ethics, records, and policy — sharing RMEF's hunting-conservation overlap.
• Mule Deer Foundation: Mule Deer Foundation is a direct peer nonprofit focused on mule deer and blacktail habitat conservation, sharing RMEF's big-game conservation focus, hunter-member base, and western U.S. geographic footprint.
• Quality Deer Management Association: QDMA is a direct peer nonprofit focused on deer habitat and herd management, with a membership-driven model targeting hunters and landowners — closely comparable in mission scope and supporter base to RMEF.
• National Wild Turkey Federation: NWTF is a direct peer nonprofit focused on wild turkey and associated habitat conservation, using membership dues, donations, and volunteer-driven conservation delivery — structurally near-identical to RMEF's model but centered on upland game.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is a broad incumbent in land and habitat conservation, with substantially larger scale and a science-driven, land-acquisition model. It overlaps with RMEF on habitat protection but is not hunting-focused and uses a different funding structure.
• National Wildlife Federation: National Wildlife Federation is a broad incumbent in U.S. wildlife conservation advocacy, with a much larger and more diversified portfolio across all wildlife, policy advocacy, and education — overlapping RMEF's mission at a broader, less specialized level.

Emerging players

• Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is an emerging player focused on public lands, access, and habitat conservation for hunters and anglers, with a smaller scale and stronger policy-advocacy emphasis than RMEF but overlapping mission and supporter base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RMEF

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Elk Foundation