The Montana Land Reliance

Name

The Montana Land Reliance

Legal name

The Montana Land Reliance

Website

https://mtlandreliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Lessors of Real Estate (5311)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Right-of-Way & Easement Valuation (BPAJAKAI)

Keywords

• Conservation easements
• Land trust services
• Stewardship monitoring
• Land conservation
• Wildlife habitat protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Helena, MT

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual donors contribute to support MLR's mission of protecting Montana's working lands, wildlife habitat, and open spaces through one-time and recurring donations.
2. Membership Program: Monthly sustaining donations from members who receive updates on land protection efforts statewide and invitations to events and learning opportunities.
3. Planned Giving: Bequests, gifts of real and personal property, gift annuities, charitable trusts, life estate gifts, and other estate planning vehicles that provide long-term financial support.
4. Vehicle Donations: Acceptance of charitable contributions of vehicles with less than 60,000 miles.
5. License Plate Program: Montana license plates featuring MLR branding that provide ongoing revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Montana Land Reliance helps private landowners place voluntary, legally binding conservation easements on their farms and ranches to permanently restrict subdivision and development. Land stays in private ownership and on the local tax rolls, while MLR conducts annual stewardship monitoring of every conserved property using satellite imagery, GIS, and on-site visits. The organization is funded through donations, conservation easement fees, grants, and planned giving.

Product overview

The Montana Land Reliance operates as a single-product nonprofit organization focused on land conservation through voluntary conservation easements. Their core offering is the conservation easement program, which is complemented by stewardship services to monitor protected properties in perpetuity. The organization also offers donor engagement programs including membership and planned giving options to support their mission of protecting Montana's working lands, wildlife habitat, and open spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Easements A voluntary, legally binding deed restriction between a landowner and MLR that permanently limits specific uses of a property such as development and subdivision to protect its agricultural, natural, or open-space values. The land stays in private ownership, remains on the local tax rolls, and can still be sold or passed on to heirs. For private landowners, farmers, and ranchers in Montana.
• Stewardship Services Annual monitoring of conserved properties to ensure easement terms are being followed, accomplished through a combination of remote monitoring using high-resolution satellite imagery and in-person visits to properties. For landowners who have placed conservation easements with MLR.
• Membership Program Monthly donation program providing members with updates on land protection efforts, invitations to events, and connection to Montana's conservation future. For philanthropic donors and supporters of land conservation.
• Planned Giving Estate planning options including bequests, gifts of real and personal property, gift annuities, charitable trusts, and life estate gifts for establishing a lasting conservation legacy. For individual philanthropists and estate planning clients.
• Guide to Giving Various giving options including cash donations, real estate gifts, vehicle donations, stocks and bonds, retirement assets, beneficiary designations, life income gifts, memorial giving, and MLR license plates. For individual donors and supporters of land conservation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.5M+ acres protected in perpetuity
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Havre TrailsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2024Local trail organization partnered with MLR and landowner Rick Lieberg to protect Saddle Butte Formation while keeping trails open for public access near Havre, Montana.
• Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRCS provides funding through the Agricultural Land Easement program to help landowners complete conservation easements. This partnership was instrumental in the Keller family's ability to protect their ranch, combining NRCS funding with MLR's easement administration.
• Land Trust Accreditation CommissioncoreOthersIndependent organization that awards accreditation to land trusts that meet rigorous standards for excellence in land conservation, organizational governance, and easement stewardship.
• Montana Fish, Wildlife & ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMLR works with FWP on wildlife monitoring programs including the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat). FWP provides technical guidance and collaboration on stewardship activities.
• North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinental bat monitoring program that MLR participates in by hosting acoustic monitoring stations on conserved lands. Data helps track bat species presence and population trends across Montana.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Colorado Open Lands: Statewide land trust in Colorado using conservation easements to protect working lands and open space. MLR Managing Director Jordan Vana previously led this organization, evidencing direct operational and mission parity.
• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on protecting farmland and ranchland from development through easements and policy advocacy. Shares MLR's working-lands orientation and federal policy advocacy on tax incentives.
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Wildlife habitat conservation nonprofit that funds and facilitates conservation easements to protect elk habitat and migration corridors. Two MLR directors (Chad Klinkenborg, Scott Laird) previously worked there — direct operational and mission overlap.
• Jackson Hole Land Trust: Wyoming-based land trust that absorbed the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (Montana). Operates a near-identical conservation easement model in the Northern Rockies and is a direct regional competitor for high-value ranch deals and donor mindshare.

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation organization focused on wildlife habitat, including work with private landowners on conservation easements and habitat protection. Comparable in advocacy and donor-base dimensions.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that works with landowners and communities to protect land through conservation easements, acquisitions, and land deals. Closest broad-incumbent peer given shared conservation real-estate model.
• Ducks Unlimited: Conservation nonprofit protecting wetlands and waterfowl habitat through easements and habitat programs. Overlaps with MLR's streambank and habitat work; larger, multi-state scale.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation nonprofit using easements, land purchases, and stewardship to protect natural areas. Most directly comparable as a peer land trust, though operates at vastly larger scale across all U.S. states and globally.
• National Audubon Society: National bird and habitat conservation organization with ranch and easement programs in the West. Comparable as a donor-supported conservation nonprofit with easement and habitat overlap.

Regional players

• Gallatin Valley Land Trust: Southwest Montana land trust (now part of Jackson Hole Land Trust) focused on conservation easements in the Gallatin region. Direct regional peer and historic competitor to MLR in Montana landowner relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/montana-land-reliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/montanalandreliance

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries1 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 The Montana Land Reliance