Big Sky Community Organization
Big Sky Community Organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that builds, stewards, and manages Big Sky, Montana's public parks, 40+ miles of trails, and the BASE Community Center, serving local residents, families, and visitors through recreation programs, events, and donor-supported infrastructure.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersBig Sky, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Big Sky Community Organization does
Big Sky Community Organization (BSCO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that builds, stewards, and protects public parks, trails, programs, and community facilities in Big Sky, Montana. The organization manages 15+ maintained trails spanning 40+ miles that connect Town Center, Meadow Village, Gallatin Canyon, and Lone Mountain, alongside approximately 95 acres of parkland distributed across eight properties: Big Sky Community Park (44 acres), Historic Crail Ranch (960 acres), Ousel Falls Park (29.5 acres), Kircher Discovery Park (7 acres), Marty Pavelich Ice Rink, RT & Ralph's Nature Preserve (7 acres), and Len Hill Park (3.3 acres). It also operates the BASE Community Center, which functions as the year-round indoor recreation hub offering fitness classes, youth programs, adult leagues, and climbing, and runs signature programs including Camp Big Sky, Hike Big Sky, and the annual Parks, Trails & Recreation Gala. Annual program participation is reported at 9,400+ users.
BSCO's business model is diversified across donated and earned revenue streams. As a 501(c)(3), it accepts individual and corporate donations (recurring and one-time), stock gifts, Amazon Smile contributions, and structured Annual Partner tiers ($240 Friend, $480 Steward, $960 Guardian) alongside facility-purchase naming opportunities (bridge plaques at $500, picnic tables at $2,500, park benches at $5,000). Earned revenue flows through BASE passes and memberships, fitness classes, youth program registrations, adult league fees, venue and park reservation applications, ice rink and field banner sponsorships, and fundraising events including the annual Gala's live auctions. The go-to-market is community-led: volunteer trail workdays, signature events (Gala, Hike Big Sky, Soul Shine), direct outreach, local business partnerships, and digital channels (bsco.org website, email newsletter, Instagram @bsco_mt) drive participation, donations, and sponsorships. Customers are nonprofit-style constituents — local residents, families with children, visitors, local businesses, and donors — concentrated entirely within the Big Sky trade area.
The organization's primary capital sources are individual donors, corporate sponsors, foundation grants (notably the Spanish Peaks Community Foundation), the Big Sky Area Resort Tax District, and local partners such as Lone Mountain Land Company, Big Sky Resort, Bozeman Health, the Rotary Club, and SWMMBA. Capital is reinvested into trail expansion, park improvement, signage upgrades, and community facilities. Critically, BSCO is not a technology company: its core product surface is physical recreation infrastructure supported by an informational website; there is no proprietary technology, software platform, AI capability, or app behind its value proposition, and the competitive position is built on community trust, exclusive stewardship of local infrastructure, and a deep partnership network rather than on technology differentiation.
Big Sky Community Organization firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Sky Community Organization
- Legal name
- Big Sky Community Organization
- Website
- https://bsco.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Big Sky Community Organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that builds, stewards, and manages Big Sky, Montana's public parks, 40+ miles of trails, and the BASE Community Center, serving local residents, families, and visitors through recreation programs, events, and donor-supported infrastructure.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big Sky Community Organization industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Recreation Services
- NAICS
- Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Adventure & Aerial Parks (Ropes Courses, Zipline Parks, Climbing Parks) (THAJAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Adventure Base Camps (Trek/Climb/Expedition Camps) (THAGAOAG)
Keywords
Where Big Sky Community Organization is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Big Sky
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Big Sky Community Organization business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, BSCO generates primary revenue through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and annual partner contributions. Donations support trail maintenance, park stewardship, youth programs, and capital projects. The organization offers one-time and recurring donation options, stock donations, and Amazon Smile contributions.
- Sponsorships and Naming Opportunities: BSCO offers naming opportunities including bridge plaques ($500), park benches ($5,000), and picnic tables ($2,500). Trail sponsorships and event sponsorships provide additional revenue streams with visibility benefits for donors.
- Program and Membership Fees: BASE Community Center generates revenue through passes and memberships, fitness classes, youth programs, and recreation leagues. Ice rink and field banner sponsorships also contribute to facility funding.
- Venue and Facility Rental: BSCO earns revenue through venue use applications for hosting events at BASE and public parks. Park reservations for birthday parties, community gatherings, and outdoor celebrations generate additional income.
- Annual Gala and Fundraising Events: The annual Parks, Trails & Recreation Gala serves as BSCO's largest fundraising event, featuring live auctions and sponsorships to support community programs and projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | Ousel Falls Bridge Plaque sponsorship |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | Park Bench Sponsorship |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | Picnic Table Sponsorship |
| Subscription | Annual | Friend Annual Partner |
| Subscription | Annual | Steward Annual Partner |
| Subscription | Annual | Guardian Annual Partner |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Big Sky Community Organization product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Sky Community Organization (BSCO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds, stewards, and protects public parks, trails, programs, and community spaces in Big Sky, Montana. The organization manages 95 acres of parkland, 40+ miles of public trails, and operates the BASE Community Center offering fitness classes, youth programs, adult leagues, and year-round recreation. Funding comes from donations, sponsorships, grants, program fees, and venue rentals.
Product overview
Big Sky Community Organization (BSCO) operates as a nonprofit managing parks, trails, programs, and community facilities in Big Sky, Montana. The organization's primary digital platform (bsco.org) serves as an informational hub, while its core service portfolio consists of physical recreation assets and programs. The trail network comprises 15+ maintained trails spanning 40+ miles, managed year-round. BSCO maintains approximately 95 acres of parkland across eight parks: Big Sky Community Park (44 acres), Ousel Falls Park (29.5 acres), Historic Crail Ranch (960 acres), Marty Pavelich Ice Rink (44 acres), Kircher Discovery Park (7 acres), RT & Ralph's Nature Preserve (7 acres), and Len Hill Park (3.3 acres). The BASE Community Center serves as the year-round recreation hub offering fitness classes, youth programs, and adult leagues. Programs include Camp Big Sky, Hike Big Sky (weekly community hikes), Adult Recreation Leagues (volleyball, futsal, hockey), Historic Crail Ranch educational programs, and signature events including the annual Parks, Trails & Recreation Gala and Soul Shine Festival. Donor programs include Adopt-a-Trail and Naming Opportunities for plaques, benches, and picnic tables. BSCO's digital platform supports donations, event registrations, park reservations, and volunteer sign-ups.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Trail Network A managed network of 15+ public trails spanning over 40 miles across Big Sky, Montana, including year-round and seasonal routes for hiking, biking, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking connecting Town Center, Meadow Village, Gallatin Canyon, and Lone Mountain.
- Big Sky Community Park A 44-acre year-round community park offering sports fields, playgrounds, trails, a skate park, disc golf course, climbing boulders, riverside access, and gathering spaces for all ages in the heart of Big Sky.
- Len Hill Park A 3.3-acre public gathering space in Big Sky Town Center, serving as the home of the Music in the Mountains summer concert series and hosting concerts, festivals, and year-round community events.
- Ousel Falls Park A 29.5-acre open space park featuring Ousel Falls, one of Big Sky's most iconic waterfalls, with scenic overlooks, picnic areas, and trail access to Custer Gallatin National Forest.
- Kircher Discovery Park A 7-acre riverside open space park offering fishing access, picnic areas, and a signature 500-square-foot multi-level tree fort play structure along the South Fork of the West Fork of the Gallatin River.
- Marty Pavelich Ice Rink An outdoor community ice rink in Big Sky Community Park offering skating, hockey, curling, and winter recreation programs for all ages, including open skate sessions, youth hockey, adult pickup hockey, and community tournaments.
- Historic Crail Ranch A preserved 960-acre historic homestead established in 1902, now serving as the Crail Ranch Homestead Museum offering self-guided tours, living history events, museum scavenger hunts, hands-on ranch activities, and educational programs.
- RT & Ralph's Nature Preserve A 7-acre nature preserve protecting wetlands and meadow habitat at the gateway to Beehive Basin, providing public access to USFS trails and winter amenities including a beacon check station for backcountry users.
- BASE Community Center Big Sky's year-round community recreation center operated by BSCO, offering fitness classes, recreation leagues, youth programs, climbing, indoor sports, and gathering spaces for residents and visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
- Hike Big Sky A free weekly community hiking series held every Monday at 9:00 a.m. during summer months, exploring trails across Big Sky including Ralph's Pass, Storybook Trail, Beehive Basin, Pioneer Falls, and Cinnamon Trail.
- Adult Recreation Leagues Year-round adult recreation leagues including volleyball, futsal, and hockey that bring adults together through friendly competition and community connection.
- Camp Big Sky A summer day camp program for youth offering counselor-led daily activities, outdoor adventures, skill-building experiences, and a safe environment for children to connect and grow.
- Parks, Trails & Recreation Gala BSCO's annual signature fundraising gala held at Len Hill Park, celebrating the people, places, and connections that make Big Sky home, featuring live auctions including trail naming opportunities.
- Soul Shine Festival An annual community festival at Len Hill Park supporting families and loved ones affected by ALS, featuring live music, mechanical bull, face painting, carnival games, food, and a photobooth.
- Adopt-a-Trail Program A community partnership program through which businesses and residents adopt trails to help fund maintenance, erosion control, signage, and long-term preservation, with tax-deductible contributions supporting specific trail segments.
- Naming Opportunities (Plaques, Benches, Picnic Tables) Sponsorship opportunities allowing donors to place custom plaques on Ousel Falls bridge ($500), sponsor a park bench ($5,000), or sponsor a picnic table ($2,500), with proceeds supporting trail and park maintenance.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9,400+ annual program participants across all BSCO programs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Big Sky Community Organization
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Big Sky Community Organization technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Big Sky Community Organization partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- Lone Mountain Land CompanycoreLone Mountain Land Company partnered with BSCO for the Southfork Area Park development (6-acre park) and sponsors Hummocks Trail. The partnership demonstrates private land developer support for community recreation infrastructure.
- Southfork HOAcoreSouthfork HOA partnered with BSCO and Lone Mountain Land Company to create a six-acre park in the Southfork area, ensuring easy access and outdoor amenities for the community.
- U.S. Forest ServicecoreBSCO works with the U.S. Forest Service on trail management and stewardship, particularly for trails accessing National Forest land and the RT & Ralph's Nature Preserve.
- Historic Crail Ranch ConservatorscoreEstablished in 2006 as a committee of BSCO, the Conservators preserve Crail Ranch as a heritage property and promote it as an educational resource for the community.
- Arts Council of Big SkymajorArts Council of Big Sky hosts the Music in the Mountains summer concert series at Len Hill Park, partnering with BSCO for community cultural events.
- Gallatin Alpine SportssupportingLocal outdoor retailer sponsors Ralph's Pass Trail and provides fat bike, snowshoe, and Nordic ski rentals for trail users.
- Big Sky ResortcorePartnership for Mountain to Meadow Trail connecting Big Sky Resort to Town Center. Trail begins near Ramcharger Chairlift base area.
- Big Sky Skating and Hockey Association (BSSHA)coreBSSHA formed in 2010 to develop the Marty Pavelich Ice Rink. The association continues to support winter hockey and skating programs at the community rink.
- Wheelie CreativesupportingBSCO partnered with Wheelie Creative to update all trail and trailhead signage across the network, improving navigation and educational resources.
- Dreamland SkateparkssupportingDreamland Skateparks from Lincoln City, Oregon expanded the Community Park skatepark, adding beginner and intermediate areas and doubling square footage.
- Peaks to Plains ConsultingsupportingConsulting firm led the master park planning process for the community in partnership with BSCO and Big Sky Area Parks, Trails & Recreation District.
- Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association (SWMMBA)majorSWMMBA partnered with BSCO to complete the paved pump track expansion at Community Park, improving bike skill-building facilities.
- Lone Mountain RanchsupportingPartnership to begin grooming winter trails starting in winter 2019. BSCO now grooms trails with acquired snowmobile and grooming equipment.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Big Sky Community Organization competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Gallatin Valley Land Trust: Gallatin Valley Land Trust is a Montana-based conservation nonprofit that conserves open space and works on trail connections - adjacent to BSCO's mission with partial overlap in trail stewardship and donor base.
- Yellowstone Forever: Yellowstone Forever is the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park, supporting conservation and education in the Greater Yellowstone region - thematically adjacent to BSCO's nature preserve stewardship and Crail Ranch educational programming.
Broad incumbents
- National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA): NRPA is the national nonprofit association representing parks and recreation agencies - relevant as an industry body BSCO affiliates with, providing standards, advocacy, and benchmarking for community recreation operators.
Direct peers
- Vail Recreation District: Vail Recreation District operates community recreation facilities, programs, and trails for a Colorado ski resort community - paralleling BSCO's BASE-style facility and year-round programming in an affluent resort setting.
- Aspen Parks & Recreation: Aspen's Parks & Recreation department operates parks, trails, ice rinks, and recreation programs serving a high-end mountain resort community - closely paralleling BSCO's mix of parks, ice rink, and community programming.
- Mountain Recreation (Eagle County): Mountain Recreation is a Colorado mountain community recreation district serving the Vail Valley, operating fitness facilities, programs, parks, and trails - directly comparable to BSCO's BASE Community Center, parks, and trail stewardship model in a resort community.
- Jackson Hole Community Pathways: Jackson Hole Community Pathways is a nonprofit dedicated to trails and pathway stewardship in a mountain resort community - directly comparable to BSCO's trail-focused mission and donor-supported model.
- Bend Parks & Recreation District: Bend Parks & Recreation District is an independent special district managing parks, trails, and recreation facilities for a mountain-adjacent active-lifestyle community - structurally similar to BSCO's nonprofit governance and mixed revenue model.
- Teton County Parks & Recreation: Teton County Parks & Recreation manages parks, trails, and recreation programs in Jackson, Wyoming - a mountain resort community structurally similar to Big Sky, serving both residents and visitors with comparable facility portfolios.
Regional players
- Bozeman Parks & Recreation: Bozeman Parks & Recreation serves the nearest major Montana population center with parks, trails, and recreation programs - comparable in scope but operating as a municipal department rather than an independent nonprofit.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Big Sky Community Organization social profiles
Digital presenceBig Sky Community Organization financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Sky Community Organization leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Big Sky Community Organization funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Sky Community Organization M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Big Sky Community Organization
What does Big Sky Community Organization do?
Big Sky Community Organization (BSCO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds, stewards, and protects public parks, trails, programs, and community spaces in Big Sky, Montana. The organization manages 95 acres of parkland, 40+ miles of public trails, and operates the BASE Community Center offering fitness classes, youth programs, adult leagues, and year-round recreation. Funding comes from donations, sponsorships, grants, program fees, and venue rentals.
Is Big Sky Community Organization a public or private company?
Big Sky Community Organization is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Big Sky Community Organization founded?
Big Sky Community Organization was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Big Sky Community Organization based?
Big Sky Community Organization is headquartered in Big Sky, United States, in the North America region.
How does Big Sky Community Organization make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are sponsorships and Naming Opportunities, program and Membership Fees, venue and Facility Rental and annual Gala and Fundraising Events.
Who are Big Sky Community Organization's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Gallatin Valley Land Trust and Yellowstone Forever. National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Vail Recreation District, Aspen Parks & Recreation, Mountain Recreation (Eagle County), Jackson Hole Community Pathways, Bend Parks & Recreation District and Teton County Parks & Recreation. Bozeman Parks & Recreation is listed as a regional player.
Does Big Sky Community Organization have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Sky Community Organization.
What industry is Big Sky Community Organization in?
Big Sky Community Organization's product category is Community Recreation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAEAI, Adventure & Aerial Parks (Ropes Courses, Zipline Parks, Climbing Parks), with a secondary code of THAGAOAG, Adventure Base Camps (Trek/Climb/Expedition Camps). Its NAICS code is 71219 and its SIC code is 7997.