VITAL GROUND FOUNDATION INC
20 FORT MISSOULA ROAD, MISSOULA, MT 598047202 www.vitalground.org

---

Organizations Filed Purposes: VITAL GROUND WORKS TO ENSURE THE RECOVERY AND LONG-TERM SURVIVAL OF GRIZZLY BEARS AND THE MANY NATIVE SPECIES THAT SHARE THEIR RANGE THROUGH THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF WILDLIFE HABITAT AND LANDSCAPE LINKAGES, AND BY SUPPORTING COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS THAT PREVENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE.

PROTECT AND RESTORE NORTH AMERICA'S GRIZZLY BEAR POPULATIONS BY CONSERVING WILDLIFE HABITAT.

LAND CONSERVATION: VITAL GROUND IDENTIFIES CRUCIAL GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT ON PRIVATE LAND AND WORKS WITH WILLING LANDOWNERS TO PROTECT THE LAND'S CONSERVATION VALUES. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY ACQUIRING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON THE LAND THROUGH DONATION OR BARGAIN PURCHASE, OR BY PURCHASING LAND IN FEE TITLE THEN MANAGING IT TO BENEFIT WILDLIFE AND THE PUBLIC. VITAL GROUND HAS A PERPETUAL RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR THE LANDS ON WHICH IT HOLDS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. VITAL GROUND HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO RESTORE AND MANAGE THE LAND IT OWNS TO PROVIDE QUALITY HABITAT FOR THE BENEFIT OF GRIZZLY BEARS AND OTHER WILDLIFE. IN ADDITION TO DEVELOPING AND MANAGING ITS OWN PROJECTS, VITAL GROUND STRATEGICALLY PROVIDES GRANTS TO AGENCIES, GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND OTHER NONPROFIT CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS TO ASSIST THEIR EFFORTS TO CONSERVE AND RESTORE IMPORTANT WILDLIFE HABITAT OR PREVENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE. 2019 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:CONSERVATION EASEMENTS:ACQUIRED TWO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TOTALING 200 ACRES TO PERMANENTLY CONSERVE KEY GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT AND LINKAGES BETWEEN THE BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS AND MISSION MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS AREAS IN MISSOULA AND LAKE COUNTIES, MONTANA. ACQUIRED ONE CONSERVATION EASEMENT TOTALING 650 ACRES ON MONTANA'S ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT IN COLLABORATION WITH A PRIVATE LANDOWNER AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE IN AN EFFORT TO CONSERVE PRIVATE WORKING LANDS WHERE GRIZZLY BEARS ARE EXPANDING THEIR RANGE.MONITORED 16 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD BY VITAL GROUND IN MONTANA, TWO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD BY VITAL GROUND IN IDAHO, AND FOUR FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD BY THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF LANDS IN IDAHO (ALL ACQUIRED PRIOR TO 2019).LAND ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT:ACQUIRED TWO PROPERTIES TOTALING 10 ACRES IN FEE-TITLE ALONG THE KOOTENAI RIVER IN MONTANA TO PROTECT THEIR WILDLIFE HABITAT AND SCENIC VALUES, AND TO SPECIFICALLY CONSERVE KEY GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT LINKAGE BETWEEN THE SELKIRK, PURCELL AND CABINET-YAAK ECOSYSTEMS.CONTINUED PROMOTING THE GOALS OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE'S COMMUNITY FOREST AND OPEN SPACE PROGRAM THROUGH FOREST STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES AT VITAL GROUND'S ALVORD LAKE COMMUNITY FOREST, CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC STAKEHOLDERS' COMMITTEE THAT GUIDES MANAGEMENT OF THE FOREST.MONITORED NINE FEE-TITLE CONSERVATION PROPERTIES IN IDAHO AND FIVE FEE-TITLE CONSERVATION PROPERTIES IN MONTANA (ALL ACQUIRED PRIOR TO 2019).CONDUCTED HABITAT ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES ON PROPERTIES HELD FOR THE BENEFIT OF WILDLIFE IN BONNER AND BOUNDARY COUNTIES, IDAHO, AND IN LINCOLN AND MISSOULA COUNTIES, MONTANA.

CONSERVATION EDUCATION: VITAL GROUND PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT GRIZZLY BEARS, ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE AND HABITAT CONSERVATION THROUGH ITS PUBLICATIONS, SPECIAL MAILERS, WEBSITE, EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA, LIVE PRESENTATIONS, VIDEOS AND OTHER MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PARTICIPATES IN COLLABORATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE THE CONSERVATION OF GRIZZLY BEARS AND THEIR HABITAT, PREVENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN BEARS AND HUMANS AND ENHANCE THE SURVIVAL OF GRIZZLY BEARS. 2019 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:PRODUCED 10,000 COPIES OF VITAL NEWS, THE ORGANIZATION'S BIANNUAL 16-PAGE PRINT NEWSLETTER THAT REPORTS ON GRIZZLY BEAR AND WILDLIFE HABITAT CONSERVATION ISSUES AS WELL AS PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS.PRODUCED 10 ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED TO APPROXIMATELY 7,000 UNIQUE RECIPIENTS (70,000 TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS). THESE ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS REPORTED ON GRIZZLY BEAR AND WILDLIFE HABITAT CONSERVATION ISSUES, EMERGING PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES, CONSERVATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CONSERVATION AND BUSINESS PARTNERS, AND FUNDING NEEDS.PRODUCED OTHER ASSORTED POSTCARDS AND PROMOTIONS THAT REPORTED ON GRIZZLY BEAR AND WILDLIFE HABITAT CONSERVATION ISSUES, EMERGING PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES, CONSERVATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CONSERVATION AND BUSINESS PARTNERS AND FUNDING NEEDS.MAINTAINED A WEBSITE (WWW.VITALGROUND.ORG) PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT GRIZZLY BEARS, WILDLIFE HABITAT CONSERVATION ISSUES, CURRENT GRIZZLY BEAR CONSERVATION CHALLENGES AND PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. DURING 2019, THE WEBSITE RECEIVED 40,400 PAGE VIEWS BY 15,600 UNIQUE VISITORS.PROMOTED WILDLIFE HABITAT, GRIZZLY BEAR NATURAL HISTORY AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION TOPICS TO A SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 70,000.CONTINUED WORKING TO ADVANCE VITAL GROUND'S GRIZZLY BEAR CONSERVATION EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY AT THE BROOKFIELD ZOO'S GREAT BEAR WILDERNESS EXHIBIT.OTHER: IN ADDITION TO ITS HABITAT CONSERVATION AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION PROGRAMS, THE VITAL GROUND FOUNDATION ALSO PARTNERS WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND TRIBAL AGENCIES, OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO PREVENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE. THROUGH ITS 2019 CONSERVATION PARTNERS GRANT PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION AWARDED $49,000 TO 12 ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING: BE BEAR AWARE; BLACKFOOT CHALLENGE; CONSERVATION NORTHWEST; FLATHEAD LAND TRUST; GREAT BEAR FOUNDATION; IDAHO FISH AND GAME; MADISON VALLEY RANCHLANDS GROUP; MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS; PEOPLE AND CARNIVORES; SWAN VALLEY BEAR RESOURCES; TREGO RANGE RIDING COLLABORATIVE; AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE. PROJECTS RANGED FROM BEAR-RESISTANT TRASH CANS TO LIVESTOCK CARCASS PICK-UPS AND RANGE RIDERS. PROACTIVE PREVENTION OF AVOIDABLE CONFLICTS BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE IS PARAMOUNT TO COMMUNITIES ACCEPTING GRIZZLIES AS THE SPECIES RECOVERS AND EXPANDS BACK INTO LOCATIONS WHERE IT HAS BEEN ABSENT, IN SOME CASES FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

---

---

Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (public 990 form dataset) from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202031979349307963_public.xml