2025-11-07T14:13:38-08:00 2024-12-31 461211349 Linked Accounting LLP 612 N Kays Dr Ste 150 Kaysville UT 84037 990 2024-01-01 810488863 BLACKFOOT CHALLENGE INC BLAC 4067933900 PO BOX 103 OVANDO MT 59854 Seth Wilson Executive Dir. 2025-11-07 true true BRIAN E VAN CAMP CPA MTAX P00650012 3852622310 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Seth Wilson PO BOX 103 OVANDO MT 59854 3505019 false X WWW.BLACKFOOTCHALLENGE.ORG X 1993 MT The mission of The Blackfoot Challenge is to coordinate efforts that will conserve and enhance the natural resources and rural way of life in the Blackfoot Watershed for present and future generations. 25 25 24 200 0 2134808 3345366 0 118740 20235 -3464 -393 2250084 3365208 30100 0 917082 1007907 0 444226 1063669 1806190 1980751 2844197 269333 521011 5739574 6591105 246898 263554 5492676 6327551 X The mission of The Blackfoot Challenge is to coordinate efforts that will conserve and enhance the natural resources and rural way of life in the Blackfoot Watershed for present and future generations. false false 1862746 Formed in 1993, the mission of the Blackfoot Challenge is "to coordinate efforts that conserve and enhance the natural resources and rural way of life in the Blackfoot watershed for present and future generations." Our success is rooted in our approach. Through a community-based and collaborative process, we bring people together to identify shared values around community needs, we facilitate respectful conversations and information sharing, and we build partnerships based in trust. The results are homegrown conservation solutions that stand the test of time.Continued on Schedule O 1862746 true true false false false false false false false true true false false true false true true false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 64 0 false 24 true false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false X 25 25 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false X LYNN JOB 4067933900 PO BOX 103 OVANDO MT 59854 Seth Wilson Executive Dir. 40.00 0.00 X 107565 0 508 Jim Stone Chairman 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Randy Gazda Vice Chair 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Jennifer Williamson Treasurer 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Denny Iverson Secretary 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 David Mannix Board Member 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Kendra McKlosky Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Patti Bartlett Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Chris Bryant Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Stoney Burke Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Bill Cyr Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Amy Groen Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Karl Hausmann Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Jason Jewett Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Todd Johnson Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Patrick Kane Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Leigh Kelley Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Frank Maus Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Jack Mulcare Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Mike O'Herron Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Magee Payne Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Christina Proops Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Robert Ray Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Ryan Thompson Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Rob Cosgriff Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 John Teller MD Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 107565 508 1 false false false Bull Creek Forestry Inc PO Box 192 Seeley Lake MT 59868 Forest Mastication 158598 Sunrise Fencing 33 US Highway 10 South Garrison MT 59713 Electric Fencing 110500 2 1843719 1501647 3345366 0 7 7 0 0 0 145348 125120 20228 20228 20228 14298 14691 -393 0 0 0 3365208 20235 X 30100 30100 0 0 0 107565 69918 20437 17210 0 737996 478737 138158 121101 0 84614 60451 18037 6126 77732 46421 19609 11702 0 275 275 11600 11600 0 0 0 1344880 875373 254493 215014 1761 1136 339 286 7633 4921 1468 1244 16414 10587 3159 2668 0 9706 6260 1868 1578 80449 51887 15482 13080 0 19443 12540 3742 3161 0 0 0 9079 5856 1747 1476 PROJECT COSTS 144666 93305 27840 23521 MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES 87934 56715 16922 14297 SUPPLIES 18652 12030 3589 3033 BANK FEES 13927 8983 2681 2263 39771 25651 7654 6466 2844197 1862746 537225 444226 69433 116496 1607336 2152522 0 241306 261029 0 0 0 0 0 1891284 1891284 1891284 467744 509210 0 0 0 1462471 1660564 5739574 6591105 246898 263554 246898 263554 X 4860186 5659489 632490 668062 5492676 6327551 5739574 6591105 521011 313864 X false true X true false X 1612114 1603003 2257094 2134808 3345366 10952385 0 0 1612114 1603003 2257094 2134808 3345366 10952385 396574 10555811 34077 39110 54398 118740 163783 410108 0 20 20 11362513 0.92900 0.89070 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 1512490 171347 10679 1673158 1328978 192708 9196 1512490 1602227 -264088 9161 1328978 1423150 188864 9787 1602227 1216255 214882 7987 1423150 false false false 1891284 1891284 1891284 Endowment 1660564 1660564 X 3681257 313864 14691 328555 3352702 12506 12506 3365208 2846382 14691 14691 2831691 12506 12506 2844197 Part V, Line 4: Intended uses of the endowment fund. The Stewardship Endowment Fund is designated by the Board for the purpose of providing funds for the perpetual care of the Challenge as designed by the Board.The Blackfoot Community Conservation Area (BCCA) Endowment Fund is designated by the Board for the purpose of providing funds for the benefit of the Blackfoot Community Conservation Area. Part X : FIN48 Footnote The Blackfoot Challenge, Inc (Blackfoot) is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Accordingly, the increase in net assets is generally not subject to taxation. Blackfoot is required to file a Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax Return (Form 990) annually. No provision for income tax has been recorded in the financial statements because management believes there was no unrelated business income in 2024. Management has evaluated Blackfoot's tax positions concluding there are no uncertain tax positions in 2024. Part XI, Line 2d: Other revenue amounts included in F/S but not included on form 990 Direct Fundraising Expenses $14691 Part XII, Line 2d: Other expenses and losses per audited F/S Direct Fundraising Expenses $14691 false Monroe Property Company LLC 40060 Paws Up Rd Greenough MT 59823 22000 0 virtual fencing on BLM Game Ridge 0 1 Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b Board of directors are generally emailed a copy of the Form 990 prior to submission to review and ask questions. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c Any potential conflicts of interests are disclosed to the board and recorded in the minutes. The interested director abstains from voting he matter. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15a Regarding compensation, the board seeks out comparable compensation information where it is available for comparable jobs and contacts national organizations for positions such as program coordinators. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15b Regarding compensation, the board seeks out comparable compensation information where it is available for comparable jobs and contacts national organizations for positions such as program coordinators. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 Governing documents and financial statements are made available to the public upon request. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4A - PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS Our 2024 program accomplishments include:BLACKFOOT COMMUNITY CONSERVATION AREA Implemented 240 acres of forest mechanical treatments to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, enhance wildlife habitat, and improve stand resilience. Worked with Blackfoot Challenge Forestry & Prescribed Fire Coordinator and University of Montana to initiate prescribed burn plans for 5 management units. Controlled invasive weeds on road systems, forest treatment areas, and native prairies through integrated approaches across 100 acres including biological controls, chemical application, and hand-pulling. Hosted multiple events with university and volunteer groups to pull noxious weeds, remove old fence wire, and maintain beaver dam analogs. Participated in educational programs on the BCCA with area school groups, reaching more than 80 students. Maintained the 3-mile hiking/skiing trail system including annual mowing/grooming. Administered and maintained the new seasonal, cross-boundary motorized loop in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Implemented the NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program completing multiple conservation enhancements, including wildlife friendly fencing, forest treatments, noxious weed control, and vegetation monitoring. Maintained two beaver dam analogs as a demonstration to enhance wetland habitat, reconnect flood plain, and improve late season stock water. Installed additional off-stream stock tank to reduce pressure on riparian area and support the rotational grazing system. EDUCATION Provided live raptor program at Lincoln School. Led two field trips with Seeley Lake Elementary School Outdoor Program to learn about and observe trumpeter swans and common loons. Provided hands-on lessons on aquatic macroinvertebrates for students from two schools at Montana Outdoor Science Academy. Led field trips on stream ecology for students from Helmville and Lincoln schools. Delivered radio telemetry lessons to Ovando School students. Presented on collaborative conservation and wildlife conflict reduction methods to visiting Helena High School class. Offered bear awareness events for students at multiple watershed schools. Offered noxious weed education to students at Helmville and Sunset schools. Implemented a full day of education activities about water and fire for more than 120 students, teachers, and parents from six watershed schools at the DNRC Clearwater Unit for the annual Youth Field Day. Hosted a week-long field course for five students and two teachers from Shattuck St. Marys School, including field-based learning about collaborative conservation. FORESTRY Facilitated 600+ acres of prescribed burning on state and private lands and supported federal partner burns across another 600+ acres. Completed 589 acres of forest thinning to improve forest health and reduce fire risk. Conducted 14 outreach / education tours or events throughout the Blackfoot to showcase prescribed fire effects and efforts. Helped form the new Montana Prescribed Fire Council (hosted by Montana DNRC). Participated in a two-week prescribed fire Training Exchange (TREX) in Nebraska. Began planning a Blackfoot Valley TREX for spring of 2025 for prescribed fire field training and experience. LAND STEWARDSHIP Conducted multiple property assessments and landowner meetings associated with NRCS stewardship programs resulting in greater awareness and participation. Completed over 500 acres of private lands forest treatments under multiple to mitigate catastrophic wildfires and increase forest resiliency. Developed private lands grazing and riparian management plans for multiple stream protection projects. Completed Biochar Demonstration Project including the transfer of over 500 tons of biochar to 6 ranches, application and monitoring of outcomes. Coordinated Blackfoot Soil Health Work Group to share knowledge on bale grazing, cover crops, no-till seeding, and high stock density/short duration grazing. Coordinated multiple conifer encroachment removal projects covering hundreds of acres to conserve grassland/sage habitat and rangeland, benefiting rare native bird species. Provided presentations to multiple groups including University of Montana, Northwest Philanthropy Fellows, watershed groups, local schools, and agencies. Hosted a soil health education station at Youth Field Day event, reaching over 100 students from local schools.TRUMPETER SWANS & NATIVE BIRDS Conducted Climate Watch Nuthatch Survey through Montana Audubon. Participated in Cornell Labs Great Backyard Bird Count. Monitored wintering Blackfoot swans in the Ruby, Clearwater and Flathead valleys. Conducted and coordinated citizen science long-billed curlew surveys in conjunction with Montana Audubon. Monitored trumpeter swan territories for nest success, cygnet production, and fledging throughout the watershed and adjacent Swan Valley. Censused Brewers sparrows in conifer encroachment project sites. Engaged members in community science program monitoring common loons. VEGETATION Supported implementation of integrated noxious weed management for landowners, including providing native and exotic plant identification, herbicide application protocols, and biological control insect releases. Hosted 2 weed pulls at the Russell Gates Fishing Access Site for the 26th year. Received the second WHIP grant to revisit previously treated areas and initiate noxious weed treatment on new areas within the BCCA core. Worked on nearly 100 miles of the Blackfoot River corridor, inventorying and treating close to 65 acres of noxious weeds. Received a Noxious Weed Trust Fund cost-share grant for the Nevada Creek Vegetation Management Area and initiated treatments. Conducted pre- and post-monitoring for vegetation management practices along the Blackfoot River corridor and the Nevada Creek Vegetation Management Area. Held 2 noxious weed management informational programs, providing continuing education credits for licensed pesticide applicators.WATER Managed drought response with landowners during the worst drought conditions that the watershed has endured since the Drought Plan was created in 2000. Completed the 15th year of our irrigation scheduling program, providing weekly irrigation information, tips, drought strategies, and soil health concerns to over 100 irrigators. Continued in our 5th year of a soil moisture monitoring program, adding one location to bring our total to 18 locations where irrigators track daily soil moisture information, manage their irrigation applications, and test different irrigation or cropping strategies. Coordinated the third year of data collection on a hydrologic study aiming to understand the Blackfoot Rivers water budget at the watershed scale. Results are providing critical understanding to inform strategic implementation of water conservation efforts. Worked with multiple partners and landowners to collect a second year of stream flow and resource assessment data on three tributary streams to inform restoration designs that benefit fisheries, improve drought resiliency, and increase wetland habitats. Expanded efforts to build shared understanding, vision, and capacity to address growing recreation pressures by creating a new Recreation Program. Hosted 8 community meetings throughout the watershed, facilitated by a team from the University of Montanas Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management department, to collect local knowledge and concerns around recreation from watershed residents. Participated in 6 outreach events delivering messages on collaborative water management, drought resiliency, water conservation tools, and stream monitoring techniques to over 200 students, natural resource professionals, and landowners.continued below: FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4A - PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WILDLIFE Employed an Elk Hunt Coordinator to work with hunters on hunting opportunities and scheduled hunts on participating ranches during elk hunt shoulder seasons. Conducted winter track surveys in the Southwest Crown of the Continent for lynx, wolverine, wolves, mountain lion, marten, bobcat and late/early season grizzly bears. Launched a pilot project using virtual fencing to manage livestock grazing on public lands pastures, facilitating better management of livestock locations, reducing the need for hard fencing across wildlife habitats, and keeping livestock away from areas of potential conflicts with predators. Installed 7 new high priority electric fences and 12 new electric drive-over mats to deter grizzly bears from home sites and calving yards to prevent bears from getting into conflict. Also provided fence materials to protect 3 bee yards,1 chicken yard, 1 sheep night pen and 1 hobby farm compound. Removed 263 livestock carcasses from Blackfoot ranches and 338 livestock carcasses from outside the Blackfoot-area ranches to reduce attractants for bears and wolves. Hosted interactive Bear Aware programs at 4 watershed schools and hosted an annual training for staff at an area guest ranch. Provided a team of staff and board to consult with Colorado wildlife managers and landowners as they consider conflict management tools for reintroduced wolves. Provided 4 seasonal range riders to monitor livestock and wolf/grizzly bear/mountain lion activity across 72,000 acres. Provided 25 bear-resistant garbage cans to watershed residents; and placed 8 additional bear-resistant garbage cans and 3 garbage dumpster enclosures throughout 5 communities to continue to support Bear Smart efforts. Set up and maintained turbo fladry at 2 ranches during calving season to prevent conflicts with wolves. Handed out more than 100 cans of free bear spray and provided more than 50 cans of training/inert bear spray to watershed residents, ranchers, recreationists and hunters. Assisted Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks with grizzly bear management and research.