During the winter months, our supporters often ask us what we’re up to. When wet weather precludes us from working on trail and restoration projects (it often does more harm than good), we stay just as busy working to further RMFI’s mission. Off-season activities include writing grant proposals to fund future work and writing final reports to inform our funders of the work accomplished during the previous field season.

RMFI is funded through a variety of sources including corporations, foundations, and government. Here is a breakdown of revenue generated in 2014:
Government revenue: 21%
Fee for service: 20%
Foundation: 20%
Corporate: 15%
Individual: 14%
Organization: 5%
Government contracts: 4%
In-kind: 1%
Other: <1%

The majority of revenue RMFI generates is through a funding request proposal, whether it’s awarded through government entities (such as the U.S. Forest Service), or through a foundation (such as the Pikes Peak Community Foundation). These sources are often project-based, meaning RMFI identifies a public lands area where a need is present and then pursues a funder that would have a stake in the project. Often times, this is the land management agency that manages the property, but other times there are foundations that like to help RMFI with a particular component of its mission such as burn area restoration or community stewardship. Funds received for a specific project or purpose are called restricted funds.

Sometimes, a partner organization will directly contract RMFI for a project. This is known as fee for service revenue. There is an agreed-upon objective and amount of funding required to accomplish those objectives. For example, in 2014, RMFI was contracted by a partner organization to improve trails at Lake Pueblo State Park.

RMFI has also been fortunate to be beneficiaries of several major fundraising events including the Veda Fashion Show and Greenie Awards, Banff Mountain Film Festival, the Waldo Waldo 5K, and Indy Give!. These events are of great benefit because they help to support the greater mission of the organization in general, and not necessarily a specific project. This provides the organization with greater flexibility to pursue high priority environmental service projects in the region. Funds received to support our overall mission are called unrestricted funds.

This is a simplified breakdown of the variety of funding sources RMFI pursues year-round to pay full-time and seasonal field staff, fund high quality restoration projects in the Pikes Peak Region, and keep the lights on at the RMFI office. Next time you’re on the west side of Colorado Springs, pop in to the old Midland School and say hello.