Montana Land Reliance
2007 Results

Financial conservatism yields continued success

As one of the nation’s leading private land conservation groups, our financial success continues to be built entirely upon private support from a generous family of friends. MLR neither receives nor solicits government monies to fund our day-to-day operations. Our conservation success is a result of financial strength built with a view to the future, while making pragmatic decisions today.

In 2007, the combined funds of MLR contributed $429,945 to help fund our private land conservation and outreach programs. These programs provide for land stewardship and easement monitoring as well as our educational outreach programs to the public and individual landowners about the benefits of private land conservation.

Through the gifts of our family of friends, the Montana Land Reliance operated in the black in 2007, generating a surplus of income over expenses of $115,336 in our General Fund. At the end of the year, the total accumulated financial assets of the Montana Land Reliance were $15,700,854, an 11 percent increase from 2006.

Land Protection Fund $8,512,783 The corpus is available to defend and protect land already under easement; income is used for stewardship projects, monitoring easements and completing easements for donors who cannot cover these costs.
Education & Outreach Fund $3,497,928 Income finances conservation education and outreach to landowners and the public.
Legacy Fund $1,121,940 Provides a source of funding for "bridge" or option purchases of threatened property and select bargain purchases of conservation easements.
Eastern Montana Fund $1,023,273 Designed to provide income for outreach and land conservation in the eastern portion of the state.
Glacier/Flathead Fund $847,265 Income finances conservation education and outreach to landowners and the public in northwestern Montana.
General Fund $483,240 Pays the day-to-day expenses that finance our operation.
Conservation Fund $214,425 A permanent, irrevocable endowment designed to accept planned gifts from individuals or direct gifts from corporations, partnerships or estates.
Total Assets $15,700,854 Balance as of 12-31-07

The Ruby Habitat Foundation*

	On September 9, 2002, the Board of MLR voted to work with Craig and Martha Woodson on the formation of the Ruby Habitat Foundation.* The five years since its formation has been more like the melding of families than two separate non-profits. MLR has benefited tremendously from the relationship with the Ruby Habitat Foundation both on a personal level and a professional level. ItÕs hard to quantify the values of sitting in Craig and MarthaÕs living room at the ranch and talking about the Ruby Valley, or the experience of driving around the Woodson Ranch listening to Craig and Les Gilman talk about ranch management and native grass plantings. Easier to quantify is the investment others are making in the foundation from financial gifts, art work, books, and fly rods. These individuals are seeing the potential for the foundation to effect real change in the Ruby Valley, they see the vision so well articulated by the Woodsons and the foundation's role in that vision. The Montana Land Reliance is happy to be a part of all the activities taking place on and off the ranch.
Board of Directors Craig Woodson Director Emeritus Les Gilman Executive Director Group A Montana Land Reliance Roy O'Connor Rock Ringling Group B Woodson Family Martha Woodson Leslie Vanderpool Robin Mitts Group C Ruby Valley Community George Swan Neil Barnosky
2007 Financial Report Income Expenses $190,969 $ 55,292 Rural Heritage & Open Lands Fund Hill Education & Outreach Endowment Woodson Ranch Endowment General Fund Other Assets $113,063 $13,242 $326,823 $38,678 $54,218 Total Assets as of 12-31-07 $546,024

*A 509(a)(3) support organization to the Montana Land Reliance