Ricketts Conservation Foundation

The Ricketts Conservation Foundation (RCF) was founded by J. Joe Ricketts—entrepreneur, founder of TD Ameritrade, and former owner of the Chicago Cubs—to advance wildlife conservation in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. Unlike traditional grantmaking foundations, RCF operates as a direct conservation action organization: it runs its own research projects, employs staff scientists, and partners with universities and agencies rather than distributing grants to outside nonprofits. The foundation's philosophy centers on the belief that "conservation is everyone's responsibility" and that wildlife populations do not recognize property boundaries. RCF focuses on at-risk and sensitive species—particularly birds (Common Loons, Trumpeter Swans, Clark's Nutcrackers, migratory owls, hummingbirds, Long-billed Curlews)—as well as habitat work (aspen regeneration, river and wetland restoration, innovative fencing technology). The foundation is lean by design, with a small professional staff of four (Director of Conservation Walter Wehtje, Ph.D.; Project Manager Shari Meeks; Associate Biologist Josh Lefever; Associate Ecologist Caroline Gatschet) and a volunteer board including Cece Ricketts, Laura Ricketts, and Tom Ricketts (the current Chairman of the Chicago Cubs). The foundation regularly supports graduate student research through partnerships with the University of Montana.

RCF's funding model is notable for its single-source dependence: 100% of revenue comes from contributions—specifically, annual contributions from the Ricketts family. In FY2024, contributions totaled $2,585,000, while in FY2023 they reached $3,100,000. This makes RCF essentially a personal philanthropic vehicle that deploys capital directly into conservation operations. Annual charitable disbursements (almost all program costs) have grown substantially: from $646,974 in FY2022 to $826,301 in FY2024 and $922,457 in FY2023, reflecting increasing programmatic scale. Walter Wehtje, the Director of Conservation, receives an annual compensation of approximately $74,000–$76,000 plus benefits. All board officers serve without compensation. The foundation does not make grants to other organizations; its expenditures fund in-house research projects, graduate student partnerships, and field operations. As of FY2024, total assets reached $4.7M—the highest in the foundation's history—because annual contributions substantially exceed disbursements. RCF was incorporated in Colorado but operates primarily in Wyoming.

The Ricketts Conservation Foundation occupies a distinctive niche as a family-funded, science-driven conservation operations organization:

RCF is smaller than major Yellowstone-area conservation organizations but is more operationally nimble and research-focused. Its board ties to the Ricketts family (Chicago Cubs ownership, TD Ameritrade legacy wealth) provide reliable multi-million-dollar annual funding. Unlike Peregrine Fund or Greater Yellowstone Coalition, RCF does not seek public donations or distribute grants, making it a closed-loop family philanthropy.

In 2025, the Ricketts Conservation Foundation documented the Dollar Lake Fire on the Bridger-Teton National Forest and published collaborative research updates through its Bulletin blog. Current projects as of 2026 include the Common Loon Restoration and Protection project (studying an isolated population), the Clark's Nutcracker Project (bird-tree relationship conservation), the Trumpeter Swan recovery effort in Wyoming/Idaho/Montana, the Monument Ridge Aspen Regeneration Study (post-fire avian ecology with University of Montana graduate students Cody Lane and Kelsey Cronin), the Hoback River native trout restoration, a migratory owl study, Virtual Fence Technology pilot (replacing barbed wire), wildlife-friendly fencing, hummingbird banding, Greys River habitat monitoring, and a beaver wetland restoration project. Associate Ecologist Caroline Gatschet joined in 2023 to lead the Virtual Fence Conservation Partnership. The foundation's FY2024 990-PF was filed November 13, 2025, showing $4.7M in assets and $2.59M in contributions received.

The Ricketts Conservation Foundation is not a grantmaking organization—it does not accept grant applications or fund external organizations through a competitive process. Its entire charitable disbursement budget is spent on in-house projects and direct conservation operations. However, there are meaningful partnership pathways for conservation researchers and organizations. RCF actively collaborates with universities (University of Montana, SDSU, University of Idaho, UC Riverside, Penn State, Montana State, Kansas State, Oregon State) by supporting graduate student research on foundation priority species. If you are a graduate student or faculty member at a university with relevant Yellowstone ecosystem research interests—particularly in avian ecology, wetland restoration, or at-risk species—the best approach is to contact Dr. Walter Wehtje (Director of Conservation) through the website at rickettsconservation.org/contact. RCF also partners with NGOs and public agencies (Bridger-Teton National Forest, USDA) on specific projects. Organizational partnerships are initiated based on strategic fit, not open solicitation.