About Save Farmland

It started as a mural but became a movement.

In 2021 the owners of Haskill Creek – a local health store in Whitefish, Montana – painted “Save Farmland” on the side of their building to raise awareness for the disappearing farmland across Flathead County. But they could have never guessed what would happen next. From honks to emails, to phone calls, to social posts – people from Montana to Vermont to Australia reached out in support, wanting to get involved. The only problem? It was still just a mural on the side of a building.

Fast forward to today and Save Farmland is now a 501(c)3 nonprofit that’s working to protect farm and ranch-land forever. The first 40-acre donation was made by the Chisholm family directly across from the Haskill Creek store. Soon there will be hundreds of acres under protection in the Whitefish area alone.

But what makes Save Farmland truly unique is what it does with the land it protects. We evaluate a range of beneficial options depending on the community’s needs – from simply stewarding the land and repairing the soil, to providing flexible space for farmers and ranchers, to increasing public access and connection to local food.

Save Farmland is focused on Montana, but if the model works, we hope to work with other communities around the world who are facing similar challenges.

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The 100% Model

Save Farmland relies on a small group of generous private donors to fund all of our operating expenses. This allows 100% of public donations to go directly towards land protection and programming. This fundraising model was inspired by our friends at charity:water, who pioneered the approach and took nonprofit transparency to the next level.

If you, or someone you know, might be interested in joining The Keep, we’d love to meet and tell you more about the program.

Inquire About The Keep

Phase 1 of Save Farmland’s roll-out plan includes finalizing this small group of private donors, known as ‘The Keep’. The group consists of local Montanans, across all industries, who are concerned about its future. By funding our operating costs – including staff, rent, benefits, etc – the organization can focus all of its energy on farm and ranch conservation projects.