Rocky Mountain Land Library

In 2021, the most impactful RMLL development has been the $62,000 grant that we received from a Colorado philanthropist, earmarked for salaries for the RMLL's first two staff positions. Overnight, we went from an all-volunteer nonprofit to an organization with two full-time staff members. We can now move forward in many ways, including fundraising, ranch renovation, board development, and planning for a post-covid return to programming at all RMLL locations. Last summer we began renovation on the ranch's Lambing Barn, just in time for the Colorado School of Mines Environmental Leadership Lab. We have also just received a planning grant from the South Park National Heritage Area that will allow us to continue structural plans for the Lambing Barn's new roof. Our goal is to create a new indoor/outdoor event space for the ranch and the South Park community. The Summit Foundation-funded Family Ranch Day was another highlight of last summer's engagement with the local community. We also had a very successful award-winning Eagle Scout project that has added six new lodgings to the ranch. We recently received grants from the State Historical Fund to launch the preservation and rehabilitation planning for two additional historic ranch structures, plus a $90,000 grant from Park County's Land and Water Trust Fund to embark on a ranch-wide Master Plan project. Both grants will help us realize the Land Library's ultimate vision to open Buffalo Peaks Ranch as a year-round, residential retreat center and library.