The Yellowstone Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, was established in 1996 by a group of concerned citizens. The mission of the Yellowstone Park Foundation is to support projects and programs that protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park. The Foundation receives no annual government funding but relies solely on the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations like NFWF to support initiatives that are beyond the financial capacity of the National Park Service. The Yellowstone Park Foundation raises money for projects and programs and since creation, approximately 14,000 individuals, foundations, and corporations have committed funds to support more than 85 projects and programs that benefit Yellowstone National Park.

The Jackson Hole One Fly Foundation – National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Conservation Partnership Program is funding this project to collect data on Yellowstone cutthroat trout population in Upper Yellowstone
River. The Yellowstone cutthroat trout population is in a decline and a majority of its historic habitat has been lost. No systematic inventory has been conducted Yellowstone River upstream of the Yellowstone National Park boundary. By conducting spawning surveys, tagging and tracking, coordinating macro invertebrate sampling, habitat assessment, stream discharge and temperature measurements, biologists will gain needed knowledge of the life history and status of this declining species.