The Bitter Root RC&D's goal is to promote conscientious rural development of the area's natural and human resources while maintaining or improving the quality of those resources and the quality of life. The RC&D supports and encourages the comprehensive and coordinated efforts of local citizens, government and other entities to better manage, protect and utilize the area's human and natural resources.

The Bitter Root RC&D, authorized in 1965, was the twelfth in the nation and the first in the state of Montana. The Bitter Root RC&D is a 501(c)3, non-profit, non-partisan organization comprised of a network of local community volunteers from 3 western Montana counties; Missoula, Ravalli and Mineral. The 3 county area encompasses a total of 3,980,800 acres, and approximately 14 percent of the State's total population.

The RC&D Council is organized and sponsored by the 3 county governments and Conservation Districts. The Council promotes community involvement in identifying needs and finding solutions to human, economic and environmental problems using assistance from private and corporate foundations, along with local, state and federal agencies. The purpose of the program is to accelerate the conservation, development, utilization of natural resources to improve the general level of economic activity and to enhance the environment and quality of life in the local communities.

The RC&D program is based on the belief that our local citizens, with coordinated assistance provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, could successfully develop and carry out an action-oriented plan for social, economic and environmental betterment of their communities. The RC&D program was designed to handle multi-county problems involving more than one unit of government. A Plan of Work is developed by the RC&D Council members to chart a course of action that will enable the Council to reach its goals in the six action areas of concern:

The RC&D Council is responsible for setting priorities, carrying out the planning process (including the fostering of public participation) to meet all goals and insure compliance with all local and state requirements.

All RC&D programs and services are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status or handicap.