Tourism board asked who pays for Refuge “ambassadors”, here’s the answer

If you have ever leaned on the National Elk Refuge Visitor Center for directions, wildlife info, or a free winter wildlife viewing tour, this is the staffing line item behind it. A new staff Q&A prepared for the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board lays out what the Refuge is asking tourism money to cover and why the usual funding sources feel shaky. See: JHTTB Staff Report, Ambassador Services Funding Review Questions.

The document says the Refuge Naturalist program has existed since 2005, and a Visitor Center weekend manager role has existed since 2025. The grant request is not framed as a “backfill,” but it is a search for a new, steadier funding source because revenue from federal pass sales is changing. With more passes purchased digitally and fewer in person transactions, the report says it could take one to two years to see where the funding gaps land.

If approved, the Travel and Tourism Board funds would cover 74.32% of the cost for two Winter Naturalist positions (a $25,000 share of a $33,637.44 total) and 71.43% of a Weekend Supervisor (a $25,000 share of a $35,000 total). The Refuge says the remaining funding would come from a mix that includes Grand Teton Association bookstore revenue and recreation fees, with the warning that both can swing year to year.