A Better Big Sky
A Better Big Sky is a public charity based in Missoula, Montana, formed in 2018. It works to inform and engage Montanans on civic and policy issues, primarily by providing financial support to nonprofit organizations.
A Better Big Sky at a glance
In short: A Better Big Sky gave $7.0M across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $464K), mostly in Montana. 53% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,965,000
- +2719.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- +114.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $464,333
- +1215.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $280,000
- Total assets
- $1,903,480
- +12.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 53% first-time grantees (8 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Montana (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to A Better Big Sky
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 7134, Missoula, MT 59807
Phone: (406) 544-0406
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who A Better Big Sky funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Montana Values Action Fund ($1.9M). Together the top 10 received $6.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 17 grants of 48 (35%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s mission names Montanans as the people it seeks to inform and engage. In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in Montana, 7% to recipients in Washington, DC, and 1% to recipients in Oregon.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is A Better Big Sky open to new grantees?
53%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 15 grantees (53%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $477K; repeat grants $450K. How we count
Medians: $283K first-time, $280K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $128K (2021) to $7.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $7.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Montana Values Action Fund Missoula, MT | — | $1,905,000 |
| Big Sky 55 Helena, MT | General Support | $1,340,000 |
| Work Ep DBA Montana Rural Voters Billings, MT | General Support | $690,000 |
| Western Native Vote Billings, MT | — | $650,000 |
| Alliance for Retired Americans Washington, DC | — | $500,000 |
| Wild Montana Action Fund Helena, MT | — | $465,000 |
| Montpirg Missoula, MT | General Support | $300,000 |
| Montana Conservation Voters Helena, MT | General Support | $280,000 |
| Montana AFL-CIO Helena, MT | General Support | $215,000 |
| Forward Montana Missoula, MT | General Support | $175,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,903,480 | $7,727,712 | $7,518,071 | $6,965,000 | 15 |
| 2023 | $1,699,749 | $2,032,910 | $718,083 | $247,000 | 7 |
| 2022 | $378,951 | $1,942,632 | $1,808,317 | $1,284,000 | 6 |
| 2021 | $239,746 | $399,803 | $303,709 | $127,800 | 5 |
| 2020 | $143,587 | $1,590,021 | $1,558,070 | $1,406,550 | 15 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to inform and engage Montanans on public education, public lands access, voting rights, the environment, sustainable energy, women’s health, tribal sovereignty, access to courts, economic justice, and human rights, primarily through financial support for nonprofit organizations.
Its 2024 grants included organizations whose own missions describe work to protect public lands and wild places (Wild Montana Action Fund), clean air, clean water, public lands, and democracy (Montana Conservation Voters), and to empower progressive voices and hold leaders accountable (Middle Fork Strategies). These are descriptions of the grantees’ missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, A Better Big Sky made 15 grants totaling $6,965,000. Grant amounts ranged from $25,000 to $1,905,000, with a median of $280,000. The largest listed awards included $1,905,000 to Montana Values Action Fund, $1,340,000 to Big Sky 55, $690,000 to Work EP dba Montana Rural Voters, $650,000 to Western Native Vote, and $500,000 to the Alliance for Retired Americans. Other listed grants included $465,000 to Wild Montana Action Fund, $300,000 to MontPIRG, $280,000 to Montana Conservation Voters, $215,000 to Montana AFL-CIO, $175,000 to Forward Montana, $150,000 to Middle Fork Strategies, and $100,000 to Vote Vets.
The organization states that grants are for general support; any limitations are set out in the grant award letter. It requires grantees to submit a final report at the end of the grant period that includes a project budget.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Stacie Anderson as Executive Director, Erik Burk as a board member, Stephanie Schroik as vice chair, Tim Stevens as secretary/treasurer, and Mary Stranahan as board chair.
A Better Big Sky is led by Mary Stranahan, Board Chair on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mary Stranahan
Board Chair
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacie Anderson
Executive Di
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$70K (2020) → $102K (2024)
Erik Burk
Board Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tim Stevens
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Schroik
Vice Chair
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $102K, to Stacie Anderson (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about A Better Big Sky
How much does A Better Big Sky give each year?
A Better Big Sky gave $7.0M across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $247K across 7 grants.
What is A Better Big Sky's typical grant size?
A Better Big Sky's median grant in 2024 was $280,000, and its average grant was $464,333, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from A Better Big Sky that year got $477K on average.
Where does A Better Big Sky give grants?
A Better Big Sky gives mostly in Montana: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Helena, MT (7 grants), Missoula, MT (3 grants) and Billings, MT (3 grants).
Who are A Better Big Sky's largest grantees?
A Better Big Sky's largest 2024 grantees include Montana Values Action Fund ($1,905,000), Big Sky 55 ($1,340,000) and Work Ep DBA Montana Rural Voters ($690,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is A Better Big Sky?
A Better Big Sky reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.7M.
What does A Better Big Sky fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to inform and engage Montanans on public education, public lands access, voting rights, the environment, sustainable energy, women’s health, tribal sovereignty, access to courts, economic justice, and human rights, primarily through financial support for nonprofit organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from A Better Big Sky?
A Better Big Sky has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is A Better Big Sky's EIN?
A Better Big Sky's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-5313159. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in A Better Big Sky's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). A Better Big Sky funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/a-better-big-sky-morg_4d62efef3e7c486a9f6e4b974d02b5c8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_825313159_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{A Better Big Sky funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/a-better-big-sky-morg_4d62efef3e7c486a9f6e4b974d02b5c8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from A Better Big Sky's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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