Big Sky Youth Education Foundation

Public charity · Grantmaker Billings, MT EIN: 02-0756891

Ensuring that christian education can thrive in Montana by supporting billings christian school and Montana bible college

Big Sky Youth Education Foundation at a glance

In short: Big Sky Youth Education Foundation gave $454K across 2 grants in 2024 (avg $227K), mostly in Montana. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2024)
$453,662
-12.7% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
2
+100.0% vs 2023
Average grant
$226,831
-56.3% vs 2023
Median grant
$226,831
Total assets
$10,455,548
-2.4% vs 2023
Primary geography
Montana (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.

Who Big Sky Youth Education Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 2 recipients in 2024

Billings Christian School: $447KBillings Christian School$447KMontana Bible College: $7KMontana Bible College$7K

The largest 2024 recipient was Billings Christian School ($447K). Together the top 2 received $454K.

Grant Size Distribution

6 grants across all recorded years

2<$50K2$50–100K$100–250K1$250–500K1$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 2 grants of 6 (33%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.

States

Cities

Billings

How Big Sky Youth Education Foundation gives

  • Giving grew 952% from 2021 to 2024. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K1 grant2019 1 grant2020 1 grant2021 1 grant2022 1 grant2023 2 grants2024

From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $43K (2021) to $520K (2023). In 2024 it made 2 grants totaling $454K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Billings Christian School Billings, MTSupport for Scholarships, Construction Projects, and Operating Expenses.$446,761
Montana Bible College Billings, MTSupport for Staff / Payroll Expenses.$6,901
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Big Sky Youth Education Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2024$10,455,548$493,581$752,157$453,6622$2,522
2023$10,714,164$5,750,977$809,629$519,5611$1,298
2022$6,219,168$543,188$225,884$73,2751$1,201
2021$5,391,764$1,468,696$190,459$43,1281$18
2020$4,276,901$611,666$233,021$52,7521$6,981
2019$3,906,117$330,042$268,912$67,6951$4,936

About Big Sky Youth Education Foundation

Based on IRS filings

Big Sky Youth Education Foundation is a public charity, based in Billings, MT. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $10.5M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 2 grants totaling $454K. Net investment income was $3K.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Big Sky Youth Education Foundation is led by Matthew McDonnell, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 8 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Matthew McDonnell

    President

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jessica Johnston

    Director

    Secretary → Director, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Todd Harp

    Director

    Board Member → Vice President, 2022

    Vice President → Director, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chris Kukulski

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ross Corson

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Diann Floth

    Chief Finanical Officer

    Head of School → Head of School & CFO, 2022

    Head of School & CFO → Chief Finanical Officer, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Cole Hoefle

    Vice President

    Board Member → Vice President, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jake Van Binsbergen

    Secretary

    Board Member → Secretary, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (6)
  • Former: Joe Erpelding (2019–2023) — Treasurer
  • Former: Lindsey French (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Mike Vondra (2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Andrew Billstein (2020–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Bj Biel (2019–2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Jodee Etchart (2019) — Board Member

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Big Sky Youth Education Foundation

How much does Big Sky Youth Education Foundation give each year?

Big Sky Youth Education Foundation gave $454K across 2 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $520K across 1 grant.

How large is Big Sky Youth Education Foundation?

Big Sky Youth Education Foundation reported $10.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $494K.

Where does Big Sky Youth Education Foundation operate?

Big Sky Youth Education Foundation has awarded grants in Montana.

What is Big Sky Youth Education Foundation's EIN?

Big Sky Youth Education Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 02-0756891. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS November 16, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 25, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 16, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 11, 2025)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Big Sky Youth Education Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Montana

Jackson Heath Foundation-Main

Saint Louis, MO

Assets

$2.6M

Grants

6

Total Given

$255K

The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation

Palm Beach, FL

The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation supports qualified nonprofits working in children’s services, education, homelessness, animal welfare, and related areas, primarily in Palm Beach County, Florida, and Yellowstone County, Montana. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $2.5 million, with a median of $15,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$187.8M

Grants

265

Total Given

$14.9M

Tulsa Community Foundation

Tulsa, OK

Tulsa Community Foundation supports charitable causes through donor-advised grants and selected funds, including scholarships, emergency assistance, disaster relief, arts and humanities, healthcare, and financial literacy, primarily in the Tulsa metro area and eastern Oklahoma, with some giving elsewhere in the United States. Its 2024 median grant was $18,560; selected field-of-interest funds have application cycles, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.

Assets

$1.1B

Grants

1,066

Total Given

$158.6M

Folds of Honor Foundation

Owasso, OK

Folds of Honor funds education scholarships for spouses and children of U.S. military service members and first responders killed or disabled in service, with awards available for K–12 and higher education in the United States and its territories. Awards are up to $5,000 per academic year, based on unmet need, and are paid directly to the school. It accepts scholarship applications through an online portal during its annual application window; it does not make grants to outside applicants.

Education

Assets

$122.3M

Grants

1,551

Total Given

$37.6M

First Interstate BancSystem Foundation

Billings, MT

The First Interstate BancSystem Foundation funds poverty reduction, youth development, financial education, and community development, as well as civic, arts, education, health, human services, and sustainability efforts in communities served by First Interstate Bank across 10 states. Its 2025 grants had a median award of $2,500, though amounts varied widely; the stated minimum grant is $2,500. Organizations can submit grant requests online, which are traditionally reviewed monthly, but grants must be recommended by a local First Interstate branch.

Assets

$19.2M

Grants

767

Total Given

$5.0M

Town Pump Charitable Foundation

Butte, MT

The Town Pump Charitable Foundation supports Montana charitable and governmental organizations, with priority for basic needs and education, including food access, community programs, and schools. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $110,900, with a median of $1,000, and went to Montana recipients for work in Montana. It accepts written grant requests through its application portal; no general deadline is stated.

Assets

$78.4M

Grants

622

Total Given

$2.8M

More similar funders

More Funders in Montana

The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Big Sky Youth Education Foundation'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.

Big Sky Youth Education Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?