Don't Be a Jerk
Don't Be a Jerk is a private foundation based in Bozeman, Montana. Its 2025 filing states that grants are limited to charitable activities that strengthen communities, including environmental stewardship, equal access and opportunity, education, health, and overall well-being.
Don't Be a Jerk at a glance
In short: Don't Be a Jerk gave $103K across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state Colorado. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $102,558
- +7278.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +1000.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,108
- +570.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $54,463
- +181443.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Colorado (20% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Don't Be a Jerk
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests: its filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. There is no formal application process or required form or materials. The filing lists Chad Zeitner as the contact for grant inquiries. Awards are restricted to charitable purposes that strengthen communities, including environmental stewardship, equal access and opportunity, education, health and well-being, and initiatives related to the outdoor environment at local and global levels.
- Review Cycle
- No submission deadlines.
- Deadline
- No submission deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Chad Zeitner
Mailing address: PO Box 1851, Bozeman, MT 59771
Phone: (406) 871-8886
Website: https://www.dontbeajerk.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Don't Be a Jerk funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was LNT ($20K). Together the top 10 received $85K.
Grant Size Distribution
37 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 37 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed across multiple states. The largest shares went to Colorado (20%), Idaho (17%), Montana (17%), Utah (15%), and Texas (10%). The foundation’s filing also describes eligible outdoor-environment initiatives as local and global.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Don't Be a Jerk gives
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1K (2024) to $103K (2025). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $103K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LNT Boulder, CO | Protecting the Outdoors Through Science-Based Education | $20,000 |
| Treefort for Good Boise, ID | Supports the Boise Arts Scene. | $15,000 |
| She Jumps Salt Lake City, UT | Inclusion in Outdoor Activities | $14,800 |
| LGBTQ Outdoors Fort Worth, TX | Connecting the Lgbtqia+ Community to the Outdoors. | $10,000 |
| SF Pride San Francisco, CA | Creating a vibrant and inclusive community for lgbtq+ individuals and allies | $10,000 |
| Red Ants Pants Foundation White Sulphur Springs, MT | To Develop and Expand Leadership Roles for Women | $6,500 |
| Bozeman Film Society Bozeman, MT | Screening Powerful Independent Films | $2,500 |
| Food Bank of Northern Nevada Sparks, NV | Support to help stock the shelves and make sure every neighbor is met with care, support, and the food they need. | $2,100 |
| Public Land Water Access Association Bozeman, MT | Ensuring public lands and waters is safe for tomorrow | $2,028 |
| Covellite Presents Butte, MT | Engage, inspire, entertains and challenges audiences with theatrical productions | $2,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,463 | $159,500 | $105,067 | $102,558 | 33 | $102,558 | $1,500 |
| 2024 | $30 | $2,500 | $4,360 | $1,390 | 3 | $2,876 | $41 |
| 2023 | $1,890 | $6,040 | $4,640 | $1,500 | 1 | $3,070 | $56 |
| 2022 | $490 | $500 | $10 | — | — | $5 | $1 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Don't Be a Jerk reported a distributable amount of $2K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing does not state a separate mission. Its stated grant restrictions cover environmental stewardship, equal access and opportunity, education, health and well-being, including initiatives related to the outdoor environment at local and global levels.
Its 2025 grants included organizations working in outdoor access, arts, food assistance, and community programs. For example, the Red Ants Pants Foundation says its mission is to expand leadership roles for women, support working family farms and ranches, and enrich rural communities. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada describes its mission as feeding people today and solving hunger for tomorrow through community partnership. Public Land Water Access Association says it works to maintain, restore, and perpetuate public access to Montana’s public lands and waters. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 33 grants totaling $102,558. Grants ranged from $125 to $20,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest grants included $20,000 to LNT for protecting the outdoors through science-based education; $15,000 to Treefort for Good for support of the Boise arts scene; $14,800 to SheJumps for inclusion in outdoor activities; and $10,000 each to LGBTQ Outdoors and SF Pride.
Other reported grants included $6,500 to Red Ants Pants Foundation, $2,500 to Bozeman Film Society, $2,100 to Food Bank of Northern Nevada, $2,028 to Public Land Water Access Association, and $2,000 to Covellite Presents.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jeremy Gregory as president/CEO, Chad Zeitner as secretary/treasurer/CFO, and Craig Weaver as director.
Don't Be a Jerk is led by Jeremy Gregory, President & CEO on every filing since 2022; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jeremy Gregory
President & CEO
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig Weaver
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chad Zeitner
Secretary, Treasurer & CFO
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Brant Scott (2024) — Director
- Former: Douglas B. Vilas (2024) — Director
- Former: J. Kenneth Menges Jr. (2024) — Director
- Former: Mark A. Sahn (2024) — Director
- Former: Seamus Gallager (2024) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "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 Don't Be a Jerk
How much does Don't Be a Jerk give each year?
Don't Be a Jerk gave $103K across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1K across 3 grants.
What is Don't Be a Jerk's typical grant size?
Don't Be a Jerk's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $3,108, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Don't Be a Jerk give grants?
Don't Be a Jerk's top state is Colorado, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Idaho (17%) and Montana (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Bozeman, MT (8 grants), Portland, OR (3 grants) and Salt Lake City, UT (2 grants).
Does Don't Be a Jerk give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Don't Be a Jerk's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Don't Be a Jerk's largest grantees?
Don't Be a Jerk's largest 2025 grantees include LNT ($20,000), Treefort for Good ($15,000) and She Jumps ($14,800), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Don't Be a Jerk?
Don't Be a Jerk reported $54K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $103K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Don't Be a Jerk fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a separate mission. Its stated grant restrictions cover environmental stewardship, equal access and opportunity, education, health and well-being, including initiatives related to the outdoor environment at local and global levels. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Don't Be a Jerk?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests: its filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Don't Be a Jerk's EIN?
Don't Be a Jerk's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 92-0592680. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Does Don't Be a Jerk accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Don't Be a Jerk's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Don't Be a Jerk funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/don-t-be-a-jerk-morg_9a4f484805bd4dc38e1b047a2978b930
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_920592680_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Don't Be a Jerk funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/don-t-be-a-jerk-morg_9a4f484805bd4dc38e1b047a2978b930},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Don't Be a Jerk'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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