First Interstate BancSystem Foundation
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation is a corporate foundation established in 1990 and headquartered in Billings, Montana. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to assist First Interstate Bank in being the premier corporate citizen in the communities it serves.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$20.3M
-11.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.8M
-20.2% YoY
Grant Count
758
-50.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+61.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports organizations involved with:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Health
- Hunger
- Housing
- Human services
- Community development
- Leadership development
- Support for economically disadvantaged people
The foundation has a particular focus on general operating support and leadership development for rural critical access hospitals CEOs. In 2023, approximately 57% of funding was directed toward poverty alleviation initiatives.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$1,000 - $111,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates across 14 states where First Interstate Bank has operations:
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming
Support is given primarily in areas of company operations.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $20,270,202
- Total revenues: $2,308,998
- Total expenses: $5,016,979
- Total liabilities: $0
Historical Giving:
- 2024: $4.8 million
- 2023: $9.2 million (including bank contributions)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,270,202 | $22,978,183 | $24,608,141 |
| Revenue | $2,308,998 | $4,564,674 | $24,872,329 |
| Expenses | $5,016,979 | $6,194,632 | $6,187,091 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,887,827 | $6,072,897 | $6,077,268 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,019,555 | $742,454 | $435,644 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,208,600 | $1,233,400 | $1,116,587 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Amberly Pahut - Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amberly Pahut | Executive Director | 36 | — |
| Marcy Mutch | Director | 1 | — |
| Kevin Riley | Director | 1 | — |
| Kirk Jensen | Director | 1 | — |
| Joyce Phillips | Director | 1 | — |
| Thomas Henning | Director | 1 | — |
| Jeremy Scott | Director | 1 | — |
| Karlyn Knieriem | Director | 1 | — |
| Geoffrey Scott | Director | 1 | — |
| James Reuter | Director | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation operates the "Believe in Local Program," which has been running for multiple years with annual grant cycles supporting local nonprofits across its service territory. Recent beneficiaries have included organizations such as KidsPak of Loveland, Colorado, which received a $25,000 grant through the Believe in Local program.
First Interstate Kicks Off Fourth Annual Believe in LocalRelated Funders
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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