First Interstate BancSystem Foundation
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation is a private foundation based in Billings, Montana, and the philanthropic arm of First Interstate Bank. Established in 1990, it supports communities served by the bank through grants, donations, financial education, employee gift matching, and community programs. Its stated priorities include poverty elimination, youth development, financial education, and community development, with attention to low- to moderate-income communities.
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation at a glance
In short: First Interstate BancSystem Foundation gave $5.0M across 767 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state Montana. 34% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,996,554
- +4.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 767
- +1.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,514
- +3.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $19,219,373
- -5.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (250 of 743, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Montana (27% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to First Interstate BancSystem Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit a request online through the appropriate application link on the bank’s grants page. The 2025 filing directs applicants to the Foundation website for application materials and details; it names Executive Director Amberly Pahut as the filing contact. The filing states that awards are intended to serve communities of interest to First Interstate Bank.
- Review Cycle
- Refer to the online application for deadlines.
- Deadline
- Refer to the online application for deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Amberly Pahut Exec Director
Mailing address: 401 N 31St St Suite 400, Billings, MT 59101
Phone: (406) 255-5393
Email: foundation@fib.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who First Interstate BancSystem Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Blackbaud Giving Fund ($663K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
5,361 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 5,339 grants of 5,361 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation reports operating across 10 states and says its grants are intended to serve communities of interest to First Interstate Bank. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Montana (27%), South Carolina (13%), South Dakota (12%), Oregon (9%), and Wyoming (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 767 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is First Interstate BancSystem Foundation open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 250 of 743 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 48% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 452% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.0M (2021) to $6.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 767 grants totaling $5.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Blackbaud Giving Fund Daniel Island, SC | Employee Giving Program Distributions | $663,178 |
| Yellowstone Ice Foundation Billings, MT | New Ice Rink | $125,000 |
| Special Olympics Montana Inc Great Falls, MT | General Operating Support | $103,000 |
| Whitefish Community Foundation Inc Whitefish, MT | Great Fish Challenge | $59,490 |
| Billings School District Billings, MT | Daylis Stadium Project | $50,000 |
| Junior Achievement of South Dakota Sioux Falls, SD | Financial Education | $50,000 |
| Riverpeak Health Riverton, WY | General Operating Support | $50,000 |
| Wise Wonders Childrens Museum Inc Billings, MT | Financial Education | $40,245 |
| E4E Relief LLC Atlanta, GA | Emergency Relief | $38,713 |
| Four Bands Community Fund Inc Eagle Butte, SD | Workforce Development | $37,500 |
Ready to take the next step with First Interstate BancSystem Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,219,373 | $4,190,183 | $5,241,012 | $4,996,554 | 767 | $5,103,693 | $999,469 | $1,128,601 |
| 2024 | $20,270,202 | $2,308,998 | $5,016,979 | $4,788,499 | 758 | $4,887,827 | $1,019,555 | $1,208,600 |
| 2023 | $22,978,183 | $4,564,674 | $6,194,632 | $6,003,777 | 1,536 | $6,072,897 | $742,454 | $1,233,400 |
| 2022 | $24,608,141 | $24,872,329 | $6,187,091 | $6,070,011 | 1,375 | $6,077,268 | $435,644 | $1,116,587 |
| 2021 | $5,922,903 | $3,523,295 | $3,043,088 | $2,993,171 | 925 | $2,993,171 | $408,777 | $378,058 |
| 2020 | $5,440,591 | $2,613,882 | $3,146,676 | $3,097,409 | 870 | — | $200,717 | $331,621 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, First Interstate BancSystem Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to help First Interstate Bank be the premier corporate citizen in the communities it serves. It says it pursues that mission through grantmaking, financial education, and matching gifts from bank employees.
The bank’s website lists civic and community organizations, arts and culture groups, K–12 and higher education, health, human services, and sustainability-related organizations among philanthropic recipients. Examples of grantees’ work include Yellowstone Ice Foundation’s effort to establish a community indoor ice facility; Special Olympics Montana’s year-round sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities; and Junior Achievement of South Dakota’s programs in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation reported 767 grants totaling $4,996,554. Awards ranged from $150 to $663,178, with a median grant of $2,500. The largest listed awards included $663,178 to The Blackbaud Giving Fund for employee-giving program distributions, $125,000 to Yellowstone Ice Foundation for a new ice rink, and $103,000 to Special Olympics Montana for general operating support. Other listed awards included $50,000 each to Billings School District for the Daylis Stadium Project, Junior Achievement of South Dakota for financial education, and Riverpeak Health for general operating support.
The bank’s website says grant requests are submitted online and are traditionally reviewed monthly. Grants are limited to eligible tax-exempt organizations or legally established units of government, and the Foundation grants only to organizations recommended by local First Interstate branches. The stated minimum grant is $2,500. Requests are assessed based on the organization’s background, community benefit and support, leadership, and financial stability, with review by the local market, Foundation staff, and the Foundation’s board. Donations and sponsorships are a separate route; organizations do not have to be 501(c)(3) organizations to apply for those, and there is no minimum award amount.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Amberly Pahut as Executive Director. Directors listed on that filing are Kirk Jensen, Joyce Phillips, Jeremy Scott, Geoffrey Scott, James Reuter, and Kristina Robbins. David Della Camera is listed as a director from May 2025; Marcy Mutch is listed through May 2025, and Thomas Henning through June 2025.
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation is led by Amberly Pahut, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; none of the 11 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Amberly Pahut
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kirk Jensen
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marcy Mutch
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joyce Phillips
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Henning
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy Scott
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Geoffrey Scott
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Reuter
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Della Camera
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristina Robbins
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Moss
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Kevin Riley (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Karlyn Knieriem (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: James R Scott (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Ashley Hayslip (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Julie Scott Rose (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Jodi Delahunt Hubbell (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Phil Gaglia (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Russ Lee (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Rachel Turitto (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Kade Peterson (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Renee Newman (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 First Interstate BancSystem Foundation
How much does First Interstate BancSystem Foundation give each year?
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation gave $5.0M across 767 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $4.8M across 758 grants.
What is First Interstate BancSystem Foundation's typical grant size?
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $6,514, across 767 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from First Interstate BancSystem Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does First Interstate BancSystem Foundation give grants?
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation's top state is Montana, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were South Carolina (13%) and South Dakota (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Billings, MT (54 grants), Missoula, MT (26 grants), Omaha, NE (25 grants) and Bend, OR (24 grants).
Does First Interstate BancSystem Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 66% of First Interstate BancSystem Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (509 of 767) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Volunteer Day Project" (147 grants), "Neighbors Feeding Neighbors" (74 grants) and "Financial Education" (8 grants).
Who are First Interstate BancSystem Foundation's largest grantees?
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Blackbaud Giving Fund ($663,178), Yellowstone Ice Foundation ($125,000) and Special Olympics Montana Inc ($103,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is First Interstate BancSystem Foundation?
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation reported $19.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does First Interstate BancSystem Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to help First Interstate Bank be the premier corporate citizen in the communities it serves. It says it pursues that mission through grantmaking, financial education, and matching gifts from bank employees. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from First Interstate BancSystem Foundation?
Submit a request online through the appropriate application link on the bank’s grants page. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is First Interstate BancSystem Foundation's EIN?
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0465899. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 20, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 5, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in First Interstate BancSystem Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). First Interstate BancSystem Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 7, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/first-interstate-bancsystem-foundation-morg_3d6225c381414068822c77065a8b398c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_810465899_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{First Interstate BancSystem Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/first-interstate-bancsystem-foundation-morg_3d6225c381414068822c77065a8b398c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-07. 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 First Interstate BancSystem 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.
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