Foundation for Community Vitality
Foundation for Community Vitality is a private foundation established in 1997 and located in Billings, Montana. It operates as a supporting organization of the Montana Community Foundation and functions as a grantmaking institution focused on enhancing community vitality across Montana and surrounding regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.1M
+9.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$264K
-49.1% YoY
Grant Count
18
-5.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
-46.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Foundation for Community Vitality reported a distributable amount of $527K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to enhance sustainable vitality of communities in Montana and its surrounding region.
Primary funding areas include:
- Operational support for nonprofits
- Native American scholarships
- Weatherization training
- Water quality work
- Community development initiatives
- The Tongue River Initiative
Grantmaking
The foundation appears open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants funded in recent years.
Grant Range
$119
Average Grant
$119
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports communities in:
- Montana
- California
- Colorado
- Wyoming
Specific Montana communities served include Absarokee, Billings, and Bozeman.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024)
- Total assets: $3,127,559
- Total revenues: $722,978
- Total expenses: $448,210
Staffing
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,127,559 | $2,847,088 | $2,818,363 |
| Revenue | $722,978 | $716,562 | $1,130,352 |
| Expenses | $448,210 | $684,675 | $564,989 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $426,095 | $669,500 | $540,240 |
| Net Investment Income | $670,058 | $663,114 | $818,455 |
| Distributable Amount | $526,980 | $488,848 | $670,371 |
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
89 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include People's Partners for Community Dev ($58,433), Messengers for Health ($40,000), Plenty Doors Community Development Corp ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Absarokee Area Food Bank Absarokee, MT | Operational Support | $500 |
| Blackfeet Indian Land Trust Browning, MT | Operational Support | $2,500 |
| Cine Billings Billings, MT | Operational Support | $1,000 |
| City of Lodge Grass Lodge Grass, MT | Operational Support | $35,781 |
| Crow Tribe of Indians Crow Agency, MT | Operational Support - Crow Fair/Parade | $10,000 |
| Leadership Montana Bozeman, MT | Scholarships for Indigenous Leaders | $24,000 |
| Leadership Wyoming Casper, WY | Wind River Reservation Leadership Development | $9,500 |
| Little Big Horn College Crow Agency, MT | Operational Support | $18,856 |
| Messengers for Health Crow Agency, MT | Operational Support | $40,000 |
| Montana State University Bozeman, MT | Operational Support | $4,740 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Courtney Scott (President, compensation: $69,590)
- James R. Scott
- Harvey Stewart
- Michelle Sullivan
- Christine Scott
- Dana Andersson
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey Stewart | Director | 1 | — |
| James R Scott | President | 1 | — |
| Michelle Sullivan | Director | 1 | — |
| Christine Scott | Director | 1 | — |
| Courtney Scott | Program Director | 30 | $73,318 |
| Dana Andersson | Director | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 7113, Billings, MT 59103-7113
- Phone: 406-255-5024
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Foundation for Community Vitality fund?
The foundation's mission is to enhance sustainable vitality of communities in Montana and its surrounding region. Primary funding areas include: • Operational support for nonprofits • Native American scholarships • Weatherization training • Water quality work • Community development initiatives • The Tongue River Initiative
How do I apply for a grant from Foundation for Community Vitality?
**Grant Activity (2024)** • Number of grants made: 32 • Total grants awarded: Approximately $519,000 • Average grant size: $119 **Recent Grantees (2024)** • Plenty Doors Community Development Corporation ($40,000 for Water, Sanitation Hygiene Program) • Messengers for Health ($40,000 for Operational Support) • Leadership Montana ($24,000 for Scholarships for Indigenous Leaders) • Boys and Girls Club of Northern Cheyenne The foundation appears open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of ne…
Where does Foundation for Community Vitality make grants?
The foundation supports communities in: • Montana • California • Colorado • Wyoming Specific Montana communities served include Absarokee, Billings, and Bozeman.
What size grants does Foundation for Community Vitality award?
In 2024, Foundation for Community Vitality awarded 18 grants totaling $264K — an average of about $15K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Foundation for Community Vitality required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Foundation for Community Vitality reported a distributable amount of $527K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Foundation for Community Vitality's EIN?
Foundation for Community Vitality's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1376323. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Foundation for Community Vitality's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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