Friends of Big Sky Education
Friends of Big Sky Education (FOBSE) is organized exclusively for charitable purposes that enhance and support the education of big sky students and the big sky community, including cultural education and entertainment.
Friends of Big Sky Education at a glance
In short: Friends of Big Sky Education reported $4K in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $4,205 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- -67.8% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $1,166,899
- +7.8% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $1,058,698
- -14.1% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $974,430
- -4.8% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Friends of Big Sky Education
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Friends of Big Sky Education
Who Friends of Big Sky Education funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
4 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 3 grants of 4 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
How Friends of Big Sky Education gives
- Giving fell 92% 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4K (2025) to $167K (2021). In 2025 it reported $4K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Montana State University Bozeman, MT | Educational Grant | $6,619 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $6,428 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,166,899 | $1,058,698 | $974,430 | $4,205 | Total only |
| 2024 | $1,082,631 | $1,232,841 | $1,023,756 | $13,047 | 2 |
| 2023 | $872,646 | $998,711 | $871,364 | — | — |
| 2022 | $745,645 | $958,300 | $802,733 | $16,222 | 1 |
| 2021 | $588,520 | $820,256 | $784,950 | $167,291 | 1 |
| 2020 | $553,214 | $921,433 | $767,780 | $73,791 | 1 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Friends of Big Sky Education
Based on IRS filings
Friends of Big Sky Education is a public charity, based in Big Sky, MT. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.2M in total assets. In 2025, it reported $4K in grants paid as a total on its IRS filing, without an itemized list.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Friends of Big Sky Education is led by John Zirkle, Executive Director since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John Zirkle
Executive Director
Artistic Director → Artistic Directors, 2023
Artistic Directors → Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Loren Bough
Chairperson
President → Chairperson, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheena Kidd
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa McKeithan
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jill Bough
Vice Chair
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John McGuire
Treasurer
Board Member → Vice President & Treasurer, 2023
Vice President & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: David Gasser (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Anne Marie Mistretta (2020–2022) — Vice President & Secretary
- Former: Gerald Mistretta (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jerry Mistretta (2020–2021) — Board Member
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 Friends of Big Sky Education
How much does Friends of Big Sky Education give each year?
Friends of Big Sky Education reported $4K in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $13K across 2 grants.
How large is Friends of Big Sky Education?
Friends of Big Sky Education reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.1M.
Where does Friends of Big Sky Education operate?
Friends of Big Sky Education has awarded grants in Montana.
What is Friends of Big Sky Education's EIN?
Friends of Big Sky Education's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-1106018. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 23, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 26, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Friends of Big Sky Education's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from Friends of Big Sky Education'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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