Great Falls Development Authority

Public charity · Grantmaker Great Falls, MT EIN: 81-0465605

Gfda's mission is to grow diverse economic opportunities that enhance quality of life. Gfda seeks to transform great falls, Montana and the surrounding rural and tribal region into a thriving economy that raises the standard of living, particularly for underserved populations and economically distressed areas, and creates greater economic opportunity for people, entrepreneurs, and businesses.

Great Falls Development Authority at a glance

Total assets
$39,178,058
+19.6% vs 2024
Revenue (2025)
$9,127,676
-8.2% vs 2024
Net investment income (2025)
$1
-66.7% vs 2024
Expenses (2025)
$4,119,294
-4.6% vs 2024
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Great Falls Development Authority funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Grant Size Distribution

5 grants across all recorded years

2<$50K1$50–100K1$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 2 grants of 5 (40%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

States

Cities

Great Falls

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K0 grants2021 2 grants2022 2 grants2023 1 grant2024 0 grants2025

From 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $96K (2023) to $370K (2022). In 2024 it made 1 grant totaling $171K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Neighborhood Housing Services Inc of Great Falls DBA Neighborworks GF Great Falls, MTBaatz Building Restoration$171,484
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$39,178,058$9,127,676$4,119,294——$1
2024$32,752,170$9,946,706$4,315,755$171,4841$3
2023$24,426,365$5,654,586$3,976,349$95,7252$11
2022$19,433,536$5,045,202$3,464,348$369,6612$1
2021$16,421,780$6,629,023$2,644,612——$1

About Great Falls Development Authority

Based on IRS filings

Great Falls Development Authority is a public charity focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in Great Falls, MT. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $39.2M in total assets. Net investment income was $1.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Great Falls Development Authority is led by Brett Doney, President on every filing since 2021; 2 of 45 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Brett Doney

    President

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $155K (2021) → $244K (2025)

  • Johnna Lightbourne

    Chair

    Director → Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dan Rearden

    Director

    Director → Secretary, 2024

    Secretary → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dani Grebe

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dave Smith

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Errol Rice

    Director

    Vice Chair → Director, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Glenn Bliss

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joe Briggs

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kylie Carranza

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Len Watkins

    Director

    Chairman → Past Chairman, 2022

    Past Chairman → Director, 2024

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mark Cappis

    Director

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2024

    Chair → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Peyton Johnson

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rebecca Engum

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Shane Etzwiler

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sherrie Arey

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Denise Schnider

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Morgan Tweet

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Patrick Woodall

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Randy Gilbertson

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Shannon Hoiland

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sharon Virgin

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stephanie Erdmann

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Zach Mendenhall

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • George Nikolakakos

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jim Dea

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mike Mills

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Reed Bassett

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Toby Malsam

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tyler Muzzana

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brittany Riley

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jesse Waldenberg

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Raymond Porter

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rob Haney

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brett Harris

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dwayne Howard

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ed Brown

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Heather Hoyer

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jayson Oltoff

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kaci Husted

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kyle Herda

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tom Heisler

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tracy Jerman

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jolene Schalper

    Vice President

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $107K (2025)

  • Andreas Geranios

    Secretary

    Director → Secretary, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nate Weisenburger

    Treasurer

    Director → Treasurer, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (44)
  • Former: Forrest Ehlinger (2021–2024) — Treasurer
  • Former: Jennifer Fritz (2021–2024) — Vice Chair
  • Former: John Faulkner (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Josh Devos (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Lew Card (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Mark Macek (2021–2024) — Immediate Past Chair
  • Former: Ted Lewis (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Tom Moore (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Martin Kutcha (2022–2024) — Director
  • Former: Neil Dubois (2022–2024) — Director
  • Former: Renee Pera (2022–2024) — Director
  • Former: Thomas Heisler III (2022–2024) — Director
  • Former: Ashley Clark (2024) — Director
  • Former: Janna Yuhus (2024) — Director
  • Former: Jody Johnson (2024) — Director
  • Former: Rob Worden (2024) — Director
  • Former: Dwight Holman (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Heidi Hockett (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Mike Waldenberg (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Ron Nelson (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Wayne Gillis (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Casey Schreiner (2022–2023) — Director
  • Former: Jeaneen Campbell (2022–2023) — Director
  • Former: Roy Alexander (2022–2023) — Director
  • Former: Brian Hoven (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Dave Fink (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Eric Hinebauch (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Jed Henthorne (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Colleen Hill (2022) — Director
  • Former: Scott Ayernsmeyer (2022) — Director
  • Former: Seth Haak (2022) — Director
  • Former: Tom Jacobson (2022) — Director
  • Former: Alex Huffield (2021) — Director
  • Former: Col Russell Williford (2021) — Air Force Liason
  • Former: Corey Palmer (2021) — Director
  • Former: Dianne Meinhardt (2021) — Secretary
  • Former: Earl Salley (2021) — Director
  • Former: Heather McCartney-Duty (2021) — Director
  • Former: Jeramy Myers (2021) — Director
  • Former: John Gilbert (2021) — Director
  • Former: Randy Williams (2021) — Director
  • Former: Steve King (2021) — Director
  • Former: Susan Wolff (2021) — Director
  • Former: Trista Besich (2021) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Brett Doney — President: $244KBrett DoneyPresident$244KJolene Schalper — Vice President: $107KJolene SchalperVice President$107K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $244K, to Brett Doney (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Great Falls Development Authority

How large is Great Falls Development Authority?

Great Falls Development Authority reported $39.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $9.1M.

What is Great Falls Development Authority?

Great Falls Development Authority is a public charity focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in Great Falls, MT. It holds $39.2M in total assets as of 2025.

Where does Great Falls Development Authority operate?

Great Falls Development Authority has awarded grants in Montana.

What is Great Falls Development Authority's EIN?

Great Falls Development Authority's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0465605. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(4)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 22, 2022)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 14, 2023)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 8, 2024)
  4. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

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Figures come from Great Falls Development Authority'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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