Interbel Education Foundation
InterBel Education Foundation is a private foundation based in Eureka, Montana. Its 2025 filing reports scholarship grants to individual recipients, and describes an application process for students whose parent or guardian meets the cooperative-membership requirement.
Interbel Education Foundation at a glance
In short: Interbel Education Foundation gave $38K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Montana. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $37,500
- +23.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- +23.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,786
- -0.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,500
- Total assets
- $198,402
- +99.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Montana (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Interbel Education Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says applicants contact InterBel Telephone Cooperative to obtain an application and submit it according to the application instructions. Applicants also submit a transcript of classes and grades and a one-page essay explaining why they wish to receive a scholarship and describing their educational and career goals. An applicant must have a parent or guardian who is, or has been, a member of InterBel Telephone Cooperative for two of the past five years. The filing states that awards are made regardless of the applicant’s sex, race, religious preference, handicap, or employment status, or that of any relative.
- Review Cycle
- N/A, according to the filing.
- Deadline
- N/A, according to the filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Interbel Telephone Cooperative Inc
Mailing address: PO Box 128, Eureka, MT 59917
Phone: (406) 889-3311
Website: https://www.interbel.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Interbel Education Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 58 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in Montana, 17% to Colorado, 9% to Utah, 4% to California, and 4% to Idaho.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
How Interbel Education Foundation gives
- Giving grew 200% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 423% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF 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 $7K (2020) to $38K (2025). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $38K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 21 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $37,500 |
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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 | $198,402 | $138,438 | $39,595 | $37,500 | 21 | $37,500 | $21,343 | $8,869 |
| 2024 | $99,559 | $28,158 | $30,725 | $30,500 | 17 | $30,500 | $8,158 | $5,792 |
| 2023 | $102,119 | $17,410 | $20,099 | $20,000 | 10 | $20,000 | $16,160 | $7,151 |
| 2022 | $104,808 | $6,427 | $13,187 | $12,500 | 5 | $12,980 | $6,307 | $6,549 |
| 2021 | $111,568 | $24,929 | $12,500 | $10,000 | 5 | $12,000 | $9,429 | $6,802 |
| 2020 | $99,139 | $4,257 | $7,856 | $6,500 | 8 | — | $4,003 | $5,696 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Interbel Education Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 21 grants totaling $37,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $6,500, with a median of $1,500. The largest reported awards were $6,500 to an individual recipient in Colorado, $3,500 each to individual recipients in Montana and Utah, and $1,500 awards to individual recipients in Montana, California, and Idaho. The stated purpose for these grants was scholarship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mike Hedges as president/trustee; Doug Purdy as board chairman; and Craig Eaton, Suzie DeShazer, Chris Meester, Tammy Lawler, and Crystal Thomas as trustees.
Interbel Education Foundation is led by Mike Hedges, President & Trustee on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mike Hedges
President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Doug Purdy
Board Chairman
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tammy Lawler
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Meester
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Craig Eaton
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Crystal Thomas
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Suzie Deshazer
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Bobbie Stoken (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Craig Sands (2020–2024) — Board Chairman
- Former: Cari Lucey (2024) — Trustee
- Former: Raymond Flanagan (2024) — Trustee
- Former: Joel Graves (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Spencer Sartori (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Vicki Tisdell (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Amy Casazza (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Cade Fleenor (2020–2021) — Trustee
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 Interbel Education Foundation
How much does Interbel Education Foundation give each year?
Interbel Education Foundation gave $38K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $31K across 17 grants.
What is Interbel Education Foundation's typical grant size?
Interbel Education Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $1,786, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Interbel Education Foundation give grants?
Interbel Education Foundation gives mostly in Montana: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Colorado (17%) and Utah (9%).
Does Interbel Education Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on Interbel Education Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (21 grants).
How large is Interbel Education Foundation?
Interbel Education Foundation reported $198K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $38K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
How do I apply for a grant from Interbel Education Foundation?
The filing says applicants contact InterBel Telephone Cooperative to obtain an application and submit it according to the application instructions. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Interbel Education Foundation's EIN?
Interbel Education Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3684131. 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 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
Live grants for the work Interbel Education Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Interbel Education Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Interbel Education 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.
Interbel Education Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?