John & Marilyn Olson Family

SIDNEY, MT EIN: 81-0488861

The John and Marilyn Olson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Sidney, Montana. The foundation provides philanthropic support to local and regional organizations, with a particular focus on community development, health care, and social services in the Sidney and Richland County area.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$656K

+2.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$88K

-62.2% YoY

Grant Count

+2.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2K

-63.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John & Marilyn Olson Family reported a distributable amount of $87K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports general charitable purposes across multiple sectors including:

Public safety and disaster preparedness
Religious and spiritual organizations
Community health and wellness
Youth development and education

Grantmaking

The foundation makes grants to local Sidney-area organizations. Recent documented grants include:

Grant Range

s appear modest, with documented awards in the $500 range for community organizations.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Sidney, Montana and the surrounding Richland County region.

Grant Distribution by State

Montana $540K (96%)

North Dakota $20K (4%)

West Virginia $2K (0%)

States

Montana North Dakota West Virginia

Cities

Big SkyBigforkBillingsColumbia FallsEppingFairviewGlasgowGlendiveHelenaKalispellLivingstonMissoulaPolsonSidneyWatford CityWoolly Bugger

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$656,069	$640,144	$795,797
Revenue	$105,766	$79,224	$103,395
Expenses	$88,825	$233,930	$88,880
Qualifying Distributions	$88,825	$233,930	$88,880
Net Investment Income	$70,042	$70,187	$68,114
Distributable Amount	$86,866	$81,427	$87,481

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

204 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Boys & Girls Club of Richland County ($6,000), Richland County Food Bank ($6,000), Foundation for Community Care ($5,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY BIG SKY, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$1,000
BIGFORK CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION BIGFORK, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$1,000
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF RICHLAND COUNTY SIDNEY, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$6,000
CHRISTIKON BILLINGS, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$500
EAGLE FOUNDATION SIDNEY, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$3,000
EASTERN MONTANA COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER SIDNEY, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$4,000
EMMAUS HOUSE SIDNEY, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$500
FAIRVIEW FOOD BANK FAIRVIEW, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$2,000
FEDERATION OF FLY FISHERS LIVINGSTON, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$500
FLATHEAD LAKERS POLSON, MT	GENERAL PURPOSE	$1,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

John Olson served as President and CEO of Blue Rock Products, a major regional business. According to biographical information, he was born in 1939 in Great Falls, Montana, and built Blue Rock Products into a multi-location operation serving Sidney, Williston, Plentywood, Glasgow, Miles City, and surrounding areas. He was active in community leadership, having served as a Chamber President. John Olson passed away on August 22, 2022, at age 83.

Marilyn Olson is identified as co-founder of the family foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MARILYN J OLSON	SECRETARY/TREASURER	—	—
KAREN M OLSON-BEENKEN	VICE PRESIDENT	—	—
J RANDALL OLSON	PRESIDENT	—	—
ERIN M ANDERSON	DIRECTOR	—	—

Recent Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2024

The foundation made documented grants in 2024 to Sidney-area nonprofits supporting public safety and religious organizations.

Carlson Family FoundationJuly 2024 Grants Announced - Carlson Family Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

What does John & Marilyn Olson Family fund?

The foundation supports general charitable purposes across multiple sectors including: • Public safety and disaster preparedness • Religious and spiritual organizations • Community health and wellness • Youth development and education

How do I apply for a grant from John & Marilyn Olson Family?

The foundation makes grants to local Sidney-area organizations. Recent documented grants include: • **Sidney Fire Foundation** (2024): $500 for general purpose support • **Emmaus House** (2024): $500 for general purpose support Grant sizes appear modest, with documented awards in the $500 range for community organizations.

Where does John & Marilyn Olson Family make grants?

The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Sidney, Montana and the surrounding Richland County region.

What size grants does John & Marilyn Olson Family award?

In 2024, John & Marilyn Olson Family awarded 42 grants totaling $88K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is John & Marilyn Olson Family required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John & Marilyn Olson Family reported a distributable amount of $87K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.