Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation
The Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation is a private foundation based in Stanford, Montana. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in Montana communities, including fire and ambulance services, youth programs, senior centers, and community organizations.
Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation at a glance
In short: Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation gave $201K across 62 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Montana. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $201,017
- +132.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 62
- +24.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,242
- +87.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $37,666,587
- +1769.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (16 of 62, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Montana (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. The filing lists Dawnita D Sampsel as the application contact and calls for a completed application with additional information if necessary. Contributions are restricted to organizations located within or nearby Raynesford, Fort Benton, Stanford, Geyser, Belt, Geraldine, and Highwood; the filing excludes organizations in or nearby Denton, Coffee Creek, Windham, Hobson, Utica, and Great Falls.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists May 1 and November 1. The May 1 date has passed; the filing does not specify a year for either date.
- Deadline
- The filing lists May 1 and November 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Dawnita D Sampsel
Mailing address: PO Box 528, Stanford, MT 59479
Phone: (406) 799-2379
Website: HTTPS://STRANDFOUNDATION.COM/
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Highwood Rural Fire Department ($15K). Together the top 10 received $87K.
Grant Size Distribution
242 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 242 grants of 242 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to Montana recipients. It restricts contributions to organizations within or near Raynesford, Fort Benton, Stanford, Geyser, Belt, Geraldine, and Highwood, and excludes organizations in or near Denton, Coffee Creek, Windham, Hobson, Utica, and Great Falls.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 62 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 62 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 123% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 11% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $68K (2019) to $201K (2025). In 2025 it made 62 grants totaling $201K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Highwood Rural Fire Department Highwood, MT | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Judith Basin County 4-H Council Stanford, MT | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Geraldine Community Ambulance Geraldine, MT | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Geyser Fire Dept Geyser, MT | Charitable | $8,000 |
| Geraldine Youth Sports Inc Geraldine, MT | Charitable | $7,500 |
| Geyser Community Club Geyser, MT | Charitable | $7,500 |
| Geyser Senior Citizen Center Geyser, MT | Charitable | $7,500 |
| Fort Benton Memorial Ambulance Fort Benton, MT | Charitable | $6,000 |
| Basin Wellness Center Inc Stanford, MT | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Belt Golden Agers Senior Center Belt, MT | Charitable | $5,000 |
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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 | $37,666,587 | $36,016,793 | $371,161 | $201,017 | 62 | $207,401 | $1,020,265 | $1,809,781 |
| 2024 | $2,014,685 | $377,576 | $113,821 | $86,433 | 50 | $88,545 | $53,313 | $107,775 |
| 2023 | $1,750,930 | $241,530 | $108,098 | $81,607 | 49 | $83,696 | $21,337 | $88,522 |
| 2022 | $1,617,498 | $199,024 | $115,641 | $90,133 | 38 | $92,246 | $180,474 | $83,720 |
| 2021 | $1,534,115 | $135,871 | $113,105 | $79,720 | 43 | $81,920 | $107,520 | $92,333 |
| 2020 | $1,509,620 | $94,120 | $115,126 | $76,685 | 40 | — | $66,405 | $83,323 |
| 2019 | $1,530,626 | $65,573 | $116,959 | $67,573 | 50 | — | $33,363 | $84,414 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No formal mission statement is provided. Grants listed in the 2025 filing include support for fire and ambulance services, 4-H, youth sports, senior centers, a wellness center, and community organizations.
Among its grantees, Belt Swimming Pool Corporation describes its mission as providing a community swimming pool and swimming lessons in a safe environment. Belt Volunteer Ambulance Service says it provides ambulance service to Belt and the surrounding area. Fort Benton Community Improvement Association describes work promoting local welfare, recreational and cultural opportunities, and the preservation of local heritage.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 62 grants totaling $201,017. Grant amounts ranged from $395 to $15,000, with a median of $2,000. The largest reported grants included $15,000 to Highwood Rural Fire Department and $15,000 to Judith Basin County 4-H Council; $10,000 to Geraldine Community Ambulance; and $8,000 to Geyser Fire Department.
The 2025 filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists a completed application, with additional information if necessary, as the application materials.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Patrick L McDonald as president; Richard A Browning as treasurer; Michael Youderian as vice president; Kraig Meeks, Tyler Youderian, and Suzy Maki as directors; Gary W Bjelland as secretary; and Dawnita D Sampsel as executive director.
Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation is led by Patrick L. McDonald, President on every filing since 2019; 6 of 8 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Patrick L. McDonald
President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$3K (2019) → $1K (2025)
Dawnita D. Sampsel
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
10.5 hrs/week
$4K (2025)
Kraig Meeks
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
$500 (2024) → $1K (2025)
Suzy Maki
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tyler Youderian
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary W. Bjelland
Secretary
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$3K (2019) → $1K (2025)
Michael Youderian
Vice President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$2K (2019) → $1K (2025)
Richard A. Browning
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$3K (2019) → $1K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Charles Tonne (2019–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $4K, to Dawnita D Sampsel (Executive Director). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation
How much does Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation give each year?
Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation gave $201K across 62 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $86K across 50 grants.
What is Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation's typical grant size?
Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $3,242, across 62 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation give grants?
Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation gives mostly in Montana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Stanford, MT (16 grants), Belt, MT (11 grants), Geraldine, MT (10 grants) and Fort Benton, MT (10 grants).
Does Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 62 grants with a stated purpose on Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (56 grants) and "Programs" (6 grants).
Who are Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation's largest grantees?
Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Highwood Rural Fire Department ($15,000), Judith Basin County 4-H Council ($15,000) and Geraldine Community Ambulance ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation?
Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation reported $37.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $207K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation fund?
No formal mission statement is provided. Grants listed in the 2025 filing include support for fire and ambulance services, 4-H, youth sports, senior centers, a wellness center, and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation's EIN?
Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0518232. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 6, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/leroy-and-claris-strand-foundation-morg_aa9b5ec1725e4adabe19a1928aaca673
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_810518232_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/leroy-and-claris-strand-foundation-morg_aa9b5ec1725e4adabe19a1928aaca673},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Leroy and Claris Strand 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.
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