Montana Business Assistance Connection
Montana Business Assistance Connection, inc. Supports the retention of existing jobs and promotes create of new jobs in lewis & Clark, Broadwater, and Meagher counties. This is accomplished through the creation, promotion and management of public and private revloving loan funds, providing training, counseling, technical assistance and access to capital for start up or expansion of qualified businesses, and the promotion and evaluation of county and city community development block grant requests and management of these loans.
Montana Business Assistance Connection at a glance
In short: Montana Business Assistance Connection gave $106K across 4 grants in 2024 (avg $27K), mostly in Montana. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $106,382
- -16.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 4
- -42.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $26,596
- +46.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $19,978
- Total assets
- $15,500,013
- +8.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Montana (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Montana Business Assistance Connection
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Montana Business Assistance Connection
Who Montana Business Assistance Connection funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Helena Symphony ($56K). Together the top 4 received $106K.
Grant Size Distribution
28 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 26 grants of 28 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Montana Business Assistance Connection gives
- Giving grew 1379% 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $7K (2021) to $368K (2022). In 2024 it made 4 grants totaling $106K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Helena Symphony Helena, MT | Feasibility study | $56,427 |
| Copper Pines LLC Bozeman, MT | Workforce Housing for Hi Country Snack Foods Employees | $29,955 |
| Old Salt Co-Op LLC Helena, MT | Purchase of Working Capital | $10,000 |
| The Preschool on Broadway Townsend, MT | Fencing for Daycare Facility | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15,500,013 | $1,669,414 | $1,195,425 | $106,382 | 4 | $13,179 |
| 2023 | $14,245,101 | $1,733,307 | $1,208,719 | $127,151 | 7 | $4,894 |
| 2022 | $13,027,178 | $1,856,589 | $1,510,271 | $367,952 | 16 | $1,546 |
| 2021 | $11,964,243 | $1,416,863 | $932,243 | $7,193 | 1 | — |
| 2020 | $11,385,343 | $834,808 | $802,359 | — | — | — |
About Montana Business Assistance Connection
Based on IRS filings
Montana Business Assistance Connection is a public charity, based in Helena, MT. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $15.5M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 4 grants totaling $106K. Net investment income was $13K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Montana Business Assistance Connection is led by Brian Obert, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 16 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brian Obert
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$90K (2020) → $94K (2024)
Dustin Stewart
President
Secretary → Vice President, 2023
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jenny Taylor
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vickie Rauser
Past President
Vice President → President, 2023
President → Past President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Victor Sample
Board Member
Past President → Board Member, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andy Shirtliff
Vice President
Board Member → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Callie Aschim
Former Board Member
Board Member → Former Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jackson Rose
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wes Feist
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dallas Rassmussen
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kali Wicks
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Rolf
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dave Allard
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ginger Kunz
Former Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lindsey Richtmyer
Liason
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Bauman
Former Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Klint Fisher (2020–2023) — Past President
- Former: Darrel Folkvord (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jim McCormick (2020–2022) — Past President
- Former: Andres Haladay (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Cathy Burwell (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Dan Mazurek (2020–2021) — Past President
- Former: Jamie Schell (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Eby (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $94K, to Brian Obert (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Montana Business Assistance Connection
How much does Montana Business Assistance Connection give each year?
Montana Business Assistance Connection gave $106K across 4 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $127K across 7 grants.
What is Montana Business Assistance Connection's typical grant size?
Montana Business Assistance Connection's median grant in 2024 was $19,978, and its average grant was $26,596, across 4 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Montana Business Assistance Connection give grants?
Montana Business Assistance Connection gives mostly in Montana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Helena, MT (2 grants).
Does Montana Business Assistance Connection give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Montana Business Assistance Connection's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is Montana Business Assistance Connection?
Montana Business Assistance Connection reported $15.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.7M.
What is Montana Business Assistance Connection's EIN?
Montana Business Assistance Connection's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3693967. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Montana Business Assistance Connection's focus areas in our free grants database
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