Montana Food Bank Network Inc logo

Montana Food Bank Network Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Missoula, MT EIN: 81-0421243 Website

Our mission: to end hunger in Montana through food acquisition and distribution, education, and advocacy. We are the only statewide hunger organization, providing emergency food and increasing food access among needy children, seniors and families in all 56 counties and all 7 reservations, in partnership with our over 330 network partners. With administrative costs of just 4.7%, we are a private nonprofit organization that is the only fully privileged Montana member of feeding America, the national hunger organization.

Key facts about Montana Food Bank Network Inc

In short: Montana Food Bank Network Inc gave $18.4M across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $354K), mostly in Montana. 2% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
81-0421243
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$18,392,293
Grants made (2025)
52
Average grant
$353,698
Median grant
$63,381
New grantees (estimate)
2% first-time grantees (1 of 52, 2025)
Total assets
$23,469,905
Primary geography
Montana (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$23.5M

+47.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$18.4M

-28.7% YoY

Grant Count

52

-39.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$354K

+17.9% YoY

Is Montana Food Bank Network Inc open to new grantees?

2%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 52 grantees (2%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $361K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $64K repeat.

  • 96% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 27% from 2022 to 2025. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

About Montana Food Bank Network Inc

Based on IRS filings

Montana Food Bank Network Inc is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Missoula, MT. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $23.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 52 grants totaling $18.4M. Net investment income was $106K.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.

States

Cities

MissoulaGreat FallsTroyBillingsBrowningKalispellHelenaSuperiorHavreLewistownMiles CityBig TimberLibbyThompson FallsBozemanEurekaHamiltonLame DeerWhitefishAnaconda

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10M$20M$30M97 grants2021 91 grants2022 85 grants2023 86 grants2024 52 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $18.4M (2025) to $25.8M (2024). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $18.4M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Family Service Inc: $4.8MFamily Service Inc$4.8MHelena Food Share: $1.8MHelena Food Share$1.8MMissoula Food Bank and Community Center: $1.5MMissoula Food Bank andCommunity Center$1.5MGallatin Valley Food Bank: $1.5MGallatin Valley Food Bank$1.5MSalvation Army - Great Falls: $1.1MSalvation Army - Great Falls$1.1MFlathead Food Bank: $896KFlathead Food Bank$896KNorth Valley Food Bank: $714KNorth Valley Food Bank$714KSt Vincent De Paul: $680KSt Vincent De Paul$680KPoverello Center: $615KPoverello Center$615KCuster County Food Bank: $557KCuster County Food Bank$557K

The largest 2025 recipient was Family Service Inc ($4.8M). Together the top 10 received $14.2M.

Grant Size Distribution

411 grants across all recorded years

229<$50K38$50–100K53$100–250K38$250–500K24$500K–1M25$1–5M4$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 229 grants of 411 (56%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Family Service Inc Billings, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$4,818,866
Helena Food Share Helena, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$1,808,153
Missoula Food Bank and Community Center Missoula, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$1,520,179
Gallatin Valley Food Bank Bozeman, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$1,453,647
Salvation Army - Great Falls Great Falls, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$1,117,201
Flathead Food Bank Kalispell, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$896,193
North Valley Food Bank Whitefish, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$714,402
St Vincent De Paul Great Falls, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$680,260
Poverello Center Missoula, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$615,344
Custer County Food Bank Miles City, MTRespond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and working to reduce the incidence of hunger$557,162

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$10M$20M$30M$40M2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$23,469,905$15,950,813$11,747,582
Revenue$36,122,184$36,097,621$35,387,210
Expenses$32,648,220$33,029,842$32,787,710
Net Investment Income$106,210$242,977$57,434

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 5, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 5, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 30, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 11, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS October 17, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Montana Food Bank Network Inc is led by Gayle Carlson, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2021; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Gayle Carlson

    Chief Executive Officer

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $111K (2021) → $156K (2025)

  • Kevin Condit

    Chair

    Board Member → Vice Chair, 2023

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Keith Haas

    Board Member

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mary Lehman

    Board Member

    Chair → Board Member, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Matt Baldassin

    Past Chair

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2022

    Chair → Past Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Scott Kesler

    Treasurer

    Board Member → Treasurer, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tiffani Swanson

    Secretary

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jessica Proctor

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marie Hirsch

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ross Tillman

    Vice Chair

    Board Member → Vice Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chris Ewing

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Karen Byrnes

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Enos

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (9)
  • Former: Randy Riley (2021–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Carmen Byker Shanks (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Pastor Jessica Obrecht (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Anna Whiting-Sorrell (2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Maia Lasalle (2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Paul Miller (2021–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Jennifer Perez-Cole (2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Minkie Medora (2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Tanya Dvarishkis (2021) — Board Member

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

Gayle Carlson — Chief Executive Officer: $156KGayle CarlsonChief Executive Officer$156K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $156K, to Gayle Carlson (Chief Executive Officer).

Frequently asked questions about Montana Food Bank Network Inc

How much does Montana Food Bank Network Inc give each year?

Montana Food Bank Network Inc gave $18.4M across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $25.8M across 86 grants.

What is Montana Food Bank Network Inc's typical grant size?

Montana Food Bank Network Inc's median grant in 2025 was $63,381, and its average grant was $353,698, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Montana Food Bank Network Inc that year got $5K on average.

Where does Montana Food Bank Network Inc give grants?

Montana Food Bank Network Inc gives mostly in Montana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Missoula, MT (4 grants), Great Falls, MT (4 grants), Billings, MT (2 grants) and Kalispell, MT (2 grants).

Does Montana Food Bank Network Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 52 grants with a stated purpose on Montana Food Bank Network Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.

Who are Montana Food Bank Network Inc's largest grantees?

Montana Food Bank Network Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Family Service Inc ($4,818,866), Helena Food Share ($1,808,153) and Missoula Food Bank and Community Center ($1,520,179), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Montana Food Bank Network Inc?

Montana Food Bank Network Inc reported $23.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $36.1M.

What is Montana Food Bank Network Inc?

Montana Food Bank Network Inc is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Missoula, MT. It holds $23.5M in total assets as of 2025.

What is Montana Food Bank Network Inc's EIN?

Montana Food Bank Network Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0421243. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

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

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