Montana History Foundation
Provide development and advisory leadership for organizations dedicated to the preservation of Montana's history and culture.
Montana History Foundation at a glance
In short: Montana History Foundation gave $87K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Montana. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $86,500
- -60.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- -62.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,611
- +4.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $10,059,853
- +5.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Montana (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Montana History Foundation
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Montana History Foundation
Who Montana History Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Carter County Geological Society ($10K). Together the top 9 received $87K.
Grant Size Distribution
90 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 90 grants of 90 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Montana History Foundation gives
- Giving fell 52% from 2022 to 2025. 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $26K (2019) to $221K (2024). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $87K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carter County Geological Society Ekalaka, MT | Promote and Preserve Montana History | $10,000 |
| City of Shelby Shelby, MT | Promote and Preserve Montana History | $10,000 |
| Conrad Public Library Conrad, MT | Promote and Preserve Montana History | $10,000 |
| Heritage & Cultural Foundation of Garfield County Jordan, MT | Promote and Preserve Montana History | $10,000 |
| Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana Charlo, MT | Promote and Preserve Montana History | $10,000 |
| Treasure County 89ER'S Museum Hysham, MT | Promote and Preserve Montana History | $10,000 |
| Wolf Point Area Museum Wolf Point, MT | Promote and Preserve Montana History | $10,000 |
| George McCone County Library Circle, MT | Promote and Preserve Montana History | $9,000 |
| Powder River Historical Society Broadus, MT | Promote and Preserve Montana History | $7,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10,059,853 | $991,871 | $990,435 | $86,500 | 9 | $207,296 |
| 2024 | $9,546,645 | $1,572,915 | $2,108,316 | $220,576 | 24 | $187,226 |
| 2023 | $9,398,884 | $1,576,959 | $1,436,158 | $190,210 | 21 | $156,957 |
| 2022 | $8,725,083 | $1,655,465 | $1,005,857 | $179,540 | 20 | $78,596 |
| 2021 | $9,109,325 | $1,170,117 | $753,187 | $116,250 | 16 | $170,088 |
| 2020 | $7,736,805 | $1,299,183 | $809,982 | $96,500 | 12 | $119,838 |
| 2019 | $7,177,001 | $952,744 | $759,421 | $26,084 | 3 | $161,546 |
About Montana History Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Montana History Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Helena, MT. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $10.1M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $87K. Net investment income was $207K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Montana History Foundation is led by Charlene Porsild, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charlene Porsild
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$105K (2019) → $137K (2025)
Chase Hibbard
Chairman
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Debora Brown
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike O'Neill
Director
Director → Chair, 2021
Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Monty Lesh
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim Gordon
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Peterson
Director
Vice Chair → Chairman, 2023
Chairman → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carmine Mowbray
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chantelle Nash
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Owen Robinson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Beth McFadden
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Helena Maclay
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Grant Zahajko
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (13)
- Former: Bruce Parker (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Mike Dalton (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Llane Carroll (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Beth McFarland (2023) — Director
- Former: Thomas E. Donnelley II (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Tom Lund (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Timothy Gordon (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Montgomery Lesh (2022) — Director
- Former: Bill Jones (2019–2021) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Debbry McClenahan (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Emily Hibbard (2019–2020) — Vice Chairman
- Former: Nancy Nicholson (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Chris Warden (2019) — Immediate Past Chair
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 $137K, to Charlene Porsild (President/CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Montana History Foundation
How much does Montana History Foundation give each year?
Montana History Foundation gave $87K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $221K across 24 grants.
What is Montana History Foundation's typical grant size?
Montana History Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $9,611, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Montana History Foundation give grants?
Montana History Foundation gives mostly in Montana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there.
Does Montana History Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Montana History Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Promote and Preserve Montana History" (9 grants).
Who are Montana History Foundation's largest grantees?
Montana History Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Carter County Geological Society ($10,000), City of Shelby ($10,000) and Conrad Public Library ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Montana History Foundation?
Montana History Foundation reported $10.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $992K.
What is Montana History Foundation?
Montana History Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Helena, MT. It holds $10.1M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Montana History Foundation's EIN?
Montana History Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0435459. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 17, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 3, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS December 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work Montana History Foundation funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Montana History Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Montana History Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?