Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc
OP & WE Edwards Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Red Lodge, Montana. Its General Fund supports organizations working to expand opportunities for underserved youth and children, with stated focus areas including early childhood care and education, out-of-school-time organizations, and Indian Country.
Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc gave $1.6M across 63 grants in 2024 (avg $26K), mostly in Montana. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,607,573
- +23.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 63
- +23.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $25,517
- -0.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $28,428,638
- +9.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (10 of 63, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Montana (62% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. The website directs returning applicants to submit through its online grants management software when possible and says organizations new to the foundation may email to share information. Several funds are invitation-only or do not accept applications.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists General Fund deadlines of March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1.
- Deadline
- The website lists General Fund deadlines of March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 2445, Red Lodge, MT 59068-2445
Phone: (406) 446-1077
Website: https://opweedwards.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Red Lodge Area Community Foundation ($155K). Together the top 10 received $650K.
Grant Size Distribution
307 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 270 grants of 307 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 62% of grant dollars went to recipients in Montana, 17% to Ohio, 7% to Vermont, 3% to Puerto Rico, and 3% to Kentucky. The foundation also awarded a $40,000 grant to Lowell Observatory in Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 63 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 63 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 68% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 162% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2023) to $1.6M (2020). In 2024 it made 63 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Red Lodge Area Community Foundation Red Lodge, MT | Philanthropic Purpose | $155,358 |
| Meals on Wheels of Northern KY and Southwest OH Cincinatti, OH | Philanthropic Purpose | $84,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Cheyenne Nation Lame Deer, MT | Philanthropic Purpose | $70,000 |
| Leipsic United Methodist Church Leipsic, OH | Philanthropic Purpose | $61,800 |
| Florence Crittenton Home & Services Helena, MT | Philanthropic Purpose | $53,180 |
| Mahchiminahtik Chippewa and Cree Language Revitalization Box Elder, MT | Philanthropic Purpose | $50,000 |
| Peces Punta Santiago, PR | Philanthropic Purpose | $50,000 |
| Trust Montana Missoula, MT | Philanthropic Purpose | $45,000 |
| Moutain Bluebells Red Lodge, MT | Philanthropic Purpose | $41,000 |
| Vermont Community Loan Fund Montpelier, VT | Philanthropic Purpose | $40,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $28,428,638 | $4,106,835 | $1,777,172 | $1,607,573 | 63 | $2,186,363 | $791,968 | $1,352,673 |
| 2023 | $25,896,260 | $2,461,053 | $1,454,754 | $1,305,910 | 51 | $1,472,144 | $370,998 | $1,269,087 |
| 2022 | $24,898,756 | $5,993,103 | $1,448,326 | $1,400,274 | 58 | $1,538,303 | $901,945 | $1,124,161 |
| 2021 | $20,356,644 | $2,960,254 | $2,089,509 | $1,535,739 | 67 | $1,599,366 | $1,213,351 | $1,088,070 |
| 2020 | $19,476,763 | $-712,424 | $2,051,122 | $1,636,071 | 68 | — | $549,576 | $990,877 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s General Fund supports organizations that help provide underserved youth and children with a bridge to greater opportunity. Its stated priorities include early childhood care and education, out-of-school-time organizations, and Indian Country. Other funds have distinct focus areas: the Sky and Earth Fund includes science education, Indian Country, and affordable housing; the Environmental Fund focuses on environmental education. The foundation also describes discretionary funds and occasional program-related loans and mission-related investments.
The 2024 grantees illustrate a range of work. Red Lodge Area Community Foundation describes its work as connecting people, building community, and catalyzing change through grantmaking, leadership, and philanthropy services. Florence Crittenton Home and Services says it provides residential and community-based services for pregnant and parenting families with young children, including treatment, parenting support, home visiting, and early childhood programs. Trust Montana says it promotes community land trusts and holds land in trust to support workforce housing, farmland affordability, and community assets. Other grantees describe work in early childhood education and care, pediatric access, reuse and waste reduction, community lending, and astronomy education and public outreach.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 63 grants totaling $1,607,573. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $155,358, with a median of $20,000. Its largest awards included $155,358 to Red Lodge Area Community Foundation, $84,000 to Meals on Wheels of Northern KY and Southwest OH, $70,000 to Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, $61,800 to Leipsic United Methodist Church, and $53,180 to Florence Crittenton Home & Services. The filing lists the purpose of these grants as “philanthropic purpose.”
The foundation’s website says the General Fund does not accept unsolicited applications and that grants have generally gone to groups with which one or more trustees are closely acquainted. It invites organizations new to the foundation to email information about their organization. For organizations planning to apply again, the website asks them to try to submit by their prior deadline; the application can also include reporting on a previous grant. The foundation prefers online submission through its grants management software, and says applicants can contact it to arrange another submission method or submit a report separately. Applications for the W.E. Edwards Testamentary Fund are not accepted; applications to the Sky and Earth, Sound Justice, and Environmental funds are by trustee invitation only.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mark D. Eder as president, Christopher E. Gamper as vice president, Jo Ann Eder as treasurer, and Yogeeta Gamper as secretary. It also lists Gisela Gamper, Jessica Dunbar, and Maya Tillo as directors. The foundation’s website additionally lists Sara Urbanik as executive director and Ben Dunbar as a board member.
Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc is led by Mark D. Eder, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mark D. Eder
President
Treasurer → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gisela Gamper
Director
Vice President → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Dunbar
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maya Tillo
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher E. Gamper
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jo Ann Eder
Treasurer
President → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yogeeta Gamper
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc
How much does Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc give each year?
Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc gave $1.6M across 63 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 51 grants.
What is Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $25,517, across 63 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc that year got $21K on average.
Where does Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc give grants?
Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc gives mostly in Montana: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Ohio (17%) and Vermont (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Red Lodge, MT (8 grants), Missoula, MT (5 grants), Billings, MT (5 grants) and Bozeman, MT (5 grants).
Does Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 63 grants with a stated purpose on Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Philanthropic Purpose" (63 grants).
Who are Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Red Lodge Area Community Foundation ($155,358), Meals on Wheels of Northern KY and Southwest OH ($84,000) and Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Cheyenne Nation ($70,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc?
Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc reported $28.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s General Fund supports organizations that help provide underserved youth and children with a bridge to greater opportunity. Its stated priorities include early childhood care and education, out-of-school-time organizations, and Indian Country. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc's EIN?
Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6100965. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/op-and-we-edwards-foundation-inc-morg_f6b4945092524c369c9f5faccaa55344
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136100965_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Op \& We Edwards Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/op-and-we-edwards-foundation-inc-morg_f6b4945092524c369c9f5faccaa55344},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc'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.
Op & We Edwards Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?