Pioneer Federal Community
Pioneer Federal Community is a private foundation based in Dillon, Montana. Its 2025 filing reports 21 grants totaling $60,400, all to recipients in Montana.
Key facts about Pioneer Federal Community
In short: Pioneer Federal Community gave $60K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Montana. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 81-0522327
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $60,400
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- Average grant
- $2,876
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (7 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $1,319,510
- Primary geography
- Montana (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.3M
+4.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$60K
+11.9% YoY
Grant Count
21
+5.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
+6.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pioneer Federal Community reported a distributable amount of $78K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Pioneer Federal Community open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 20 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 88% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants supported organizations and projects involving education and scholarships, arts and cultural programming, youth activities, food and essential supplies, healthcare education, sobriety initiatives, and trail improvements.
The grantees’ own descriptions provide further context: the Women’s Resource Center says it addresses domestic and sexual violence through crisis intervention, advocacy, prevention, and education in rural Beaverhead and Madison counties. Beaverhead Trails Coalition describes its mission as enhancing and developing trails on public lands in Beaverhead County. Powell County Medical Foundation says it funds rural medical community needs, and Barrett Hospital Foundation says it stewards healthcare philanthropy and programs to enhance Barrett Hospital and Healthcare.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 21 grants totaling $60,400. Grants ranged from $500 to $16,000, with a median grant of $2,500.
Among the largest reported grants were $16,000 to Rialto Community Theatre for stage lighting and a new projector; $9,000 to University of Montana Western Foundation for scholarships, a golf scramble, and Shakespeare in the Parks; and $3,000 each to University of Montana for scholarships, Be the Change 406 Youth Coalition for meals and Color Run supplies, and Beaverhead County DUI Taskforce for a sober rides campaign. Other grants included $2,900 to Women’s Resource Center for food and essential supplies for shelter clients, $2,600 to LEAF Foundation for an elementary snack pack, and $2,500 each to an individual recipient Medical Center Auxiliary, Dillon Public Library, an individual recipient Food Pantry, and Beaverhead Food Pantry.
How to Apply
The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with Pioneer Federal Community?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Montana. Listed recipients were in Dillon, an individual recipient, and Missoula.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $49K (2020) to $60K (2025). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $60K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Rialto Community Theatre ($16K). Together the top 10 received $47K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($2,400), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
101 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 101 grants of 101 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rialto Community Theatre Deer Lodge, MT | Stage Lighting and New Projector | $16,000 |
| University of Montana Western Foundation Dillon, MT | Scholarships, Golf Scramble, and Shakespeare in the Parks | $9,000 |
| University of Montana Missoula, MT | Scholarships | $3,000 |
| Be the Change 406 Youth Coalition Dillon, MT | Meals for monthly member meetings and color run supplies | $3,000 |
| Beaverhead County DUI Taskforce Dillon, MT | Sober Rides Campaign | $3,000 |
| Women's Resource Center Dillon, MT | Food and Essential Supplies for Shelter Clients | $2,900 |
| Leaf Foundation Deer Lodge, MT | Elementary Snack Pack | $2,600 |
| Deer Lodge Medical Center Auxiliary Deer Lodge, MT | Health Related Education Program | $2,500 |
| Dillon Public Library Dillon, MT | Summer Reading Program | $2,500 |
| Deer Lodge Food Pantry Deer Lodge, MT | Food for the Vulnerable in Our Community | $2,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,319,510 | $136,625 | $85,262 | $60,400 (21 grants) |
| 2024 | $1,266,647 | $174,338 | $76,077 | $53,970 (20 grants) |
| 2023 | $1,167,386 | $118,216 | $71,557 | $51,767 (21 grants) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,319,510 | $1,266,647 | $1,167,386 |
| Revenue | $136,625 | $174,338 | $118,216 |
| Expenses | $85,262 | $76,077 | $71,557 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $68,395 | $61,965 | $59,762 |
| Net Investment Income | $67,074 | $108,972 | $49,343 |
| Distributable Amount | $78,053 | $70,189 | $61,068 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Phil Willett as president; Spence Hegstad as vice president; Kory Smith as treasurer/secretary; and Bill Mosier, Tony Pfaff, and Tedd Stanisich as directors.
Pioneer Federal Community is led by Phil Willett, President since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Phil Willett
President
Director → President, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bill Mosier
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tedd Stanisich
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tony Pfaff
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Spence Hegstad
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kory Smith
Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jamie Secor (2019–2021) — Treasurer & Secretary
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 32 North Washington Street, Dillon, MT 59725
Phone: (406) 683-5191
Frequently asked questions about Pioneer Federal Community
How much does Pioneer Federal Community give each year?
Pioneer Federal Community gave $60K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $54K across 20 grants.
What is Pioneer Federal Community's typical grant size?
Pioneer Federal Community's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $2,876, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Pioneer Federal Community that year got $1K on average.
Where does Pioneer Federal Community give grants?
Pioneer Federal Community 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 Dillon, MT (12 grants) and Deer Lodge, MT (6 grants).
Does Pioneer Federal Community give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on Pioneer Federal Community's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Pioneer Federal Community's largest grantees?
Pioneer Federal Community's largest 2025 grantees include Rialto Community Theatre ($16,000), University of Montana Western Foundation ($9,000) and University of Montana ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($2,400), which are not listed by name. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Pioneer Federal Community?
Pioneer Federal Community reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $68K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $78K (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 Pioneer Federal Community fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants supported organizations and projects involving education and scholarships, arts and cultural programming, youth activities, food and essential supplies, healthcare education, sobriety initiatives, and trail improvements. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Pioneer Federal Community?
The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Pioneer Federal Community's EIN?
Pioneer Federal Community's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0522327. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Pioneer Federal Community accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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