Pioneer Federal Community

Private foundation · Grantmaker Dillon, MT EIN: 81-0522327

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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

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.

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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

8states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.

Cities

DillonDeer LodgeMissoulaBozemanDenverGarrisonAvonBellinghamBillingsButteDilonHelenaLoganMiles CityPolarisPullmanRapid CitySanta AnaWashingtonWenham

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K$80K20 grants2019 22 grants2020 18 grants2021 21 grants2022 21 grants2023 20 grants2024 21 grants2025

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

Rialto Community Theatre: $16KRialto Community Theatre$16KUniversity of Montana Western Foundation: $9KUniversity of Montana WesternFoundation$9KUniversity of Montana: $3KUniversity of Montana$3KBe the Change 406 Youth Coalition: $3KBe the Change 406 YouthCoalition$3KBeaverhead County DUI Taskforce: $3KBeaverhead County DUITaskforce$3KWomen's Resource Center: $3KWomen's Resource Center$3KLeaf Foundation: $3KLeaf Foundation$3KDeer Lodge Medical Center Auxiliary: $3KDeer Lodge Medical CenterAuxiliary$3KDillon Public Library: $3KDillon Public Library$3KDeer Lodge Food Pantry: $3KDeer Lodge Food Pantry$3K

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

101<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 101 grants of 101 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Rialto Community Theatre Deer Lodge, MTStage Lighting and New Projector$16,000
University of Montana Western Foundation Dillon, MTScholarships, Golf Scramble, and Shakespeare in the Parks$9,000
University of Montana Missoula, MTScholarships$3,000
Be the Change 406 Youth Coalition Dillon, MTMeals for monthly member meetings and color run supplies$3,000
Beaverhead County DUI Taskforce Dillon, MTSober Rides Campaign$3,000
Women's Resource Center Dillon, MTFood and Essential Supplies for Shelter Clients$2,900
Leaf Foundation Deer Lodge, MTElementary Snack Pack$2,600
Deer Lodge Medical Center Auxiliary Deer Lodge, MTHealth Related Education Program$2,500
Dillon Public Library Dillon, MTSummer Reading Program$2,500
Deer Lodge Food Pantry Deer Lodge, MTFood 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)
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$50K$100K$150K$200K2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
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

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 1, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 29, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 20, 2026)
  8. 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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