Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation
The Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation is a private foundation based in Billings, Montana. It supports qualified charities focused on the humanities, education, the environment, and the performing and fine arts, with a stated mission of supporting philanthropic efforts within the Northern Great Plains.
Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation at a glance
In short: Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation gave $246K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Montana. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $246,240
- +23.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- -5.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,695
- +30.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $2,987,456
- +121.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (9 of 31, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Montana (93% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states on its 2025 filing that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website describes Spring and Fall grant cycles and asks applicants to submit all materials in one PDF by email; it encourages applicants to contact the Director with questions. These instructions describe the website’s process and do not override the filing’s statement that unsolicited requests are not accepted.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists April 15 for the Spring cycle and September 30 for the Fall cycle, with awards in May and October, respectively. As of September 28, 2026, the listed Spring deadline has passed; the listed September 30, 2026 Fall deadline is upcoming.
- Deadline
- The website lists April 15 for the Spring cycle and September 30 for the Fall cycle, with awards in May and October,…
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 7113, Billings, MT 59103
Website: https://ssheyneman.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Yellowstone Art Museum ($35K). Together the top 10 received $187K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($4,700), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 148 grants of 148 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s mission describes its philanthropic focus as the Northern Great Plains. Its website says small operating grants under $5,000 are awarded primarily in Stillwater and Yellowstone counties in Montana and Sheridan County in Wyoming. In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in Montana and 7% to recipients in Wyoming.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 31 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 45% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 67% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 167% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $147K (2022) to $246K (2025). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $246K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone Art Museum Billings, MT | For Year 1 of project to reinstall and reimagine permanent art collection | $35,000 |
| Northern Plains Resource Council Billings, MT | For general operations | $30,000 |
| Alberta Bair Theatre Billings, MT | For stage lift replacement project | $25,000 |
| Missoula Art Museum Missoula, MT | For front entry redesign project | $25,000 |
| Stillwater Historical SocietyMuseum of the Beartooths Columbus, MT | For high-density shelving project | $20,000 |
| ACLU Missoula, MT | For general operations | $17,500 |
| Humanities Montana Missoula, MT | For Poet Laureate program | $15,190 |
| Arts & Above Missoula, MT | For touring show Compartilhamento | $9,000 |
| Chinook Horses Billings, MT | For youth leadership development program | $5,000 |
| Family Service Billings, MT | General support | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,987,456 | $2,612,965 | $273,845 | $246,240 | 32 | $259,386 | $809,427 | $155,151 |
| 2024 | $1,349,005 | $83,915 | $226,188 | $200,000 | 34 | $208,494 | $75,946 | $83,658 |
| 2023 | $1,491,366 | $673,160 | $241,729 | $216,200 | 31 | $224,590 | $664,621 | $77,542 |
| 2022 | $1,060,569 | $182,101 | $165,249 | $147,050 | 28 | $156,955 | $173,807 | $87,334 |
| 2021 | $1,042,820 | $418,972 | $180,045 | $156,500 | 23 | $164,913 | $158,255 | $84,906 |
| 2020 | $923,346 | $763,185 | $231,536 | $211,394 | 29 | — | $389,793 | $57,865 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $155K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation identifies the humanities, education, the environment, and the performing and fine arts as areas of support. Its mission page names Montana State University, Rocky Mountain College, and Montana Public Radio as humanities partners; Northern Plains Resource Council, Montana Land Reliance, and The Land Institute as environmental partners; and Alberta Bair Theater, Yellowstone Art Museum, and Sheridan Art Guild as performing and fine arts partners.
The foundation’s 2025 grants included support for arts and cultural organizations, environmental advocacy, and other community-serving organizations. For example, Yellowstone Art Museum says it exhibits, interprets, collects, and preserves art for public enrichment and education. Northern Plains Resource Council says it organizes Montanans to protect natural resources and working landscapes and build grassroots leadership. Missoula Art Museum describes its work as public art exhibitions and education, while Humanities Montana says it serves communities through stories and conversation about Montana’s history, literature, and philosophy. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
The foundation prefers project-specific grants but also makes general operating grants on occasion. In filing year 2025, it awarded 32 grants totaling $246,240. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $35,000, with a median grant of $3,000.
Among the larger 2025 awards were $35,000 to Yellowstone Art Museum for the first year of a project to reinstall and reimagine its permanent collection; $30,000 to Northern Plains Resource Council for general operations; $25,000 each to Alberta Bair Theatre for a stage-lift replacement and Missoula Art Museum for a front-entry redesign; and $20,000 to Stillwater Historical SocietyMuseum of the Beartooths for high-density shelving. Other awards included $17,500 to ACLU for general operations and $15,190 to Humanities Montana for its Poet Laureate program.
The website says applications are reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees and generally limits support to no more than 20% of an individual project. Its application form asks for organizational and project details, the project’s geographic area, request type and amount, total project cost, funding commitments, and other funding sought. The form identifies 501(c)(3) organizations and fiscal agents.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Heyneman Jr, Corby Skinner, Margaret Kingsland, Alexander Heyneman, and Thomas Heyneman as trustees. The foundation’s website lists its board as Margaret Kingsland of Missoula, Montana; Corby Skinner of Billings, Montana; Alex Heyneman of Absarokee, Montana; Tom Heyneman of Fishtail, Montana; and John Heyneman of Sheridan, Wyoming.
Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Corby Skinner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Heyneman Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Kingsland
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alexander Heyneman
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Heyneman
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Susan Scott Heyneman (2020–2024) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation
How much does Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation give each year?
Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation gave $246K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $200K across 34 grants.
What is Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation's typical grant size?
Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $7,695, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation give grants?
Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation gives mostly in Montana: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Wyoming (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Billings, MT (10 grants), Missoula, MT (5 grants), Sheridan, WY (5 grants) and Absarokee, MT (4 grants).
Does Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 69% of Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (22 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation's largest grantees?
Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Yellowstone Art Museum ($35,000), Northern Plains Resource Council ($30,000) and Alberta Bair Theatre ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($4,700), which are not listed by name. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation?
Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $259K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $155K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation fund?
The foundation identifies the humanities, education, the environment, and the performing and fine arts as areas of support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation?
The foundation states on its 2025 filing that it 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 Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation's EIN?
Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2364561. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/susan-scott-heyneman-foundation-morg_dda1cc67940b47fa83e5b229f89eab21
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742364561_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/susan-scott-heyneman-foundation-morg_dda1cc67940b47fa83e5b229f89eab21},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation'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.
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