The Greater Montana Foundation
The Greater Montana Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Helena, Montana, established in 1959. The foundation was created by pioneer Montana broadcaster Ed Craney to support communication initiatives with an emphasis on electronic media. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and focuses on enhancing the quality of life in Montana through strategic investments in communication, education, arts, and culture.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.3M
+1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$360K
+4.4% YoY
Grant Count
20
-9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
+14.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Greater Montana Foundation reported a distributable amount of $446K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Greater Montana Foundation's mission is stated as follows:
"The Greater Montana Foundation benefits the people of Montana by encouraging communication with an emphasis on electronic media on issues, trends and values of importance to present and future generations of Montanans."
The foundation prioritizes funding for programs that demonstrate alignment with this mission statement and can show commercial television and radio stations' intention to air the proposed programs. Special consideration is given to multi-part series written and produced to air within regularly-scheduled news and public affairs programs.
Primary focus areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Historical activities and historic preservation
- Education and higher education
- Communication media, with particular emphasis on radio
- Information and communications
Grantmaking
The Greater Montana Foundation offers two primary grant categories:
Review Cycle
April 1
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates primarily in Montana, with documented funding activity in cities including Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula. The foundation also extends its reach to Oxnard, California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $8,305,828
- Total revenue: $596,921
- Total expenses: $497,636
- Total giving: $359,737
- Investments: $5.8 million
- Total liabilities: $1.37 million
Historical context (2023):
- Total assets: $8.23 million
- Revenue: $445,000
- Expenses: $471,000
The foundation has demonstrated relatively stable growth, with revenue increasing at an average rate of 4.4% annually over the past nine years.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,305,828 | $8,226,003 | $8,198,465 |
| Revenue | $596,921 | $444,764 | $347,597 |
| Expenses | $497,636 | $470,751 | $472,054 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $452,237 | $423,632 | $412,297 |
| Net Investment Income | $531,522 | $381,645 | $287,840 |
| Distributable Amount | $445,985 | $410,250 | $396,999 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
97 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Greater Montana Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Montana Broadcasters Association ($47,737), Friends of Montana Pbs ($35,000), From the Heart Productions ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FRIENDS OF MONTANA PBS BOZEMAN, MT | SUPPORT FOR NUMEROUS PROGRAMS INCLUDING BACKROADS OF MONTANA, 11TH AND GRANT, AND NEW PROGRAMS. | $35,000 |
| FROM THE HEART PRODUCTIONS OXNARD, CA | FOR MONTANA SESSIONS, A COLLECTION OF SHORT FILMS FEATURING SOME OF MONTANA'S FINEST MUSICIANS PERFORMING LIVE IN OUTDOOR LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. | $30,000 |
| MAPS MEDIA INSTITUTE HAMILTON, MT | SUPPORTS THE GENERAL OPERATIONS OF MAPS MEDIA INSTITUTE. | $30,000 |
| MAPS MEDIA LAB HAMILTON, MT | SUPPORTS THE MAPS FORT BELKNAP COMMUNITY PROGRAM, WHICH WILL PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND FREE PROFESSIONAL MEDIA ARTS EDUCATION FOR YOUTH IN THE FORT BELKNAP INDIAN COMMUNITY. | $30,000 |
| MONTANA BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION CLANCY, MT | EB AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMERCIAL BROADCASTING AND SUPPORT FOR A U.S. SENATE DEBATE. | $47,737 |
| MONTANA FREE PRESS HELENA, MT | FOR BROADCAST EXPANSION PROVIDING MONTANA FREE PRESS JOURNALISM TO BROADCAST STATIONS ACROSS MONTANA. | $20,000 |
| MONTANA PUBLIC RADIO MISSOULA, MT | CONTINUED PROGRAM SUPPORT IN VARIOUS RADIO, ONLINE, AND STREAMING PROGRAMMING. | $25,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM MISSOULA, MT | IN CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR VARIOUS STUDENT PRODUCTIONS AND INTERNSHIPS. | $24,000 |
| GLACIER NATIONAL PARK CONSERVANCY (RISE UP MONTANA) COLUMBIA FALLS, MT | 60 MINUTE PRODUCTION "JOURNEY TO THE SUN." | $10,000 |
| SWEET GRASS ARTS ALLIANCE BIG TIMBER, MT | SUPPORTS PRODUCTION OF A FEATURE-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY FILM THAT WILL REVEAL THE UNIQUE ART AND LIFE OF FAMED WESTERN PHOTOGRAPHER, BARBARA VAN CLEVE. | $8,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Bruce Whittenberg serves as the foundation's executive director and is the only compensated member of the management team. The foundation is managed by a board of trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRODY CRANEY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| RONALD DAVIS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DARLENE CRANEY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ROB MCDONALD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JIM SENST | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| EDWIN JOHNSON | VICE CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| BOB HERMES | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MICK ROBINSON | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MONTY WALLIS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARY WILLMARTH | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| LINDA GRAY | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| LEO BERRY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SYDNI TANGARO | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BRUCE WHITTENBERG | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 5 | $28,200 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Greater Montana Foundation announced 2025 grant awards and continues to accept applications for both general and commercial grants. The foundation has partnered with the Montana Broadcasters Association to co-sponsor debates for gubernatorial candidates, reflecting its ongoing commitment to supporting communication initiatives of importance to Montanans.
2025 Grant AwardsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Greater Montana Foundation fund?
The Greater Montana Foundation's mission is stated as follows: > "The Greater Montana Foundation benefits the people of Montana by encouraging communication with an emphasis on electronic media on issues, trends and values of importance to present and future generations of Montanans." The foundation prioritizes funding for programs that demonstrate alignment with this mission statement and can show commercial television and radio stations' intention to air the proposed programs. Special conside…
How do I apply for a grant from The Greater Montana Foundation?
The Greater Montana Foundation offers two primary grant categories: **General Grants** • Available to nonprofits and others for film, TV programs, documentaries, videos, webinars, and related projects • Annual application deadline: April 1 • Awards announced in June **Commercial Grants** • Designed to improve commercial broadcasting in Montana • No application deadline for commercial stations that can demonstrate an urgent and critical issue with time-limited production needs • Reflects founder…
Where does The Greater Montana Foundation make grants?
The foundation operates primarily in Montana, with documented funding activity in cities including Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula. The foundation also extends its reach to Oxnard, California.
What size grants does The Greater Montana Foundation award?
In 2024, The Greater Montana Foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $360K — an average of about $18K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Greater Montana Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Greater Montana Foundation reported a distributable amount of $446K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Greater Montana Foundation's EIN?
The Greater Montana Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-6009847. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Greater Montana Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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