Whitefish Community Foundation Inc
Whitefish Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Whitefish, Montana, serving the Flathead Valley region. Established in 2000, the foundation has been operating for 25 years and functions as a community foundation dedicated to connecting donors with nonprofit organizations to improve quality of life in the region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$67.6M
+10.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.3M
+15.1% YoY
Grant Count
158
+2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$72K
+12.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Whitefish Community Foundation is dedicated to fostering philanthropy, building endowments, and helping donors and nonprofits benefit their communities.
The foundation supports a broad range of charitable purposes across education, human services, and philanthropy. Primary focus areas include programs addressing children experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, with emphasis on education, health, and safety.
Grantmaking
Awards typically range from $5,056 to $1,252,549.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary focus on the Flathead Valley region of Montana. Grant-making also extends to California and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $61.4 million
- Revenue: $19.8 million
- Expenses: $14.4 million
- Total Liabilities: $4.91 million
Cumulative Impact:
- $8.1 million raised for 85 Flathead Valley nonprofits (as of 25th anniversary)
- Over $43 million raised through Great Fish Community Challenge since 2015
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $67,617,403 | $61,441,553 | $51,543,713 |
| Revenue | $20,160,627 | $19,827,621 | $14,279,734 |
| Expenses | $15,776,882 | $14,381,218 | $11,807,593 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,210,828 | $1,840,607 | $1,571,186 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
10 open opportunities from Whitefish Community Foundation Inc
Community Grant Program
WHITEFISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Varies by cycle
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Great Fish Community Challenge
WHITEFISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Matching grants up to $10,200+ per nonprofit
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Kids Fund- Multi-year Request of Up To $50,000 Grant
WHITEFISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Up to US $50,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Conservation International Foundation ($250,000), Neighborworks Montana ($114,618), City of Hope ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WHITEFISH COMMUNITY LIBRARY WHITEFISH, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,397 |
| MONTANA FOOD BANK NETWORK MISSOULA, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,500 |
| COLUMBIA FALLS ACADEMIC FOUNDATION COLUMBIA FALLS, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,500 |
| FLATHEAD 4-H FOUNDATION KALISPELL, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| GLACIER TWINS AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL WHITEFISH, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA MISSOULA, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| MERCY CORPS PORTLAND, OR | GENERAL SUPPORT | $6,250 |
| PALOS VERDES PENINSULA LAND CONSERVANCY ROLLING HILLS ESTAE, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $6,375 |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $7,000 |
| KALISPELL MONTESSORI CENTER INC KALISPELL, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $7,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARDYCE WHISLER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GREG GARRISON | BOARD CHAIR | 2 | — |
| LINDA MAETZOLD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CAROL ATKINSON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JEFF ALLEN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SHERRY LESAR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LAURA GARBACZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MONICA PASTOR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GORDON CROSS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DOUG REED | VICE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| JAMIE SHENNAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRENDEN CRAIG | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| JOHN WITT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STACY SMITH | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MAUREEN CASEY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CAELI QUINN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LUCY SMITH | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| HANK RICKLEFS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BETSY BAYNE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ALAN DAVIS | PRESIDENT | 45 | $156,500 |
| DARIA PEREZ | CFO | 45 | $134,500 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues active grantmaking with recent announcements of significant grant distributions. In April 2025, the foundation awarded $477,500 to 52 nonprofits. The foundation maintains an active grant calendar with multiple funding opportunities available throughout the year, including the annual Community Grant Program and ongoing Great Fish Community Challenge.
Whitefish Community Foundation awards over $477,000 to Flathead Valley nonprofitsContact Information
Address: Whitefish Community Foundation 214 Second Street West P.O. Box 1060 Whitefish, Montana 59937
Phone: (406) 863-1781
Email: contact@whitefishcommunityfoundation.org
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Website: whitefishcommunityfoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Whitefish Community Foundation Inc fund?
**Mission:** Whitefish Community Foundation is dedicated to fostering philanthropy, building endowments, and helping donors and nonprofits benefit their communities. The foundation supports a broad range of charitable purposes across education, human services, and philanthropy. Primary focus areas include programs addressing children experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, with emphasis on education, health, and safety.
How do I apply for a grant from Whitefish Community Foundation Inc?
**Community Grant Program** – Annual grants up to $10,000 for capital projects and programs, awarded based on community impact and organizational capacity. **Kids Fund** – Giving Voice to Children – Targets needs in education, health, and safety for children experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, with multi-year requests up to $50,000 and one-time requests up to $50,000. **Great Fish Community Challenge** – Annual giving challenge that has raised over $43 million since 2015 for F…
Where does Whitefish Community Foundation Inc make grants?
Primary focus on the Flathead Valley region of Montana. Grant-making also extends to California and New York.
What size grants does Whitefish Community Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Whitefish Community Foundation Inc awarded 158 grants totaling $11.3M — an average of about $72K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Whitefish Community Foundation Inc's EIN?
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0533002. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Whitefish Community Foundation Inc'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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