Whitefish Community Foundation Inc
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc is a public charity based in Whitefish, Montana. Formed in 2000, it works to foster philanthropy, build endowments, and help donors and nonprofits benefit the greater an individual recipient Its activities include grant programs, charitable fund administration, the Great Fish Community Challenge, and support for nonprofit development.
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Whitefish Community Foundation Inc gave $16.4M across 195 grants in 2025 (avg $84K), mostly in Montana. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $16,439,081
- +45.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 195
- +23.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $84,303
- +17.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $46,170
- Total assets
- $88,674,689
- +31.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (63 of 195, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Montana (83% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Whitefish Community Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation provides program-specific application and eligibility information on its website. Capacity-building applicants must meet the stated eligibility requirements, including having received a prior foundation grant and having submitted required documentation for previous awards. Listed restrictions include projects outside Flathead County, individuals, debt repayment, religious-doctrine promotion, political campaigns or political-agenda projects, and organizations operating under a fiscal sponsor.
- Review Cycle
- Capacity-building applications are accepted until December 1, 2026. The Youth Sports Grant Program has one application cycle annually; no date for that cycle is provided here.
- Deadline
- Capacity-building applications are accepted until December 1, 2026.
- Next open deadline
- November 13, 2026 (Kids Fund- Multi-year Request of Up To $50,000 Grant)
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1060, Whitefish, MT 59937-1060
Phone: (406) 863-1781
Website: https://whitefishcommunityfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
10 open opportunities from Whitefish Community Foundation Inc
Community Grant Program
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies by cycle
Deadline
Deadline not published
Great Fish Community Challenge
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Matching grants up to $10,200+ per nonprofit
Deadline
Deadline not published
Kids Fund- Multi-year Request of Up To $50,000 Grant
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Up to US $50,000
Deadline
November 13, 2026
Listed date — confirm with the funder
Who Whitefish Community Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $5.4M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($188,103), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
774 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 459 grants of 774 (59%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its work as benefiting the greater an individual recipient and says it partners with nonprofits across that region. In filing year 2025, 83% of itemized grant dollars went to Montana recipients, 6% to North Dakota, 3% each to California and Arizona, and 1% to Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 195 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Whitefish Community Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 63 of 195 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $55K; repeat grants $98K. How we count
Medians: $16K first-time, $57K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.0M (2019) to $16.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 195 grants totaling $16.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation Bismarck, ND | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| Dream Adaptive Recreation Whitefish, MT | Ski Program, General Support | $831,411 |
| Samaritan House Kalispell, MT | General Support | $821,682 |
| North Valley Food Bank Whitefish, MT | General Support | $509,360 |
| Turning Point USA Phoenix, AZ | General Support | $500,000 |
| North Valley Music School Whitefish, MT | General Support | $402,479 |
| Nate Chute Foundation Whitefish, MT | General Support | $357,726 |
| Whitefish Legacy Partners Whitefish, MT | General Support | $342,080 |
| Fast Blackfeet Browning, MT | General Support | $332,225 |
| Child Bridge Bigfork, MT | General Support | $327,600 |
Ready to take the next step with Whitefish Community Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $88,674,689 | $36,496,766 | $22,592,621 | $16,439,081 | 195 | $3,160,100 |
| 2024 | $67,617,403 | $20,160,627 | $15,776,882 | $11,319,547 | 158 | $3,210,828 |
| 2023 | $61,441,553 | $19,827,621 | $14,381,218 | $9,831,605 | 154 | $1,840,607 |
| 2022 | $51,543,713 | $14,279,734 | $11,807,593 | $7,995,749 | 131 | $1,571,186 |
| 2021 | $55,891,446 | $19,214,103 | $10,144,430 | $7,079,391 | 136 | $2,775,758 |
| 2020 | $41,798,554 | $10,602,801 | $8,321,850 | $6,121,612 | 109 | $657,778 |
| 2019 | $37,003,037 | $7,773,138 | $6,267,347 | $4,018,221 | 92 | $1,068,168 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to foster philanthropy, build endowments, and help donors and nonprofits benefit the community. Its 2025 filing describes grants supporting arts and culture, health and human services, education, sports and recreation, conservation, and civic activities. The Kids Fund supports programs for an individual recipient children who are or are at risk of becoming homeless.
The foundation also supports a range of local organizations. For example, Dream Adaptive Recreation describes its mission as providing empowering outdoor recreation for people with disabilities; Samaritan House describes its work as providing shelter and basic needs for people experiencing homelessness; and an individual recipient Food Bank says it builds food security through food assistance and culinary and nutrition education. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 195 itemized grants totaling $16,439,081. Grant amounts ranged from $5,250 to $1,000,000, with a median of $46,170. The largest listed grants included $1,000,000 to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation in Bismarck, North Dakota; $831,411 to Dream Adaptive Recreation in Whitefish; $821,682 to Samaritan House in Kalispell; and $509,360 to an individual recipient Food Bank in Whitefish.
The foundation’s 2025 filing describes several grantmaking activities. Its grant programs awarded $1,307,115 to 93 local organizations, including six major grants totaling $430,000. Emergency grants totaled $211,473, including $199,768 to local food pantries for food purchases when SNAP benefits were paused. The Kids Fund awarded six grants totaling $210,000 to local youth organizations. Separately, the Great Fish Community Challenge helped 85 nonprofits raise over $6.7 million from donors; the foundation provided $1.4 million in matching grants and $59,500 in incentive grants. The filing also reports that charitable funds it administered paid out over $11.6 million in grants and scholarships.
The foundation’s website reports $21.5 million granted to nonprofits in 2025. That figure is distinct from the $16,439,081 in itemized grants reported for filing year 2025.
The Community Grant Program offers flexible funding for nonprofit programs intended to improve quality of life across the an individual recipient The website describes the program as operating quarterly. The Youth Sports Grant Program serves an individual recipient youth sports organizations that do not participate in the Great Fish Community Challenge and offers awards up to $5,000. Capacity-building reimbursement grants of up to $2,000 are described for eligible Flathead County public charities, including support for accounting practices or software, donor-database software, and consultant training in governance and strategic planning. Capacity-building applications are accepted until December 1, 2026.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Greg Garrison as board chair and Doug Reed as vice chair. Listed directors are Ardyce Whisler, Linda Maetzold, Jeff Allen, Sherry Lesar, Laura Garbacz, Monica Pastor, Gordon Cross, and Jamie Shennan.
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc is led by Alan Davis, President on every filing since 2023; 2 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alan Davis
President
On filings since 2023
45 hrs/week
$135K (2023) → $166K (2025)
Greg Garrison
Board Chair
Secretary & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Board Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Betsy Bayne
Director
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Shennan
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Allen
Director
Vice Chair → Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Maetzold
Director
Board Chair → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Monica Pastor
Director
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sherry Lesar
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gordon Cross
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lucy Smith
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maureen Casey
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ardyce Whisler
Director
Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2022
Board Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Caeli Quinn
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hank Ricklefs
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Garbacz
Director
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacy Smith
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daria Perez
CFO
On filings since 2023
45 hrs/week
$124K (2023) → $142K (2025)
Doug Reed
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brenden Craig
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Carol Atkinson (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: John Witt (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: John Collins (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Ken Wessels (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Linda Engh-Grady (2019–2023) — Past President
- Former: Janice Case (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Jay Latimer (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: David Dittman (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Mike Shaw (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ardy Whisler (2020) — Director
- Former: Diane Conradi (2019) — Director
- Former: Ellen Moran (2019) — Director
- Former: Joe Gregory (2019) — Director
- Former: Shawn Watts (2019) — Director
- Former: Tom Quinn (2019) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $166K, to Alan Davis (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Whitefish Community Foundation Inc
How much does Whitefish Community Foundation Inc give each year?
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc gave $16.4M across 195 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $11.3M across 158 grants.
What is Whitefish Community Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $46,170, and its average grant was $84,303, across 195 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Whitefish Community Foundation Inc that year got $55K on average.
Where does Whitefish Community Foundation Inc give grants?
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc gives mostly in Montana: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Dakota (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kalispell, MT (55 grants), Whitefish, MT (51 grants), Missoula, MT (11 grants) and Columbia Falls, MT (9 grants).
Does Whitefish Community Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Whitefish Community Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (195 of 195) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Whitefish Community Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation ($1,000,000), Dream Adaptive Recreation ($831,411) and Samaritan House ($821,682), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($188,103), which are not listed by name. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Whitefish Community Foundation Inc?
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc reported $88.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $36.5M.
What does Whitefish Community Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to foster philanthropy, build endowments, and help donors and nonprofits benefit the community. Its 2025 filing describes grants supporting arts and culture, health and human services, education, sports and recreation, conservation, and civic activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Whitefish Community Foundation Inc?
The foundation provides program-specific application and eligibility information on its website. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 2, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 11, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 28, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Whitefish Community Foundation Inc funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Whitefish Community Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Whitefish Community Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/whitefish-community-foundation-inc-morg_cdb6a1ddad5846919ba44c23ac9b9c0b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_810533002_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Whitefish Community Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/whitefish-community-foundation-inc-morg_cdb6a1ddad5846919ba44c23ac9b9c0b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Whitefish Community Foundation Inc'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.
Whitefish Community Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?