Billings Food Bank Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To assume a leadership role in feeding the hungry by recovering, securing, purchasing, and delivering (both through other agencies and directly) quality food and other products while playing a strong education and advocacy role in hunger-related issues; doing all within our power to address root causes of hunger and encourage economic growth.At the Billings Food Bank our mission is to provide food for today and hope for tomorrow. We believe every human deserves to have their basic needs met and feel equipt to thrive! In this spirit, we celebrate diversity in the communities we serve and foster an environment of inclusion with our employees, volunteers, and community members.
- Income
- $39.1 million
- Spending
- $37.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 99%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 645
- Highest pay
- $103,073, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 28% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1599% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.
Results it reports
- The culinary job training program has had over 200 graduates.Change achieved
- 99% of culinary program graduates were placed in jobs.Change achieved
- Over 301,000 meals were prepared for the homeless population and other social services agencies.Work delivered
- Cooking for Kidneys event served 5,000.Work delivered
- Quilts & Blankets: 4,000.Work delivered
- Pet Food Pantry: 15,811.Work delivered
- Baby Pantry: 38,512.Work delivered
- 10,493 hygiene kits provided.Work delivered
- 3,600 backpacks with school supplies provided for kids.Work delivered
Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $36.9 million spent. Billings Food Bank was formed in 1982. Originally designed to serve agencies having food programs, and primarily in Yellowstone County. It has now evolved into a truly independent food bank responding to requests from anywhere throughout the world. If we have the ability to help, we do. In addition to food, we also supply appliances, furniture, equipment, household needs, beds, and mattresses, as available.In the last 40 years we have also established the Fortin Culinary Center where we teach culinary job training skills. We have so far had over 200 graduates of this program with a 99% success rate of placing those individuals in jobs. The demand for people with culinary skills is tremendous. We have a very strict set of rules for our students as there is no charge for the course, but if you dont show up you are not allowed to continue. We have literally changed lives with this program. We are truly proud to have moved many of our students from a generational norm of living on the system, to now being productive members of the work force.Our Fortin Culinary Center has also become a source of revenue and training for our students and others. We have a large reception hall seating 300 which can be divided into two sections for meetings, weddings, receptions, company parties, memorial services, job training sessions, Serve Safe Classes, etc. We serve many banquets on a regular basis, which of course, is tremendous training for our students. We also utilize our certified commercial kitchen and food processing center (originally funded in part with a Montana State Growth Thru Ag Grant)to prepare meals for other agencies and programs. We prepared over 301,000 meals for the homeless population and other social services agencies. Using our facility we have processed, preserved and repackaged hundreds of thousand pounds of meats, produce, beans (dry) etc. for use in preparing these meals. The Culinary Center is also a shared use facility for food entrepreneurs to test new products or use as a new business base. We have been a starting point for many! We opened our Fortin Caf and Gift shop in response to a neighborhood demand, which has now turned into a popular breakfast and lunch venue. It is also a great training field for our students, many of whom we actually hire. We have two fulltime chefs, one teaches our classes and one runs the caf. We also encourage social enterprise by promoting and selling art and other items for area artists. And we rent our beautiful commercial kitchen to entrepreneurs wishing to start or expand their food related business. We do this on an hourly basis so young businesses do not have to incure a heavy debt load as their business develops. We have been the catalyst for many businesses that have now grown and started their own places.We provide cooking and nutrition classes to not only our recipients, but to youth and others as our time and facility use allows. We serve as a training ground for many folks with special needs, and have actually hired several.We have also co-sponsored many causes and events, such as "The Cooking for Kidneys" for folks with kidney issues (5,000); Quilts & Blankets (4,000); Pet Food Pantry (15,811); Baby Pantry (38,512); Hygiene Kits (10,493); Backpacks for Kids w/ School Supplies (3,600) as well as Snack Packs for Kids with food; and more. The breakdown for ages: 28% 0-17; 47% 18-60; 23% 60 and up.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1987.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.