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Montana Higher Education Student Assistance Corporation

EIN 81-0393527 · Helena, MT

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MHESAC OFFERS BORROWER BENEFITS IN THE FORM OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST RATE REDUCTIONS TO EXISTING STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS. ITS REACH HIGHER MONTANA (RHM) PROGRAMS CORE AREAS OF FOCUS ARE DUAL ENROLLMENT SUPPORT, STUDENT SERVICES, NETWORK SUPPORT AND OUTREACH.

Income
$19.6 million
Spending
$22.0 million
Spent on programs
98%
Reserves
41.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 91%
Employees
0
Volunteers
65
Highest pay
$260,498, ceo mhesac, pres/ceo saf

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

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 41.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 73% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 20% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    98% 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $19.3 million spent. ACQUISITION AND SERVICING OF GUARANTEED STUDENT LOANS AS A SECONDARY STUDENT LOAN MARKET FOR THE FEDERAL FAMILY EDUCATION LOAN PROGRAM (FFELP). BENEFITS PROVIDED TO BORROWERS THROUGH REBATE, INCENTIVE, AND RATE REDUCTION PROGRAMS TOTALED $221 THOUSAND FOR 3,491 BORROWERS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. $55 MILLION IN BENEFITS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO BORROWERS SINCE INCEPTION OF BORROWER BENEFIT PROGRAMS IN 1996. SINCE INCEPTION, MHESAC HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN $3.7 BILLION IN STUDENT LOANS TO OVER 241,000 BORROWERS.
  2. $1.1 million spent. RHM SERVES AS THE BACKBONE SUPPORT ORGANIZATION FOR THE MONTANA WORK-BASED LEARNING COLLABORATIVE, CONVENING OVER 30 STATEWIDE PARTNERS TO IMPROVE DATA COLLECTION AND PROGRAM DELIVERY FOR CAREER-CONNECTED LEARNING IN MONTANA.
  3. $789,228 spent. RHM OUTREACH STAFF SERVED OVER 39,000 MONTANA STUDENTS THROUGH COLLEGE AND CAREER OUTREACH, SCHOLARSHIP WORKSHOPS, SERVICES FOR YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE, DUAL ENROLLMENT AND CAREER FAIRS.
  4. $352,115 spent. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, RHM DELIVERED SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS TO OVER 600 MONTANA STUDENTS.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1983.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 October 21, 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.