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Montana Food Bank Network Inc

EIN 81-0421243 · Missoula, MT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair61 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION: TO END HUNGER IN MONTANA THROUGH FOOD ACQUISITION AND DISTRIBUTION, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY. WE ARE THE ONLY STATEWIDE HUNGER ORGANIZATION, PROVIDING EMERGENCY FOOD AND INCREASING FOOD ACCESS AMONG NEEDY CHILDREN, SENIORS AND FAMILIES IN ALL 56 COUNTIES AND ALL 7 RESERVATIONS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR OVER 330 NETWORK PARTNERS. WITH ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF JUST 4.7%, WE ARE A PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS THE ONLY FULLY PRIVILEGED MONTANA MEMBER OF FEEDING AMERICA, THE NATIONAL HUNGER ORGANIZATION.

Income
$36.1 million
Spending
$32.6 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
-3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 68%
Employees
28
Volunteers
3,057
Highest pay
$161,550, chief executive officer

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: 61 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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 31% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 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 (2)
  1. $30.7 million spent. EMERGENCY FOOD DISTRIBUTION - THE MONTANA FOOD BANK NETWORK (MFBN) IS MONTANA'S ONLY STATEWIDE FOOD BANK. WE WORK WITH THE NATIONAL HUNGER-FIGHTING ORGANIZATION, FEEDING AMERICA, AND HAVE DEVELOPED SEVERAL PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF ACCESSING FOOD IN MONTANA. WE WORK WITH OVER 330 OTHER HUNGER-FIGHTING PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO IMPROVE FOOD ACCESS AND SHARE INFORMATION TO ADDRESS HUNGER AND ITS ROOT CAUSES. LAST YEAR WE DISTRIBUTED 16,143,311 POUNDS OF FOOD TO OUR NETWORK PARTNERS THROUGHOUT MONTANA. MFBN PARTNERS WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY FOOD PROGRAMS, SCHOOLS AND SENIOR CENTERS TO FEED THOSE WHO MAY OTHERWISE GO HUNGRY. WE DELIVER FOOD ACROSS THE 150,000 SQUARE MILES OF MONTANA FROM LARGER TOWNS TO REMOTE COMMUNITIES AND INDIAN RESERVATIONS THAT OFTEN RELY ON MFBN TO PROVIDE MOST OF THE FOOD THEY DISTRIBUTE. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE BACK PACK PROGRAM, SCHOOL PANTRY, MAIL-A-MEAL AND MOBILE FOOD PANTRY. THE BACK PACK AND SCHOOL PANTRY PROGRAMS PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AND THEIR YOUNGER SIBLINGS ON WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS FROM SCHOOL. MAIL-A-MEAL SHIPS EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES TO PEOPLE IN VERY REMOTE AREAS OF MONTANA WITHOUT OTHER SERVICES NEARBY. THE MOBILE FOOD PANTRY PARTNERS WITH SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN UNDERSERVED OR UNSERVED COMMUNITIES FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION UNTIL A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION IS ESTABLISHED.
  2. $478,478 spent. POLICY ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH PROGRAM - IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING EMERGENCY FOOD, MFBN WORKS TO END HUNGER THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY SOLUTIONS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS. MFBN WORKS WITH LEGISLATORS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND THE HUNGER-RELIEF COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT ENDING HUNGER IS A PRIORITY. MFBN STRIVES TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC FOOD PROGRAMS ARE MAXIMIZED TO SUPPORT MONTANANS. BY COLLECTING INFORMATION FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MONTANA FEEDING PROGRAMS AND THROUGH A BIENNIAL CLIENT HUNGER SURVEY, MFBN THEN EDUCATES THE PUBLIC AND POLICY MAKERS ABOUT HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY IN MONTANA. DATA COLLECTED FROM THE HUNGER SURVEY IS USED TO TARGET MFBN'S OUTREACH ACTIVITIES FOR SNAP (SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM), SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM AND OTHER PUBLIC FOOD PROGRAMS. WITH THE ADDITION OF A BENEFIT ACCESS COORDINATOR, MFBN IS ALSO ABLE TO PROVIDE CLIENTS WITH ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE TO NAVIGATE THE COMPLEX PUBLIC BENEFITS PROCESS. THE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAM GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE LONG TERM SOLUTIONS TO HUNGER IN MONTANA WITH BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

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 2026.

    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 September 1984.

    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.