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Whitefish Community Foundation Inc

EIN 81-0533002 · Whitefish, MT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE WHITEFISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO FOSTERING PHILANTHROPY, BUILDING ENDOWMENTS, AND HELPING DONORS AND NONPROFITS BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY.

Income
$36.5 million
Spending
$22.6 million
Spent on programs
99%
Reserves
3.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 91%
Employees
6
Volunteers
45
Highest pay
$182,293, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 38% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 81% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    99% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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 December 31, 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 (5)
  1. $1.4 million spent. WCF GRANT PROGRAMS: AWARDED GRANTS TOTALING $1,307,115 TO 93 LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT ARTS & CULTURE, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION, SPORTS & RECREATION, CONSERVATION AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING 6 MAJOR GRANTS TOTALING $430,000. WCF ALSO AWARDED EMERGENCY GRANTS TOTALING $211,473, INCLUDING $199,768 TO LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES FOR FOOD PURCHASE WHEN SNAP BENEFITS WERE PAUSED. THE KIDS FUND, WHICH FUNDS IMPACTFUL PROGRAMS FOR FLATHEAD VALLEY CHILDREN WHO ARE OR ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS AWARDED 6 GRANTS TOTALING $210,000 TO LOCAL YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.
  2. $8.5 million spent. GREAT FISH COMMUNITY CHALLENGE: A FOUR-WEEK LONG FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN WHICH HELPED 85 NONPROFITS RAISE OVER $6.7M FROM 4300 DONORS AND THE FOUNDATION AWARDED AN ADDITIONAL $1.4M IN MATCHING GRANTS PLUS $59,500 IN INCENTIVE GRANTS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROCESSED ALL GIFTS AND PROVIDED ALL PRINTED MATERIALS, ADVERTISING, AND MARKETING AT AN APPROXIMATE COST TO THE ORGANIZATION OF OVER $400,000.
  3. $11.6 million spent. CHARITABLE FUNDS: HELD AND ADMINISTERED CHARITABLE FUNDS INCLUDING DONOR ADVISED FUNDS, DESIGNATED FUNDS, ANNUITY FUNDS AND AGENCY FUNDS WHICH PAID OUT GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING OVER $11.6M TO CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDED $255K IN PROGRAM SUPPORT TO THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.
  4. $77,125 spent. NONPROFIT DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (NPDP): OFFERED 9 FREE WORKSHOPS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, REACHING PARTICIPANTS FROM OVER 100 LOCAL NONPROFITS, FOCUSED ON KEY AREAS OF NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT TO IMPROVE OVERSIGHT, TRANSPARENCY, GOVERNANCE, OPERATIONS AND FUNDRAISING. ALSO HOSTED QUARTERLY NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROUNDTABLES. NPDP IMPLEMENTED A TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM, PROVIDING GRANTS TO NONPROFITS TO PURCHASE AND IMPLEMENT MUCH NEEDED SOFTWARE PROGRAMS. IN 2025 THIS PROGRAM AWARDED 14 GRANTS TOTALING $24,279 TO HELP FUND THE PURCHASE OF ACCOUNTING AND DONOR DATABASE SOFTWARE PROGRAMS, AND CONSULTANTS TO ASSIST WITH CAPACITY BUILDING AND STRATEGIC PLANNING.
  5. $558,700 spent. NONPROFIT ENDOWMENT FUNDS: HELD AND ADMINISTERED 43 ENDOWMENT FUNDS TOTALING OVER $24.7M FOR LOCAL AREA NONPROFITS AND PAID OUT ENDOWMENT DISTRIBUTIONS WHICH PROVIDED $438,980 IN OPERATING SUPPORT FOR THE RECIPIENT ORGANIZATIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 November 6, 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 December 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 September 2000.

    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 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.