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Foundation DossiersMostly funded, not a grantmaker — see who funds it →
Plinth

· Community foundation

Helena Area Community Foundation

To provide financial assistance to nonprofits benefiting lewis & clark county residents.

$86k
Granted FY2023
1
Grants FY2023
1
States reached
$8k
Largest
01What you fundRead
02The needRead
03Your fieldRead
01What you fund
01100% classified

What you funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year — across FY2022–2023.

Human Services$85kArts & Culture$83kCommunity Improvement$67kCrime & Legal$28kHousing & Shelter$28kHealth$24kPublic Benefit$14kYouth Development$14kOther$0
02FY2023 · 1 grant

Where the money goes

Your grants by size, and where they go.

The 1 grants below total $7,560 — the rows itemised in this filing. The $85,811 headline is the total grant expense reported on the return, so the remaining $78,251 is giving the schedule does not break out: grants under the $5,000 itemisation floor, grants to individuals, and grants reported on other schedules. Every figure below describes the itemised rows only.

$7,560
Median grant
1
States reached
$564k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
EXPLORATIONWORKS$7,560
02The need
03

Do your dollars go where the need is?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, then read against the area’s typical level.

show:

Your human-services grants (FY22–23, $71k) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 7%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of your grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 7%FAMILY OUTREACH INC: $19k → 9%YWCA HELENA: $14k → 9%EXPLORATIONWORKS: $10k → 9%EXPLORATIONWORKS: $8k → 9%MERLIN CCC: $6k → 9%FLORENCE CRITTENTON FAMILY SERVICES: $14k → 9%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount

Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty linein the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP; grantee ZIP can differ from where services are delivered.

US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are actually delivered. Need from public data — U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA — shown as context about the area, never attributed to your giving.

03Your field

The map has a center of gravity: the average direction from the rest of the sector toward the organizations the foundation funds — the shape of its giving. Scoring every nonprofit along that direction surfaces the ones that look most like the portfolio. These are the closest matchesthat aren’t grantees — a resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Confluence Public Health Alliance

None

Health
2
Humanities Montana

Humanities Montana serves communities through stories and conversation. We offer experiences that nurture imagination and ideas by speaking to Montanans diverse history, literature, and philosophy.

—
3
Missoula Community Foundation

To enhance community vitality by inspiring community giving and strengthening nonprofits

Community Improvement
4
Montana Hospital Association

Montana hospital association is the principal advocate for the interests of members in their efforts to improve the health status of the communities they serve.

—
5
The Montana Land Reliance

The mission of the montana land reliance (mlr) is to partner with landowners to provide permanent protection for private lands that are significant for agricultural production, fish and wildlife habitat, and open space.

Environment
6
Central Montana Childcare Alliance

Partner with childcare providers, families, and stakeholders to improve the quality of programming and expand the availability of childcare options in central montana.

Human Services
7
Arts Council of Big Sky

To enrich the big sky community through artistic experiences.

—
8
Central Montana Head Start

Central montana head start is an early learning center that empowers the whole child and family through health, education, and self-sufficiency.

Education
9
Mountainland Head Start

Empowering young children and families along a path to their highest potential.

Education
10
Family Connections Inc

Family connections utilizes the strength of community to support exceptional early childhood experiences.

Health
11
South Central Montana Regional Mental Health Center

The region iii mental health center is a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the establishment, development and maintenance of high quality mental health and chemical dependency care in south central montana.

—
12
Montana Chamber of Commerce

To create and sustain an optimal business climate, business prosperity and a strong montana economy through advocacy, education and collaboration, working to provide an empowered and educated workforce, reduce business growth obstacles,…

—

For reference, the grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Ywca Helena and the most unlike its peers is Archie Bray Foundation. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.

04the grantee network

27 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each one resolved to its own IRS returns and tracked year by year — your grant beside their revenue from every source. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

Counted here: distinct organizations you funded across 2017–2025, not grant rows in a single year — so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 27 of the 30 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile; the rest are funded organizations whose filings we could not track year by year.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
27/27
Grantees still filing
19/27
Grew since you first funded

Where your money sits — by cause, then by grantee

MONTANA PRESERVATION ALLIANCE INC — $14,000 · OtherMONTANA PRESERVATION ALLIANCE INCMONTANA LEGAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION — $14,000 · OtherMONTANA LEGAL SERVICES ASSOCIATIONHELENA AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY — $14,000 · OtherHELENA AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITYGOOD SAMARITAN MINISTRIES SERIES 900 LLC — $14,000 · OtherGOOD SAMARITAN MINISTRIES SERIES 900 LLCIntermountain Deaconess Childrens Services — $14,000 · OtherIntermountain Deaconess Childrens ServicesBIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL MONTANA — $13,667 · OtherBIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL MONTANAMUSIKANTEN INC — $11,000 · OtherMUSIKANTEN INCUNITED WAY OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK AREA INC — $10,000 · OtherUNITED WAY OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK AREA INCHELENA SYMPHONY — $9,000 · OtherHELENA SYMPHONYFIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT CASA-GAL PROGRAM — $14,000 · OtherFIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT CASA-GAL PROGRAMPRICKLY PEAR LAND TRUST — $13,050 · OtherPRICKLY PEAR LAND TRUSTLEWIS AND CLARK HUMANE SOCIETY — $10,000 · OtherLEWIS AND CLARK HUMANE SOCIETYHELENA FOOD SHARE INC — $10,000 · OtherHELENA FOOD SHARE INCFAMILY PROMISE OF GREATER HELENA INC — $24,000 · Human ServicesFAMILY PROMISE OF GREATER H…REGION IV FAMILY OUTREACH INC — $19,475 · Human ServicesREGION IV FAMILY OUTREACH I…EXPLORATIONWORKS INC — $17,670 · Human ServicesEXPLORATIONWORKS INCFLORENCE CRITTENTON HOME AND SERVICES — $14,000 · Human ServicesFLORENCE CRITTENTON HOME AN…YWCA HELENA — $14,000 · Human ServicesYWCA HELENAMERLIN MEDIATION COUNSELING & CONSULTING INC — $5,500 · Human ServicesMERLIN MEDIATION COUNSELING…THE MYRNA LOY — $14,000 · Arts & CultureTHE MYRNA LOYBROADWATER PRODUCTIONS INC GRANDSTREET THEATRE — $14,000 · Arts & CultureBROADWATER PRODUC…HOLTER MUSEUM OF ART — $12,000 · Arts & CultureHOLTER MUSEUM OF …QUEEN CITY BALLET COMPANY — $10,000 · Arts & CultureQUEEN CITY BALLET…COHESION DANCE PROJECT — $8,860 · Arts & CultureCOHESION DANCE PR…SHODAIR CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION — $14,000 · HealthHealthy Mothers Healthy Babies the Montana Coalition Inc — $10,000 · HealthARCHIE BRAY FOUNDATION — $10,598 · EducationTHE ANGEL FUND — $10,000 · EducationMONTANA BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER — $14,000 · Public BenefitFRIENDSHIP CENTER OF HELENA INC — $14,000 · Housing & Shelter
Other$160,717Human Services$94,645Arts & Culture$58,860Health$24,000Education$20,598Public Benefit$14,000Housing & Shelter$14,000

Each org by its size and your share of it — top-left is where you’re load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ your share of their budgetFAMILY PROMISE OF GREATER HELENA INC — $24,000 over 1y, 9.5% of budgetREGION IV FAMILY OUTREACH INC — $19,475 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetEXPLORATIONWORKS INC — $17,670 over 2y, 1.4% of budgetMONTANA PRESERVATION ALLIANCE INC — $14,000 over 1y, 3.3% of budgetSHODAIR CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION — $14,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetMONTANA BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER — $14,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetFRIENDSHIP CENTER OF HELENA INC — $14,000 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetMONTANA LEGAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION — $14,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetTHE MYRNA LOY — $14,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetHELENA AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY — $14,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetFLORENCE CRITTENTON HOME AND SERVICES — $14,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetYWCA HELENA — $14,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetIntermountain Deaconess Childrens Services — $14,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetFIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT CASA-GAL PROGRAM — $14,000 over 1y, 5.0% of budgetBROADWATER PRODUCTIONS INC GRANDSTREET THEATRE — $14,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetBIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL MONTANA — $13,667 over 1y, 2.9% of budgetPRICKLY PEAR LAND TRUST — $13,050 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetHOLTER MUSEUM OF ART — $12,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetARCHIE BRAY FOUNDATION — $10,598 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetTHE ANGEL FUND — $10,000 over 1y, 3.2% of budgetLEWIS AND CLARK HUMANE SOCIETY — $10,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetQUEEN CITY BALLET COMPANY — $10,000 over 1y, 17% of budgetHELENA FOOD SHARE INC — $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetHealthy Mothers Healthy Babies the Montana Coalition Inc — $10,000 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetUNITED WAY OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK AREA INC — $10,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetCOHESION DANCE PROJECT — $8,860 over 1y, 5.6% of budgetMERLIN MEDIATION COUNSELING & CONSULTING INC — $5,500 over 1y, 13% of budget
Go grantee by grantee — a decade per org, and how each moved after you funded them

A decade per grantee — revenue shaded, your grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

The grantmakers whose grantees overlap with yours far more than size alone predicts. Each orbits closer the stronger the alignment; the arcs between them show where they also fund each other. Here it reads as a tightly interlocked camp — most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Montana Community Fou…First Interstate Banc…Dennis & Phyllis Wash…Treacy FoundationUnited Way of the Lew…Headwaters Health Fou…Otto Bremer TrustTown Pump Charitable …McBride Family Founda…M J Murdock Charitabl…Speyer Family Foundat…Sample Foundation Inc
Montana Community Foundation IncMT39.6× affinity17 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Montana Community Foundation Inc · First Interstate BancSystem Foundation Inc · Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation · Treacy Foundation · United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area Inc · Headwaters Health Foundation of Western Montana · Otto Bremer Trust · Town Pump Charitable Foundation · McBride Family Foundation · M J Murdock Charitable Trust · Speyer Family Foundation · Sample Foundation Inc

Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. A research starting point: overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Government reliance of your grantees

Every dot is one organization Helena Area Community Foundation funds. Left–right is the share of its income from government; up–down is the share from you. Bigger dots raise more. Filter to federal or a single department — and drag the year to watch it move.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%5%11%20%your share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    9report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    typical government reliance, FY20–25

    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending — grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that your grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first — a floor, not a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12–24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read directly from IRS e-file XML — your own 990/990-PF and the multi-year returns of the 30 grantees we resolved across every year we hold, several hundred filings in all (a different count from the grant rows on the cover, which are one fiscal year)— each linked to its source. Grantee achievements and outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III); we read these as association with sustained funding — the foundation is one of several forces — suppress low-confidence name matches rather than guess, and say so where a figure rests on a single grant or filing. Not everything on this page is a filed figure, and the difference matters. Filed is what you reported on your return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears. How we build these →

    Generated from your IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2023, released 2023. Filings run roughly 12–24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Possibly out of date. A more recent filing (FY2024) is on record and reports $97k of grant expense, but none of it to a named recipient. On a Form 990 that can mean grants abroad, filed by region only (Schedule F), grants under $5,000, which are not itemized, or a schedule referenced as an attachment the e-file does not carry. The figures above are therefore from FY2023, the most recent year this funder named its grantees.

    Source object · view filing

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home