Montana Food Bank Network

What Montana Food Bank Network does

Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Missoula, Montana, founded in 1983 to end hunger in the state through food acquisition, distribution, education, and advocacy. The organization operates a hub-and-spoke model, serving as the central coordinator for a network of 330 partner organizations across Montana that distribute food and provide direct hunger-relief services to families and individuals experiencing food insecurity, particularly in rural communities where residents may travel 50–100 miles to reach grocery stores. MFBN runs eight named programs — including Child Nutrition, BackPack, Hunters Against Hunger, Mail-a-Meal, Retail Food Rescue, School Pantry, and SNAP Outreach — alongside policy advocacy at state and federal levels on nutrition programs.

MFBN is affiliated with Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, and holds a Charity Navigator rating and GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency. Revenue is generated primarily through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations, supported by digital fundraising campaigns (such as the September 2025 online fundraiser with a $90,000 / 360,000-meal goal), employer matching gifts, retail food donations, volunteer engagement, and SMS advocacy (Text MFBN to 52886). The organization is led by President and CEO Gayle Carlson, operates with 11–50 staff, and has no disclosed technology product or AI/ML capabilities — its operational model is built on partner coordination, donor stewardship, and policy advocacy rather than a proprietary platform.

Name

Montana Food Bank Network

Legal name

Montana Food Bank Network

Website

https://mfbn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Montana Food Bank Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 that coordinates 330 partner organizations statewide to distribute food and advocate against hunger, serving Montana families experiencing food insecurity, particularly in rural areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA), Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

Keywords

• Hunger relief services
• Food bank distribution
• Food assistance programs
• Nonprofit hunger advocacy
• Community food rescue

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, MFBN primarily generates revenue through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization runs annual fundraising campaigns including an all-digital fundraiser launched during National Hunger Action Month in September.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hunger-relief organization that acquires and distributes food across Montana through a statewide network of 330 partner agencies. The organization runs free direct-service programs including child nutrition, backpack, school pantry, retail food rescue, mail-a-meal, hunters against hunger, and SNAP outreach, and conducts policy advocacy at the state and federal level to address food insecurity.

Product overview

Montana Food Bank Network operates as a nonprofit hunger relief organization offering a network of free programs and services to address food insecurity across Montana. The organization does not offer a technology product but rather runs direct service programs including Child Nutrition, BackPack Program, Hunters Against Hunger Program, Mail-a-Meal Program, Retail Food Rescue Program, School Pantry Program, and SNAP Outreach. These programs are coordinated through 330 Network Partners across the state.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Child Nutrition Program
• BackPack Program
• School Pantry Program
• Hunters Against Hunger Program
• Mail-a-Meal Program
• Retail Food Rescue Program
• SNAP Outreach
• Network Partner Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $90,000 raised provides 360,000 meals for Montana families

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMFBN is affiliated with Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. This partnership connects MFBN to a network of food banks across the country and provides access to resources, advocacy support, and shared best practices for food banking.
• Network Partners (330 organizations)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMFBN coordinates with 330 partner organizations across Montana that serve as distribution points for food and direct service providers for hunger relief programs including child nutrition, school pantries, and retail food rescue.
• Community Food Bank of Mineral CountyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of MFBN's partner organizations, currently building a new facility to expand food distribution capacity in Mineral County.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vermont Foodbank: Statewide Feeding America affiliate serving a small, predominantly rural population with a partner distribution network and advocacy programs — closely analogous to MFBN in scale and rural-state service model.
• Idaho Foodbank: Statewide Feeding America affiliate serving Idaho with a partner agency distribution model and direct service programs addressing hunger — directly comparable in scale, scope, and rural-state operating context.
• Food Bank of the Rockies: Regional food bank serving Colorado and Wyoming as a Feeding America affiliate with a comparable partner distribution model and hunger-relief program portfolio across a similar rural-urban population mix.
• Foodshare: Regional food bank serving Connecticut with a partner pantry network and direct hunger-relief programs as a Feeding America affiliate — closely comparable in mission execution and partner-distribution model.
• Great Plains Food Bank: North Dakota's statewide Feeding America affiliate operating a partner agency network to address hunger — comparable in scope, rural service area, and small-state operating profile.
• Oregon Food Bank: Statewide food bank affiliated with Feeding America, operating a partner agency network to distribute food and conducting policy advocacy — closely aligned in operating model, mission scope, and program portfolio.
• Food Bank of Iowa: Statewide Feeding America affiliate operating partner distribution and hunger-relief programs across Iowa — comparable in mission, operating model, and partner-network structure to MFBN.
• Community Food Bank of Mineral County: Local Montana food bank that is part of MFBN's 330 Network Partners — provides direct local food distribution and is currently expanding facility capacity, illustrating the partner-organization model at the local level.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National umbrella organization for the U.S. food bank network; MFBN is an affiliate. Feeding America operates broadly across all 50 states with a much larger portfolio, providing shared resources, advocacy, and national-scale food sourcing to MFBN and other affiliates.

Regional players

• Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies: Wyoming branch of Food Bank of the Rockies serving Montana's neighboring state with comparable rural hunger-relief programming — adjacent geographic peer with similar operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mfbn
• Facebookfacebook.com/feedmontana

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Montana Food Bank Network