Montana Community Foundation

What Montana Community Foundation does

Montana Community Foundation (MCF) is a 501(c)(3) public charitable organization founded in 1988 and headquartered in Helena, Montana, that operates as the state's largest community foundation. MCF serves individual donors and families, nonprofit organizations, corporate partners, professional advisors, and a network of 45 affiliated local community foundations across Montana. Its core product is fund administration: donor-advised funds, scholarship funds, designated funds, field-of-interest funds, non-permanent funds, and planned giving vehicles (charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, estate gifts), supported by a 24/7 secure fundholder portal hosted on the Spectrum platform with Type II SAS70/SAAE-16 certification and RSA 2048-bit/SHA1 encryption. As of FY2025, MCF administers 1,733 to 1,988 philanthropic funds and planned gifts, with $215.5 million in total assets and a $191 million investment pool managed by Cambridge Associates as outsourced CIO.

MCF's revenue model is fee-based, with community impact fees assessed on assets under management. Endowed funds pay 1.25% on assets up to $1M and 1.00% above $1M (minimum $25,000, accretable over 5 years); scholarship funds pay 2.25%–1.75% on a sliding scale (minimum $100,000); planned gifts pay 2.5% up to $1M; non-permanent funds pay a 3% annual fee; and corporate partnerships operate on four tiers from $5,000 (Copper Trail) to $50,000 (Platinum Peak). Growth is driven by donor acquisition through professional advisor referrals, corporate partnership tiers, and a deployed field staff across Montana (Havre, Billings, Harrison, Missoula, Kalispell, Bigfork), reinforced by the Montana Endowment Tax Credit (up to 40% state tax credit) and the Strive for Five planned giving initiative. Programs include Reimagining Rural (with MSU Extension and Wells Fargo Foundation, 58 communities reached), the Montana Impact Investing Program, Community Heart & Soul, and the Women's Foundation of Montana, which is housed within MCF. MCF reinvested $7 million in grants and scholarships and received $19.5 million in contributions in FY2025, with over $122 million reinvested in Montana since founding.

Name

Montana Community Foundation

Legal name

Montana Community Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://mtcf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Montana Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation founded in 1988 that administers $215.5 million in philanthropic funds, donor-advised funds, scholarships, and planned gifts for Montana donors, nonprofits, and 45 affiliated local community foundations. It earns revenue through AUM-based community impact fees and reinvests contributions as grants and scholarships across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Donor advised funds
• Endowment management
• Charitable fund administration
• Planned giving services

Headquarters

HQ city

Helena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Community Impact Fees: MCF generates revenue through competitive community impact fees assessed on funds under management. These fees support the operating budget and enable effective grantmaking and donor services. Fee structure varies by fund type and asset level.
2. Total Contributions: Fiscal Year 2025 saw $19.5 million in total contributions received.
3. Grants & Scholarships Distributed: $7 million distributed in grants and scholarships during Fiscal Year 2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Montana Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charitable organization that partners with donors to manage charitable funds, endowments, and planned gifts; administers multiple fund types (Donor Advised, Scholarship, Designated, Field of Interest, Non-Permanent); provides investment management through Cambridge Associates; and distributes grants and scholarships to Montana communities. The organization also supports a network of local community foundation affiliates, corporate partnerships, and women's philanthropy programs across Montana.

Product overview

Montana Community Foundation operates as a community foundation offering a portfolio of fund management products and programs. Core offerings include various fund types (Donor Advised Funds, Scholarship Funds, Designated Funds, Field of Interest Funds, and Non-Permanent Funds) that enable donors to structure their charitable giving. The organization supports these through a fundholder portal and planned giving services. Affiliated programs include the Local Community Foundation Affiliate Program (serving 45 local foundations), Women's Foundation of Montana, the Reimagining Rural Grants program, Montana Impact Investing Program, and Community Heart & Soul. Additional offerings include the Montana Endowment Tax Credit incentive, Strive for Five initiative, and the Impact Under the Big Sky podcast. The foundation reinvests contributions through scholarships, grants, and community programs across Montana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Siegel Giving Center: MCF's Helena headquarters building dedicated in September 2025, honoring Arne and Steffi Siegel's legacy of philanthropy.

Products and services

• Donor Advised Funds A flexible giving vehicle that allows donors to recommend grants to nonprofits over time while retaining involvement in decision-making. Available to individual donors, families, and estates with a $25,000 minimum contribution.
• Scholarship Funds Charitable funds established to provide financial assistance to students for educational pursuits. Available to donors who want to support specific educational goals with a $100,000 minimum contribution.
• Designated Funds Funds that support specific nonprofit organizations designated by the donor, providing permanent support to chosen causes with a $25,000 minimum.
• Field of Interest Funds Funds that support a particular area of interest (e.g., arts, environment, education) selected by the donor, providing MCF flexibility to identify grantees in the donor's chosen field.
• Non-Permanent Funds Non-permanent funds established for a specific purpose or time period, subject to an annual fee of 3%.
• Planned Giving Services Services including charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, and estate gifts that allow donors to create lasting legacies while achieving personal financial and tax-planning goals.
• Corporate Partnership Program A four-tier corporate partnership program: Platinum Peak ($50,000), Golden Valley ($25,000), Silver Creek ($10,000), and Copper Trail ($5,000), offering Montana Endowment Tax Credit eligibility and recognition benefits.
• Local Community Foundation Affiliate Program Partnership program with 45 affiliated local community foundations serving communities across Montana, providing access to investment management, technical assistance, training, grant incentives, and resources.
• Women's Foundation of Montana A component fund of MCF dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in Montana through grantmaking. Has granted more than $1 million to organizations across the state since inception.
• Reimagining Rural Grants Program A program spearheaded by MSU Extension in conjunction with MCF and supported by Wells Fargo that provides small towns with grants, opportunities, and resources for community-driven projects; 58 communities have participated with $140,510 reinvested since 2020.
• Montana Impact Investing Program Program that deploys capital to generate both social impact and financial returns for Montana communities through mission-aligned investments.
• Community Heart & Soul Program A community development program that engages residents in identifying what matters most to them and shaping their community's future.
• Fundholder Portal (MyFund) Secure 24/7 online portal hosted with Type II SAS70 / SAEE-16 certification using RSA 2048 bits/SHA1 encryption, enabling fundholders to check balances, view quarterly statements, initiate fund transactions, and send secure messages.

Quantifiable outcome

• $122+ million reinvested in Montana through scholarships, grants, and programs since 1988
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• West Yellowstone Foundation (Siegel Legacy)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Arne and Steffi Siegel established the West Yellowstone Foundation in 1992. Today, WYF and the Siegels have entrusted MCF to administer 21 funds totaling $15 million. Their legacy includes housing, transportation, and scholarship initiatives.
• MSU ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSU Extension partners with MCF on the Reimagining Rural program, providing community vitality programming. Jennifer Anderson leads the initiative which strengthens local relationships and inspires resiliency in Montana communities.
• Council on FoundationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Foundations National Standards Board is a supporting organization of the Council on Foundations, responsible for quality, value, and integrity of National Standards compliance for community foundations.
• First Interstate BankmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFirst Interstate Bank participates in Absarokee Community Foundation Disaster Relief Account and has been a corporate partner supporting Montana communities.
• Women's Foundation of MontanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's Foundation of Montana is housed within MCF, focusing on improving the lives of women and girls in Montana. Since inception, has granted more than $1 million to organizations across the state.
• BridgercareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in Episode 2 of Impact Under the Big Sky podcast discussing women's rights, reproductive health, and leadership roles in Montana.
• Healthy Mothers, Healthy BabiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in Episode 2 of podcast on women's leadership. Executive Director Stephanie Morton participates in discussions on women's rights and reproductive health.
• Planned Parenthood Advocates of MontanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresident and CEO Martha Fuller featured in podcast episode on International Women's Day, discussing current landscape of women's rights and reproductive health.
• Montana State Golf Association (MSGA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCF plays crucial role in helping MSGA connect with communities statewide. Episode 4 explores how partnerships make golf accessible across Montana.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Charitable: Largest national donor-advised fund sponsor in the U.S. with tens of billions in AUM. Comparable as a direct competitor for donor-advised fund dollars, offering a tech-forward, low-fee alternative to community foundation DAFs.
• Council on Foundations: National membership association for foundations and corporations engaged in philanthropy. Comparable as the national apex body that sets the National Standards accreditation MCF has earned, providing governance, peer benchmarking, and sector intelligence.

Regional players

• Yellowstone Forever: Montana-headquartered nonprofit that manages charitable funds, endowments, and donor programs tied to Yellowstone. Comparable as a Montana-based public charity operating scholarship, grant, and donor-advised fund vehicles with similar revenue model.
• Maine Community Foundation: Large statewide community foundation with county-based fund structure and significant scholarship program. Comparable as a non-contiguous rural-state community foundation with similar scale, scholarship focus, and local affiliate model.
• Montana Nonprofit Association: Statewide nonprofit membership and capacity-building organization. Comparable as a Montana-based nonprofit serving nonprofits with resources, training, and advocacy — overlapping MCF's community foundation support role.

Direct peers

• Wyoming Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation serving Wyoming donors and nonprofits. Directly comparable geographic peer with similar rural-population dynamics, donor-advised and scholarship funds, and local affiliate network model.
• North Dakota Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation managing endowed funds, donor-advised funds, and local affiliate foundations across rural North Dakota. Most direct comparable peer: similar rural state footprint, AUM scale, affiliate model, and grantmaking/scholarship programs.
• Idaho Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation serving Idaho with endowed funds, scholarships, and local affiliate partnerships. Direct comparable peer operating in an adjacent rural Mountain West state with similar fund products and donor services.
• South Dakota Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation with affiliated local community foundations across South Dakota. Direct peer: matches MCF's structure of partnering with local affiliates, scholarship management, and statewide grantmaking.

Others

• Women's Foundation of Montana: Component fund housed within MCF focused on women and girls in Montana. Listed as a peer-adjacent entity because it is in MCF's organizational structure — useful for understanding MCF's program portfolio but not an independent competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@montanacommunityfoundation4424
• Facebookfacebook.com/MontanaCommunityFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/montana-community-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/montanacommunityfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Montana Community Foundation