Montana State University Foundation
72% goes to programs $6 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
Montana State University Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Bozeman, Montana, registered in 1958, with $101,083,515 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 72% of spending to programs.
1501 S 11th Ave, Bozeman, MT, 59715 EIN 81-6001649 Since 1958
Revenue (FY2023)
$101.1M
▲ 65.1% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$41.7M
Net assets
$433.5M
Employees
81
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B+
BProgram efficiency40% of the rating72% to programs · $6 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Montana State University Foundation: 72% to programs · $6 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating125 mo reserves · +59% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Montana State University Foundation: 125 mo reserves · +59% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Montana State University Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Montana State University Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Cultivate lifelong relationships and secure private support to advance montana state university.
What they do
Msuaf provided 3,051 students with scholarships to attend montana state university. scholarships allowed these students to pursue advanced education, lessening the burden of tuition, housing, and fees.
Alumni engagement connects over 246,000 contactable alumni and friends of montana state university through inclusive communications, events, and affiliate networks. alumni (which included graduates and nondegreed attendees) and friends (affiliates, staff, faculty, donors, parents of current students) receive regular msu news, events, and invitations to connect with montana state and one another, locally, in populus target regions, and in chapter areas and across the country. over 290 events including in-person and hybrid, brought programs, meaningful experiences and unique opportunities to engage with msu, to over 18,000 tracked alumni, friends, supporters, and fans.
Contact & location
- Address
- 1501 S 11th Ave, Bozeman, MT, 59715
- City
- Bozeman
- State
- Montana
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Support Foundations & Fundraising
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $25.8M (FY2013) to $101.1M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $19.7MNet assets $433.5M
Operating margin
58.8%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$453.2M
Total liabilities
$19.7M
Net assets
$433.5M
Salaries & benefits
$8.0M
19% of expenses
Board members
22
22 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $101,083,515▲65.1% | $41,668,972▲41.9% | $433,539,411▲21.0% | $453,249,914▲19.6% | 990 |
| 2022 | $61,224,540▼11.0% | $29,360,325▼37.4% | $358,161,035▲15.6% | $379,099,449▲14.8% | 990 |
| 2021 | $68,811,892▲88.6% | $46,879,130▲79.9% | $309,909,482▼0.3% | $330,292,309▼1.0% | 990 |
| 2020 | $36,483,820▲15.1% | $26,057,212▲15.7% | $310,930,064▲22.7% | $333,574,086▲22.8% | 990 |
| 2019 | $31,692,855▼23.2% | $22,517,889▼31.2% | $253,492,033▲1.1% | $271,741,291▲1.0% | 990 |
| 2018 | $41,261,685▲35.4% | $32,729,666▼22.5% | $250,658,416▲5.3% | $268,984,738▲3.2% | 990 |
| 2017 | $30,477,479▼14.3% | $42,215,439▲29.2% | $238,110,401▼1.0% | $260,560,693▼0.6% | 990 |
| 2016 | $35,549,113▼58.0% | $32,673,895▲21.4% | $240,403,408▲5.9% | $262,098,867▲4.6% | 990 |
| 2015 | $84,697,019▲265% | $26,905,471▲17.5% | $226,989,061▲29.4% | $250,510,773▲25.3% | 990 |
| 2014 | $23,208,126▼10.1% | $22,903,690▼16.0% | $175,388,759▼1.1% | $199,996,389▼3.0% | 990 |
| 2013 | $25,822,754 | $27,258,889▲99.2% | $177,381,319▲10.0% | $206,175,997▲15.8% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $13,686,525▼24.0% | $161,296,691▲8.9% | $178,081,933▲9.2% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $18,001,919▲95.1% | $148,053,749▲14.3% | $163,091,442▲9.8% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $9,229,142▲8.9% | $129,578,807▲19.6% | $148,468,867▲19.7% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $8,477,730 | $108,300,640 | $123,985,372 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Christopher Murray Until 223 — $351,678 (0.84% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Murray Until 223 | Former President and Ceo | 50 | $351,678 |
| Mary Jane Mcgarity Until 1023 | Vp of Development/interim Ceo | 40 | $224,609 |
| Chris Glick | Vp of Development | 40 | $201,567 |
| Melissa Kinnear | Vp of Finance & Accounting | 50 | $191,635 |
| Kathleen Saylor | Vp of Operations | 40 | $148,971 |
| Neal Zandonella | Vp of Information Tech. | 40 | $143,182 |
| Shannon Schumacher | Assoc. Vp of Development | 40 | $142,148 |
| Kevin Brown | Assoc. Vp of Planned Giving | 40 | $132,344 |
| Fran Albrecht From 1123 | President and Ceo | 40 | $72,992 |
| Andrew Wilcox | Governor | 0.79 | — |
| Behrooz Abdi | Governor | 0.65 | — |
| Bill Sanderson | Secretary/treasurer | 3.17 | — |
| Chris Lofgren | Governor (thru 09/23) | 0 | — |
| Chris Nygren | Governor (joined 09/23) | 0.63 | — |
| Darryl Thompson | Governor | 1.09 | — |
| Denise Juneau | Governor | 0.79 | — |
| Don Cape Jr | Governor | 0.42 | — |
| Don Gimbel | Governor | 0.41 | — |
| Frank Benevento | Governor | 0.6 | — |
| Ginny Sullivan | Governor (thru 09/23) | 0 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Ruffalo Noel Levitz | Fundraising Services | $285,470 |
| Blackbaud Inc | Software Provider | $236,437 |
| Wilshire Advisors LLC | Investment Consulting Services | $220,000 |
| Color World | Printing Services | $142,363 |
| Publications Printers Corp | Printing Services | $140,189 |
Grants received · $21.5M total
155 grants to Montana State University Foundation totaling $21.5M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman Deaconess Health Services | Support improving access to health services in our service area | 2024 | $285,715 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $250,059 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $212,478 |
| Donors Trust Inc | For the horner paleontology scholarship program | 2024 | $60,000 |
| Greater Horizons | Education | 2024 | $50,300 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Education | 2024 | $36,610 |
| Jewish Communal Fund | In furtherance of grantee's tax-exempt purpose | 2024 | $25,000 |
| T Rowe Price Program For Charitable Giving Inc | Multiple | 2024 | $24,507 |
| Scl Health Montana | Program support | 2024 | $24,500 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Colleges and universities | 2024 | $20,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $19,945 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $15,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $11,250 |
| Community Foundation of New Jersey | Scholarships, financial aid & scholar support services | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Donors Trust Inc | For the dinochicken project | 2024 | $10,000 |
Grants made · $28.2M in FY2023
1 grant totaling $28.2M in FY2023. All grants made by Montana State University Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Montana Section American Water Resources Association | Scholarships to montana state university students and program support | $28,175,938 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Montana State University Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Montana State University Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 81-6001649, based in Bozeman, Montana. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Montana State University Foundation's EIN?
- Montana State University Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 81-6001649.
- How much revenue does Montana State University Foundation report?
- Montana State University Foundation reported $101,083,515 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Montana State University Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- Montana State University Foundation spends about 72% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Montana State University Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades Montana State University Foundation B+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Montana State University Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Montana State University Foundation's latest Form 990 is $351,678, paid to Christopher Murray Until 223 (Former President and Ceo).
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Data for Montana State University Foundation (EIN 81-6001649) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.