Building the political power with and for young montanans by driving a culture of civic engagement.

501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
93¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 100 volunteers and 30 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(4)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $170K a year · 14% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
93%
of spending
Looks good: 93% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$91K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.7 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
13
named funders · $2.1M
Looks good: 13 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$95K
9% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 9% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.8M
+91% vs prior year
Spent
$2.6M
To programs
93%
Net assets
$949K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.8M
FY2024▲ +91%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.0M
FY2021$305K
FY2022$537K
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$2.8M
Expenses
$2.6M
FY2024▲ +131%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$525K
FY2021$373K
FY2022$707K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$2.6M
Net assets
$949K
FY2024▲ +35%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$603K
FY2021$535K
FY2022$364K
FY2023$702K
FY2024$949K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jul 2006.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

93 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 93% · $2.4M Management & general 4% · $104K Fundraising 3% · $78K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

15 people listed on the 990; $91K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$91,364Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kiersten Iwai’s $91K as Executive Dir. is at the 19th percentile of top reported officer pay among 797 $1–10M civil rights & advocacy nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Kiersten Iwai$91,364$74,486$71,684$73,707$65,000

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Forward Mt executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Empowering young Montanans through civic engagement and political action.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

VOTER EDUCATION AND MOBILIZATION Mobilized voters for the primary election: Distributed 15,000 voter guides; created online voter guide for MT Supreme Court; called 19,470 young voters.Mobilized voters for the general election: Distributed 190,970 voter guides; hosted 3 candidate forums; knocked 42,394 doors of young voters; called 1,291…

$1.3Mprogram expense
02

ISSUE ADVOCACY We mobilized young Montanans on local policies related to affordable housing, economic justice, climate justice, voting rights, reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ equality.

$784Kprogram expense
03

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT We graduated fellows in Missoula, Bozeman, Billings, and the Flathead. Fellows receive robust training on community organizing and civic engagement. Hosted events and workshops to train, educate, and bring young people together.

$302Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
North FundFY2024$300K
A Better Big SkyFY2024$175K
Tides FoundationFY2024$150K
Tides AdvocacyFY2024$130K
Total grants receivedfrom 13 funders$2.1M
See all 13 funders →
Grants paid · 4 grants · $198K · 2022–2024
Individual RecipientFY2024$75,000
America VotesDC · FY2023$88,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.8M
Other incomeLn 4–11$25K
Money outPt IX
$2.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.4M
Managementcol C$104K
Fundraisingcol D$78K
Owns and owesPt X
$949K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$585K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$95K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$5K
Other incomeLn 4–11$25K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$2.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$563K
SavingsLn 2$22K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$585K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Other assetsLn 15$454K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$95K
Net assetsLn 32$949K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 530
VolunteersI 6100
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$379K$585K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1K$2K
Total assetsLn 16$774K$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$72K$95K
Net assetsLn 32$702K$949K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$100K$100K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$64K$59K$4K$2K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$876K$813K$42K$21K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$100K$93K$4K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$11K$11K
Payroll taxesLn 10$91K$81K$8K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$1K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$36K$20K$15K$596
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$300K$280K$72$20K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$388K$387K$38$659
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$123K$118K$4K$686
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$86K$79K$5K$2K
TravelLn 17$73K$66K$1K$5K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$880$880
InsuranceLn 23$7K$5K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$315K$294K$904$20K
All other expensesLn 24e$175$140$35
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.6M$2.4M$104K$78K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $2.8M$2.6M$247K$949K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.5M$1.1M$365K$702K 990 PDF
FY2022 $537K$707K−$170K$364K 990 PDF
FY2021 $305K$373K−$68K$535K 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.0M$525K$477K$603K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,820,883 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,460,615$2,796,239
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $18,004$24,644
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,478,619$2,820,883
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $88,000$100,000
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $723,116$1,141,471
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $302,718$1,332,457
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,113,834$2,573,928
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $364,785$246,955
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members14
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,820,883 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $1,045 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,796,239
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$5,160
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,796,239
VIII-3 Investment income$0
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $20,950$20,950
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,649$2,649
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,649 · Excluded from tax $21,995$2,820,883
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,573,928 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $100,000$100,000
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $58,515 · Management $3,849 · Fundraising $1,508$63,872
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $812,711 · Management $42,445 · Fundraising $20,797$875,953
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $93,459 · Management $4,151 · Fundraising $2,496$100,106
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $10,738$10,738
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $81,036 · Management $7,610 · Fundraising $2,156$90,802
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $1,356 · Management $3,038$4,394
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $20,126 · Management $14,806 · Fundraising $596$35,528
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $280,321 · Management $72 · Fundraising $19,530$299,923
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $386,994 · Management $38 · Fundraising $659$387,691
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $118,269 · Management $4,123 · Fundraising $686$123,078
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $79,397 · Management $4,690 · Fundraising $2,002$86,089
IX-17 TravelPrograms $66,033 · Management $1,295 · Fundraising $5,430$72,758
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $880$880
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $5,035 · Fundraising $1,893$6,928
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $293,844 · Management $904 · Fundraising $20,265$315,013
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $140 · Management $35$175
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,392,201 · Management $103,709 · Fundraising $78,018$2,573,928
Part X · Balance sheet $1,044,188 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $356,996$562,601
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $22,388$22,478
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $275,000$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,000$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $843$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,443$3,002
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,359$1,679
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $114,286$454,428
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $774,315$1,044,188
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $50,062$94,900
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $71,982$94,900
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $359,833$654,978
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $342,500$294,310
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $702,333$949,288
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $774,315$1,044,188
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $949,288 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,820,883
XI-2 Total expenses$2,573,928
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$246,955
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$702,333
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$949,288

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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