The mission of the Helena Education Foundation HEF is to enrich education in the Helena Public Schools through consistent community investment of time talent funding and resources. Activities include educator and student recognition grants for pilot and enrichment programs and community outreach programs.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$86K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
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
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $58K a year · 15% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$86K
to officers and key staff · 21% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 21% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $265K in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 5.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $67K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$326
0.07% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$482K
+14% vs prior year
Spent
$417K
To programs
82%
Net assets
$464K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$482K
FY2025▲ +14%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$293K
FY2021$376K
FY2022$374K
FY2023$407K
FY2024$424K
FY2025$482K
Expenses
$417K
FY2025+0.2%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$235K
FY2021$284K
FY2022$315K
FY2023$341K
FY2024$417K
FY2025$417K
Net assets
$464K
FY2025▲ +27%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$145K
FY2021$235K
FY2022$290K
FY2023$357K
FY2024$366K
FY2025$464K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 2002.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $344K Management & general 9% · $40K Fundraising 8% · $34K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $86K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$85,598Pt VII · Sec A
President-Elect
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Hhs Student Representative
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chs Student Representative
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lisa Cordingley’s $86K as Executive Director is at the 75th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Lisa Cordingley$85,598$82,385$80,640$77,726——
Lisa Crodingley————$78,191$75,954

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 Helena Education Foundation 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

Enriching Helena public schools with community investment of time, talent, funding, and resources.

Questions for Helena Education Foundation

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $344K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

All other program activities including Fabulous Firsts a book for every 1st grader Pen and Ink Magazine Harrison Writing Awards Up to 4 student competitive writing cash award Going to the Sun Art Award up to 4 student competitive art cash award BisonFest Issues Institutes Trading Places General Fundraising Investment and Education and…

$147Kprogram expense
02

Education instructor pilot and enrichment programs in classrooms -events include Great Ideas Grants and Spark Grants - the premier program achievement of the Helena Education Foundation. These dollars target Helena Educators who propose education programs for students in Pre-K-12 Helena School District.

$139Kprogram expense
03

Adult educator public education and enrichment- events in this program area include Great Conversations Carnival Classic and Celebration of Excellence. These programs offer a range of experiences including innovative discussion of current topics and celebration of the beginning and end of year achievements of students and educators as…

$58Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$482K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$478K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Money outPt IX
$417K
Ln 25
Programscol B$344K
Managementcol C$40K
Fundraisingcol D$34K
Owns and owesPt X
$464K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$199K
Total assetsLn 16$464K
LiabilitiesLn 26$326
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$478K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$482K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$66K
SavingsLn 2$133K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$199K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$265K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$464K
LiabilitiesLn 26$326
Net assetsLn 32$464K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$169K$199K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$193K$265K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$362K$464K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K$326
Net assetsLn 32$357K$464K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$86K$60K$15K$10K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$68K$53K$6K$8K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0$0$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$9K$7K$902$1K
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0$0$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$0$3K$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0$0$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K$0$0
Office expensesLn 13$21K$5K$7K$10K
Information technologyLn 14$1K$1K$0$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$0$0$0$0
TravelLn 17$1K$1K$0$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$25K$23K$2K$0
InterestLn 20$0$0$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0$0$0$0
InsuranceLn 23$290$0$290$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$201K$191K$5K$5K
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$417K$344K$40K$34K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $482K$417K$65K$464K 990 PDF
FY2024 $424K$417K$8K$366K 990 PDF
FY2023 $407K$341K$67K$357K 990 PDF
FY2022 $374K$315K$59K$290K 990 PDF
FY2021 $376K$284K$92K$235K 990 PDF
FY2020 $293K$235K$58K$145K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $482,054 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $406,988$478,348
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $505$3,706
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $407,493$482,054
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $143,430$162,687
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $171,456$254,788
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $314,886$417,475
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $92,607$64,579
Part VI · Governance 15 of 15 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members15
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 $482,054 across 16 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$478,348
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$478,348
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$3,706
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$482,054
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $417,475 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $0$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $59,918 · Management $15,408 · Fundraising $10,272$85,598
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $53,471 · Management $6,354 · Fundraising $7,774$67,599
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $7,497 · Management $902 · Fundraising $1,091$9,490
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $3,210 · Fundraising $0$3,210
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,408 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$2,408
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,761 · Management $6,749 · Fundraising $9,699$21,209
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,462 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$1,462
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,022 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$1,022
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $22,808 · Management $1,703 · Fundraising $0$24,511
IX-20 InterestPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $290 · Fundraising $0$290
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $190,917 · Management $4,907 · Fundraising $4,852$200,676
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $344,264 · Management $39,523 · Fundraising $33,688$417,475
Part X · Balance sheet $464,377 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $90,659$66,214
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $78,437$133,041
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $0$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $192,696$265,122
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $361,792$464,377
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $4,623$326
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,623$326
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $357,169$464,051
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $357,169$464,051
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $361,792$464,377
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $464,051 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$482,054
XI-2 Total expenses$417,475
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$64,579
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$357,169
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$42,303
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$464,051

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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