A Better Big Sky

Not tax-deductible

Missoula, MT501(c)(4)Since 2018Community DevelopmentEIN 82-5313159

A better big sky works to inform and engage montanans on issues related to public education, public lands access, voting rights, the environment, sustanable energy, women's health, tribal sovereignty, access to courts, economic justice, and human rights, primarily through the financial support of nonprofit organizations.

99¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$102K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $357K a year · 13% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
99%
of spending
Looks good: 99% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$102K
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 79% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
10
named funders · $3.6M
Looks good: 10 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$7K
0.4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$7.7M
+280% vs prior year
Spent
$7.5M
To programs
99%
Net assets
$1.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$7.7M
FY2024▲ +280%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$400K
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$2.0M
FY2024$7.7M
Expenses
$7.5M
FY2024▲ ×10
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$304K
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$718K
FY2024$7.5M
Net assets
$1.9M
FY2024▲ +12%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$142K
FY2021$238K
FY2022$372K
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.9M

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

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Aug 2019.

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

Where the money goes

99 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 99% · $7.4M Management & general 1% · $57K Fundraising 0% · $16K

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

5 people listed on the 990; $102K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$102,375Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Tr
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Stacie Anderson’s $102K as Executive Di is at the 21st percentile of top reported officer pay among 2832 $1–10M community development 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
Stacie Anderson$102,375$97,581$86,000$70,000$69,774

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 A Better Big Sky executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

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

Supports Montanans on education, land access, voting, environment, and human rights issues.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until A Better Big Sky claims this page.

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

1 program service account for $7.4M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

The agency engages in long-term strategic planning with state-based progressive organizations, as well as a landscape needs assessment. The agency worked to cultivate new donors, put together educational donor briefings, build a donor community, and encourage investment in montana advocacy and civic engagement.

$7.4Mprogram expense

Run this program? Claim this org to tell your story

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
See all 10 funders →
Grants paid · 48 grants · $10.0M · 2020–2024
Montana Values Action FundFY2024$1,905,000
Big Sky Fifty Five PlusMT · FY2024$1,340,000
Work Ep DBA Montana Rural VotersMT · FY2024$690,000
Western Native Voice INCMT · FY2024$650,000
Alliance for Retired AmericansFY2024$500,000
Wild Montana Action FundMT · FY2024$465,000
MontpirgMT · FY2024$300,000
Montana State Afl-CIOMT · FY2024$215,000
Forward MtMT · FY2024$175,000
Middle Fork Strategies INCMT · FY2024$150,000
Vote VetDC · FY2024$100,000
Montana State Afl-CIOMT · FY2024$95,000
Montanans for Public LandsFY2024$75,000
Middle Fork Strategies INCMT · FY2023$125,000
Searchlight Research LLCFY2023$42,000
Montana Human Rights NetworkMT · FY2023$20,000
See all 48 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$7.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.7M
Money outPt IX
$7.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.4M
Managementcol C$57K
Fundraisingcol D$16K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.7M
Total revenueLn 12$7.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7K
Net assetsLn 32$1.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.7M$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$13K$7K
Net assetsLn 32$1.7M$1.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$7.0M$7.0M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$105K$47K$44K$14K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$149K$149K
Payroll taxesLn 10$22K$16K$3K$2K
Legal feesLn 11b$6K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$157K$157K
Office expensesLn 13$2K$2K$232
Information technologyLn 14$14$14
OccupancyLn 16$20K$20K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$83K$83K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$5K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.5M$7.4M$57K$16K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $7.7M$7.5M$210K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.0M$718K$1.3M$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.9M$1.8M$134K$372K 990 PDF
FY2021 $400K$304K$96K$238K 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.6M$1.6M$32K$142K 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $7,727,712 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$7,727,712
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,727,712
VIII-12 Total revenue$7,727,712
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,518,071 across 12 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $6,965,000$6,965,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $47,451 · Management $44,287 · Fundraising $13,708$105,446
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $148,722$148,722
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $15,788 · Management $3,460 · Fundraising $2,379$21,627
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $6,075$6,075
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $3,079$3,079
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $157,012$157,012
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,087 · Management $232$2,319
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $14$14
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $20,030$20,030
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $83,285$83,285
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $5,462$5,462
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,444,851 · Management $57,133 · Fundraising $16,087$7,518,071
Part X · Balance sheet $1,903,480 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,699,749$1,903,480
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,699,749$1,903,480
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $12,924$7,014
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $12,924$7,014
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,686,825$1,896,466
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,686,825$1,896,466
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,699,749$1,903,480
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,896,466 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,727,712
XI-2 Total expenses$7,518,071
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$209,641
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,686,825
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,896,466

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.
Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.