A Better Big Sky FY2021 filing

Not tax-deductible

Missoula, MT501(c)(4)Since 2018Community Development EIN 82-5313159Revenue $400K in FY2021Latest return filed Nov 14, 2025

On file with the IRSPo Box 7134, 59807-7134 · Missoula, MTTax-exempt since Aug 2019

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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.

501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$70K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2021 · 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
83%
of spending
Looks good: 83% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$70K
to officers and key staff · 23% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 23% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.5 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
$2K
0.9% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$400K
-75% vs prior year
Spent
$304K
To programs
83%
Net assets
$238K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$400K
FY2021▼ -75%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$400K
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$2.0M
FY2024$7.7M
Expenses
$304K
FY2021▼ -81%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$304K
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$718K
FY2024$7.5M
Net assets
$238K
FY2021▲ +68%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$142K
FY2021$238K
FY2022$372K
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.9M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

990 PDF Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

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

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $252K Management & general 17% · $52K

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

4 people listed on the 990; $70K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$70,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$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 →

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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

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

Questions for A Better Big Sky

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $252K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

In 2021 the agency engaged 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.

$252Kprogram 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
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 FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$400K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$348K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$52K
Money outPt IX
$304K
Ln 25
Programscol B$252K
Managementcol C$52K
Owns and owesPt X
$238K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$240K
Total assetsLn 16$240K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$348K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$52K
Total revenueLn 12$400K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$240K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$240K
Total assetsLn 16$240K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
Net assetsLn 32$238K
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$144K$240K
Total assetsLn 16$144K$240K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K$2K
Net assetsLn 32$142K$238K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$134K$134K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$70K$24K$46K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2K$735$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$6K$2K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$856$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$82K$82K
Office expensesLn 13$5K$5K$19
Information technologyLn 14$450$450
TravelLn 17$557$557
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$739$739
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$50$50
Total functional expensesLn 25$304K$252K$52K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 14, 2025 $7.7M$7.5M$210K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2024 $2.0M$718K$1.3M$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2023 $1.9M$1.8M$134K$372K 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 15, 2022 $400K$304K$96K$238K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2021 $1.6M$1.6M$32K$142K 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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $399,803 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,585,225$347,747
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $4,796$52,056
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,590,021$399,803
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,409,050$134,239
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $78,379$78,063
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $70,641$91,407
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,558,070$303,709
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $31,951$96,094
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $399,803 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$347,747
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$347,747
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Excluded from tax $52,056$52,056
VIII-12 Total revenueExcluded from tax $52,056$399,803
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $303,709 across 11 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $134,239$134,239
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $24,500 · Management $45,500$70,000
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $735 · Management $1,365$2,100
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $2,385 · Management $3,578$5,963
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $856 · Management $1,591$2,447
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $81,801$81,801
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,344 · Management $19$5,363
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $450$450
IX-17 TravelPrograms $557$557
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $739$739
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $50$50
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $251,656 · Management $52,053 · Fundraising $0$303,709
Part X · Balance sheet $239,746 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $143,587$239,746
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $143,587$239,746
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,998$2,063
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,998$2,063
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $141,589$237,683
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $141,589$237,683
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $143,587$239,746
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $237,683 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$399,803
XI-2 Total expenses$303,709
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$96,094
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$141,589
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$237,683

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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