Middle Fork Strategies INC

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Middle Fork Strategies was founded to engage in research, advocacy, and strategic communications on the issues that impact montana.

501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
94¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$93K 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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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
2 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $304K a year · 28% of revenue · last 2 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 2 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
94%
of spending
Looks good: 94% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$93K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $755K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$8K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.2M
+36% vs prior year
Spent
$1.0M
To programs
94%
Net assets
$610K
By yearFY2023–FY2024
Revenue
$1.2M
FY2024▲ +36%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$907K
FY2024$1.2M
Expenses
$1.0M
FY2024▲ +110%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$495K
FY2024$1.0M
Net assets
$610K
FY2024▲ +48%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$412K
FY2024$610K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

990 PDF Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 2025.

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

Where the money goes

94 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 94% · $974K Management & general 6% · $62K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $93K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$92,700Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary-Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Brandon Demars’s $93K as Executive Director is at the 28th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3869 $1–10M human services 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

NameFY2024FY2023
Brandon Demars$92,700$55,800

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 Middle Fork Strategies INC 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

Researches, advocates, and communicates on issues impacting Montana.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $610K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Engaged in a program of public opinion research on key issues and policies affecting montana including housing policy healthcare education the montana constitution and tax policy among others.

$253Kprogram expense
02

Launched a program to educate and inform montanans on important news information public policy developments and legislation on a varity of key issues. Program consisted of designing and distributing information via social media and volunteer outreach.

$247Kprogram expense
03

Engaged in a campaign to educate and inform montanans about federal legislation investing in infrastructure projects in montana. Consisted of an interactive mapping website and digital advertising.

$110Kprogram 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
ProgressnowFY2024$155K
A Better Big SkyFY2024$150K
North FundFY2024$100K
Total grants receivedfrom 6 funders$755K
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.2M
Money outPt IX
$1.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$974K
Managementcol C$62K
Owns and owesPt X
$610K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$618K
Total assetsLn 16$618K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.2M
Total revenueLn 12$1.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$618K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$618K
Total assetsLn 16$618K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8K
Net assetsLn 32$610K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
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$418K$618K
Total assetsLn 16$418K$618K
LiabilitiesLn 26$6K$8K
Net assetsLn 32$412K$610K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$93K$93K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$369K$369K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$10K$10K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$40K$40K
Payroll taxesLn 10$40K$40K
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$5K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$289K$289K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$105K$105K
Office expensesLn 13$5K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$12K$12K
OccupancyLn 16$28K$28K
TravelLn 17$25K$25K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$13K$13K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.0M$974K$62K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.2M$1.0M$196K$610K 990 PDF
FY2023 $907K$495K$412K$412K 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 $1,232,878 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $907,000$1,232,878
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $907,000$1,232,878
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $146,969$551,477
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $347,919$485,475
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $494,888$1,036,952
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $412,112$195,926
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $1,232,878 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,232,878
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,232,878
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,232,878
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,036,952 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $92,700$92,700
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $369,123$369,123
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $9,532$9,532
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $39,949$39,949
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $40,173$40,173
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $2,083$2,083
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $5,408$5,408
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $289,476$289,476
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $105,037$105,037
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $4,846$4,846
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $11,860$11,860
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $27,500$27,500
IX-17 TravelPrograms $24,969$24,969
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,450$1,450
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $12,846$12,846
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $974,492 · Management $62,460 · Fundraising $0$1,036,952
Part X · Balance sheet $618,399 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $417,641$618,399
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $417,641$618,399
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,529$8,390
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $5,529$8,390
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $412,112$610,009
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $417,641$618,399
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $610,009 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,232,878
XI-2 Total expenses$1,036,952
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$195,926
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$412,112
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$1,971
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$610,009

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

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