The McBride Family Foundation concentrates its giving in Montana (especially Helena and surrounding communities), funding local social service providers, Native American education and legal support, and regional cultural and conservation organizations. Grants tend to support basic needs and capacity (food security, shelter/repair, domestic violence services), with recurring gifts to several core local nonprofits and occasional investments in arts, historic projects, and land protection. The foundation favors pragmatic, program- and operating-focused support rather than national initiatives, and its grantee list reflects a mix of human services, tribal-focused causes, community arts, and conservation.
The McBride Family Foundation’s clearest pattern is steady support for Helena-based human services and Montana community institutions, with repeated $10,000 grants to Helena Food Share and Friendship Center of Helena. Those gifts point to a funder that backs emergency food support and domestic violence survivor services alongside housing, youth, and local capacity-building. The foundation’s recent records also show investment in Native-focused education and legal advocacy through St. Labre Indian School and the Indian Law Resource Center, plus support for regional arts and heritage through the Holter Museum of Art and the Montana Historical Society. The foundation gives in a practical, operating-oriented way. Many awards are tied to general operating support, food purchases, technology upgrades, program support, or capital assets. Its recipient list is anchored in Montana communities, especially Helena and Ashland, while also extending to regional conservation and a small number of broader civic organizations. Within that mix, the foundation repeatedly returns to a core set of nonprofits serving basic needs, families, youth, and cultural life in Montana.
In food security, the foundation gave $10,000 to Helena Food Share Inc for General Operating & Food Purchase Support in 2025, and another $10,000 to Helena Food Share in 2023 for general purpose support. Those awards show direct backing for food access and emergency pantry work in Helena. Domestic violence survivor services are another recurring theme. Friendship Center of Helena Inc received $10,000 in 2025 and $10,000 in 2024 for Supporting DVSA Survivors in Central Montana, as well as a $10,000 general-purpose grant in 2023. That pattern reflects sustained support for survivor services in central Montana. The foundation also funds Native American education and legal advocacy. St. Labre Indian School received $5,000 in 2023 for general support, while St. Labre Indian School Educational Asso received $5,000 in 2024 and $5,000 in 2025 for the St. Labre Shiloh Youth group home. The Indian Law Resource Center also received support in 2024 and 2025.
Typical grants cluster in a narrow band: p25 is $2,000, median is $5,000, and p75 is $6,500. The grant list shows repeat support to several organizations across 2023, 2024, and 2025, including Helena Food Share, Friendship Center of Helena, Montana Wilderness Association, Holter Museum of Art, Indian Law Resource Center, and St. Labre Indian School. That indicates a recurring pattern rather than one-off gifts. The foundation appears to operate as a family foundation, and the awards often support operating costs, food purchases, technology updates, program work, and capital assets. No application process is shown in the provided data.
$72K
$962K
$42K
$93K
Most grants fall between $2K and $7K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$7K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in MT.
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Primarily small-to-mid sized, locally focused grants with multiple repeat recipients; emphasis on general operating and program support. Giving is geographically concentrated in Montana and spread across several thematic areas (social services, tribal support, arts, conservation) rather than large single multi-year commitments.
Notable grantees: Friendship Center of Helena Inc, Helena Food Share, St. Labre Indian School / St Labre Indian School Educational Association, Holter Museum of Art, Montana Wilderness Association
Giving is concentrated in Montana, with Helena appearing frequently in recipient locations and Ashland also represented. The top state by grant count is Montana, and 0% of grants go to recipients in South Dakota, the foundation’s headquarters state. Outside Montana, the recipient list is still entirely U.S.-based: one grant went to Washington, DC, and another to Arlington, VA. The country distribution is fully domestic, with 40 grants in the United States.
The grant record centers on Montana nonprofits serving basic needs, survivors, youth, Native American education and legal advocacy, arts, and land conservation. Examples in the data include food access, domestic violence survivor services, youth group homes, museum education, and wilderness protection.
The foundation’s grant sizes are relatively compact: p25 is $2,000, median is $5,000, and p75 is $6,500. Recent awards include several $5,000 and $10,000 grants, with smaller grants in the $2,000 to $4,000 range as well.
Yes. Montana is the top state by grant count, and the recipient list is concentrated in places such as Helena and Ashland. The provided distribution shows 0% of grants to recipients in South Dakota.
Yes. Multiple organizations appear across more than one year, including Helena Food Share, Friendship Center of Helena, Montana Wilderness Association, Holter Museum of Art, Indian Law Resource Center, and St. Labre Indian School. That repeated pattern suggests ongoing relationships with a core set of Montana nonprofits.
Recurring areas include local food security, domestic violence survivor services, Native American education and legal support, housing and home repair, arts and heritage, and land conservation. The recent grant titles show support for food purchases, survivor services, youth group homes, museum education, and a land legacy endowment.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Food Share Inc | Helena, MT | $12,000 | 2026 | General Operating & Food Purchase Support |
| Friendship Center of Helena Inc | Helena, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | Supporting DVSA Survivors in Central Montana |
| Indian Law Resource Center | Helena, MT | $7,500 | 2026 | Technology Updates-Capital Assets |
| Holter Museum of Art Inc | Helena, MT | $5,000 | 2026 | Sustaining Holter Museum of Art Education Programs |
| Wild Montana | Helena, MT | $3,500 | 2026 | Forever Wild Endowment |
| Last Chance Tours | Helena, MT | $3,334 | 2026 | Save the Train |
| YWCA of Helena | Helena, MT | $3,334 | 2026 | Welcome Kits |
| Florence Crittenton Home | Helena, MT | $3,333 | 2026 | Expand Tech Capacity at Cooney |
| Intermountain Children's Home | Helena, MT | $3,333 | 2026 | Intensive Residential Treatment |
| Shodair Children's Hospital | Helena, MT | $3,333 | 2026 | Shodair Facility Program |
| Soroptimist Club of Helena | Helena, MT | $2,500 | 2026 | Dream It Be It |
| St Labre Indian School Educational Asso | Ashland, MT | $2,500 | 2026 | St. Labre Shiloh Youth group home |
| Women's Foundation of Montana | Helena, MT | $2,500 | 2026 | Powerhouse Advocates |
| Montana Historical Society | Helena, MT | $2,500 | 2026 | People and Lands of Montana art installation for the Montana Heritage Center |
| Fort William Henry Harrison Militar | Fort Harrison, MT | $2,333 | 2026 | Computer System Upgrade |
| Helena Area Habitat for Humanity | Helena, MT | $2,000 | 2026 | Helping Hands Repair Program |
| The Nature Conservancy | Arlington, VA | $2,000 | 2026 | Land Legacy Endowment |
| The Salvation Army | Helena, MT | $1,000 | 2026 | Summer Sports Clinics & Day camp for Youth |
| Helena Food Share Inc | Helena, MT | $10,000 | 2025 | General Operating & Food Purchase Support |
| Friendship Center of Helena Inc | Helena, MT | $10,000 | 2025 | Supporting DVSA Survivors in Central Montana |
| Helena Area Habitat for Humanity | Helena, MT | $8,000 | 2025 | Helping Hands Repair Program |
| Fort William Henry Harrison Militar | Fort Harrison, MT | $6,500 | 2025 | Computer System Upgrade |
| St Labre Indian School Educational Asso | Ashland, MT | $5,000 | 2025 | St. Labre Shiloh Youth group home |
| Indian Law Resource Center | Helena, MT | $5,000 | 2025 | Technology Updates-Capital Assets |
| Montana Historical Society | Helena, MT | $5,000 | 2025 | People and Lands of Montana art installation for the Montana Heritage Center |
| Holter Museum of Art Inc | Helena, MT | $5,000 | 2025 | Sustaining Holter Museum of Art Education Programs |
| Women's Foundation of Montana | Helena, MT | $5,000 | 2025 | Powerhouse Advocates |
| Shodair Children's Hospital | Helena, MT | $4,000 | 2025 | Shodair Facility Program |
| Soroptimist Club of Helena | Helena, MT | $2,500 | 2025 | Dream It Be It |
| NAMI Montana | Helena, MT | $2,000 | 2025 | Creating world class resource guides for Montana families |
| Wild Montana | Helena, MT | $1,000 | 2025 | Forever Wild Endowment |
| The Nature Conservancy | Arlington, VA | $1,000 | 2025 | Land Legacy Endowment |
| Helena Food Share Inc | Helena, MT | $10,000 | 2024 | General Operating & Food Purchase Support |
| Helena Area Habitat for Humanity | Helena, MT | $10,000 | 2024 | Building Homes and Hope in Helena Montana |
| Friendship Center of Helena Inc | Helena, MT | $10,000 | 2024 | Supporting DVSA Survivors in Central Montana |
| Montana Wilderness Association Inc | Helena, MT | $6,500 | 2024 | Keep Montana Wild |
| Holter Museum of Art Inc | Helena, MT | $5,000 | 2024 | Expand & strengthen Community Art Opportunities |
| St Labre Indian School Educational Asso | Ashland, MT | $5,000 | 2024 | St. Labre Shiloh Youth group home |
| Indian Law Resource Center | Helena, MT | $5,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| The Nature Conservancy | Arlington, VA | $3,500 | 2024 | Land Legacy Endowment |
| Montana Community Foundation Inc | Helena, MT | $3,000 | 2024 | Power House Advocates |
| The Salvation Army | Helena, MT | $2,000 | 2024 | Summer Sports Clinics & Day camp for Youth |
| FRIENDSHIP CENTER OF HELENA INC | HELENA, MT | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HELENA FOOD SHARE | HELENA, MT | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSN | WASHINGTON DC, DC | $9,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MONTANA WILDERNESS ASSOCIATION | HELENA, MT | $6,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT CASAGAL PROGRAM | HELENA, MT | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MONTANA COMMUNITY FDN INC | HELENA, MT | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST LABRE INDIAN SCHOOL | ASHLAND, MT | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MONTANA NATIONAL GUARD FAMILY SUPPORT FU | HELENA, MT | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
Holter Museum of Art Inc
$5,000Sustaining Holter Museum of Art Education Programs
Last Chance Tours
$3,334Save the Train
YWCA of Helena
$3,334Welcome Kits
Intermountain Children's Home
$3,333Intensive Residential Treatment
Soroptimist Club of Helena
$2,500Dream It Be It
St Labre Indian School Educational Asso
$2,500St. Labre Shiloh Youth group home
Women's Foundation of Montana
$2,500Powerhouse Advocates
Montana Historical Society
$2,500People and Lands of Montana art installation for the Montana Heritage Center
Fort William Henry Harrison Militar
$2,333Computer System Upgrade
Helena Area Habitat for Humanity
$2,000Helping Hands Repair Program
The Salvation Army
$1,000Summer Sports Clinics & Day camp for Youth
Helena Area Habitat for Humanity
$8,000Helping Hands Repair Program
Fort William Henry Harrison Militar
$6,500Computer System Upgrade
St Labre Indian School Educational Asso
$5,000St. Labre Shiloh Youth group home
Montana Historical Society
$5,000People and Lands of Montana art installation for the Montana Heritage Center
Holter Museum of Art Inc
$5,000Sustaining Holter Museum of Art Education Programs
Women's Foundation of Montana
$5,000Powerhouse Advocates
Shodair Children's Hospital
$4,000Shodair Facility Program
Soroptimist Club of Helena
$2,500Dream It Be It
NAMI Montana
$2,000Creating world class resource guides for Montana families
Helena Area Habitat for Humanity
$10,000Building Homes and Hope in Helena Montana
Holter Museum of Art Inc
$5,000Expand & strengthen Community Art Opportunities
St Labre Indian School Educational Asso
$5,000St. Labre Shiloh Youth group home
The Salvation Army
$2,000Summer Sports Clinics & Day camp for Youth
YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSN
$9,000GENERAL OPERATING
FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT CASAGAL PROGRAM
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
ST LABRE INDIAN SCHOOL
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MONTANA NATIONAL GUARD FAMILY SUPPORT FU
$2,500GENERAL OPERATING