Montana State University Billings Foundation & Alumni
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 810301477
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2009–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
- Location
- Billings, MT, USA
- Phone
- 4066572244
- Rating
- 77
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Single Organization Support
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $4,453,219
- Expenses
- $4,397,143
- Assets
- $54,369,234
- Liabilities
- $4,043,258
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
15 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- Krista Montague (President/CEO)
Highest reported compensation
- Krista Montague (President/CEO): $147,096 total reported compensation
- Jeff Clarke (CFO): $110,280 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Montana State University Billings Foundation is a publicly supported, non-profit corporation founded in 1968 to advance the goals of Montana State University Billings by (1) establishing lifelong relationships(Continued on Schedule O)with university students, parents, faculty, alumni, friends and community partners; (2) creating pathways to success and sustaining them through philanthropy, stewardship and community engagement; (3) seeking and nurturing innovative partnerships to support the realization of current and emerging university priorities; and (4) fostering a culture of inclusivity that celebrates diversity on campus and beyond.
What it reported doing in 2024
Campus Programs and Scholarships Academic program expenditures are used to support faculty scholarships and the many available academic disciplines offered at MSU Billings as well as student scholarships that provide direct financial support for MSU Billings students. The Foundation provided funds to MSU Billings for 1,542 scholarships to students ranging in value from $250 to $8,500.Campus Projects - Activities related to capital expenditures for MSU Billings, including the planning, development, renovation, and ongoing stewardship of the University's physical and digital campus infrastructure. (Continued on Schedule O)These projects support the academic mission, enhance the student experience, promote cultural programming, and advance the long term sustainability of the campus. Current projects include, but are not limited to: - Construction of a new Sculpture and Ceramic Studio Art Building - Athletic Team Room remodels - Library remodel projects - Native American Achievement Center remodel Alumni Relations - Activities related to the MSU Billings Alumni Association are focused on fostering engagement, communication, and lifelong relationships with graduates and former students. These efforts include organizing regional alumni events and reunions to strengthen connections to the University and to one another. Alumni Relations also supports communication and outreach initiatives designed to improve alumni engagement, including social media outreach. Additional activities include student alumni networking events and recognition ceremonies that celebrate alumni achievements and contributions.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 82% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 84% of its reported program spending out as grants.
- Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 70
- Transparency & Controls: 75
- Accountability: 95
- Sustainability: 59
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 75.6%; rating input score 76
- Program expense ratio: 74.1%; rating input score 74
- Fundraising efficiency: $7.33 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
- Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: Fail
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 1.3%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 12.36; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 5.9%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 2.5% per year; rating input score 100; 25th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 3.4% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 5.7% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 75.6% of revenue deployed · 74.1% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
- Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $3.3M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $147K · 15 people listed
- Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $327K reported
- Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
- Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and grants
- Filing history: 15 filing years from 2009 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 5 filed money-flow records
- Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
- High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 27/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 39/100.
- Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 48/100.