Town Pump Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 81-0523786 · since 1999townpumpfoundation.com·Montana·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$2.8M
Annual giving, 2024 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$500 to $10,000
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$1,000
Typical grant (median)
621 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • The foundation prioritises Montana, with a stated focus on basic needs, education and community assistance, so a Montana organisation whose work fits those areas is the kind of applicant it supports.
  • Only organisations with 501(c)(3) status or governmental agencies are eligible for its general grants, and it does not fund individuals, political candidates or campaigns, capital campaigns or endowments, conferences, or fundraising dinners and galas.
  • Most of its grants are small: half of its grants to organisations were $2,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $500 and $10,000, so a modest request fits its typical range, although its largest grant was $200,000.
  • Around 65% of its grant dollars in its latest filing went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so a first approach should be made with a clear case, and first-time users must register on the grant application portal before applying.
  • Timing matters: Keep Kids Reading accepts applications from March 1 to April 30, Meals for Backpacks from early August to late September, and Adopt A Family from October to December.

Overview

Town Pump Charitable Foundation is a US private foundation based in Butte, MT.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The foundation provides financial support to Montana charitable or governmental organisations, prioritising basic needs and education for Montana citizens. Its stated basic-needs focus includes food insecurity, homelessness and veterans’ needs, while community assistance includes first responders and community projects. Its education giving supports schools and programmes such as reading, classroom activities, music, art, athletics, theatre and hands-on technology. In food access, it supports food banks and local food pantries; its Meals for Backpacks programme supports schools, food banks and service organisations that provide weekend meal programmes for schoolchildren. Its grants serve charitable and governmental bodies across Montana, spanning schools, food organisations and community-service organisations.

Themes

  • Basic needs
  • Education
  • Community assistance

Geographic Focus

Priority: Montana.

What They Don't Fund

  • General Grants only: Organizations without a 501 ( c ) (3) status or governmental agency; Organizations that discriminate based on religion, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation; Political candidates, campaigns or organizations; Individuals; Capital campaigns or endowments; Meetings, conferences or workshops; Fundraising dinners, galas and events (in some limited instances a Town Pump corporate sponsorship may be available)

How to apply

Applicants submit grant requests through the grant application portal. First-time users register and select a password before completing an application.

Deadlines:

  • Keep Kids Reading applications are accepted from March 1 to April 30 each year.
  • Meals for Backpacks applications are accepted from early August through late September.
  • Adopt A Family applications are accepted from October to December annually.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 65% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
  • Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 1,935 grants to organisations were $2,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

  • It prioritises support for basic needs and education for Montana citizens.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Montana100%
Wyoming<1%
North Dakota<1%
Arizona<1%
  • The largest single recipient received 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2024, 65% of grant dollars went to organisations Town Pump Charitable Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
  • <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

621 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $1,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 621 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k27%
$1k–$2.5k27%
$2.5k–$5k12%
$5k–$10k21%
$10k–$25k10%
$25k–$50k1%
$50k–$100k1%
$100k–$250k<1%

Median $1,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

  • Mainstreet Uptown Butte · Fireworks
    $110,9002024 tax year
  • Montana Food Bank Network · Meals for backpacks
    $100,0002024 tax year
  • Central Education Foundation · Grant
    $100,0002024 tax year
  • Mainstreet Uptown Butte · Headfram lighting
    $90,0002024 tax year
  • Special Olympics Montana · Program support
    $60,0002024 tax year
  • Mainstreet Uptown Butte · Folk festival
    $50,0002024 tax year
  • Friends of the Pool and Park Foundation · Pool rehabilitation
    $50,0002024 tax year
  • Action Incorporated · Summer meals
    $40,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

  • Thomas P Kenneally — Vice President / Director
  • Kevin J Kenneally — Director
  • Michael E Kenneally — President / Director
  • James M Kenneally — Treasurer / Director
  • Daniel J Kenneally — Secretary / Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$2,946,838$2,770,925$61,022,653Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$3,919,829$3,368,156$70,907,211Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year$3,545,872$2,831,000$95,753,813Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

Sources

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