Cross Charitable Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Cross Charitable Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, and its board chooses which organisations to invite, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered; the realistic route is to make your case clearly to the board and hope for an invitation.
- Its stated geographic focus is the North West United States, and it funds education, homelessness and oppression, wildlife conservation, environmental conservation and dog welfare, but not individuals.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $10,000 and $50,000, with a median of $20,000, so a typical request in that band fits, although its largest grant was about $270,000.
- Most of its grant dollars, 89% in its filing, went to organisations it had funded in earlier filings, so the foundation is largely relationship-led, and if invited, you should prepare a plain statement of what the money will be used for, reasonable salaries for your size, and current financial statements, applying in the window from 1 August to 30 September.
Overview
Cross Charitable Foundation is a US private foundation based in Bozeman, 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 supports organisations actively engaged in promoting education, assisting homeless and oppressed people, conserving and preserving wildlife, protecting the environment, and promoting the health, care and welfare of dogs. Its education work is intended to help young people become productive, contributing members of society; its environmental work gives particular emphasis to wildlife habitat and migratory routes. Grants are directed to organisations in Idaho, Utah, Montana and Wyoming, rather than to individual applicants. The board selects organisations to invite, and selected organisations receive an access code and apply online through the Foundant software programme. The foundation accepts one application per organisation each calendar year.
Themes
- Education
- Homelessness and oppression
- Wildlife conservation
- Environmental conservation
- Dog welfare
Geographic Focus
North West United States.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
How to apply
The board selects organisations to invite. Those organisations receive an access code by separate letter and then apply through the Foundant software programme.
Deadlines:
- Applications open on 1 August.
- Applications close on 30 September.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 89% 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 341 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Board asks applicants to state plainly what the grant money will be used for.
- The Board looks for reasonable salaries for each position relative to the organisation's size.
- The Board expects current financial statements.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 6%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations Cross Charitable Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 110 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Ogden-Weber Atc Foundation · Construction of school building$100,0002024 tax year
- Earthjustice · General fund$75,0002024 tax year
- Paws of Jackson Hole · General fund$60,0002024 tax year
- Salt Lake Community College Foundation · General fund$50,0002024 tax year
- Snake River Animal Shelter · General fund$50,0002024 tax year
- Lantern House · General fund$50,0002024 tax year
- Habitat For Humanity Of East Jeffer · General fund$50,0002024 tax year
- Jefferson Land Trust · General fund$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Ryan Kirkham — Vice President
- Mary Beth Thompson — Vice President
- John R Clark — Treasurer
- Carol Gonnella — Secretary
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $4,106,751 | $3,096,500 | $54,357,075 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,725,971 | $2,822,000 | $59,766,675 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,562,762 | $2,572,000 | $70,064,593 | Filing 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Cross Charitable Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Applying to Cross Charitable Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required