Participation in the Great Fish Community Challenge is free for nonprofits. Nonprofits receive 100% of the proceeds from designated donations. With the help of major sponsors and the Title Sponsor BNSF Railway, the Community Foundation covers all the advertising, marketing, printing, tax receipts, postage, administration, and event costs. Plus, Whitefish Community Foundation provides an additional percentage matching grant on top of your donation. Gifts made by credit card will be charged a fee by the credit card processor. Donors have the option to add an additional fee to cover the credit card fee when checking out online.

Participating nonprofits will receive their Great Fish Community Challenge funds October 24th, 2023 after Whitefish Community Foundation has completed the reconciliation process and determined the final percentage matching grant amount.

Whitefish Community Foundation processes all gifts. If you donate online, a tax receipt will be emailed to you. Please watch for your email receipt. Donations by cash and check will receive a tax receipt in the mail.

Whitefish Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, 509(a)(1) as referred to in Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi). Our EIN Number is 81-0533002. Please be sure to send the completed donor form with your donation so that we know where to send your tax receipt. If you need another receipt please email us.

Yes. Each nonprofit has the ability to access a list of donors by logging into their fund in order to monitor donations and send personal letters. If you would like to remain anonymous please mark the box on the donation form or on the online submission form and your information will not be shared.

Match Funding comes from Whitefish Community Foundation’s unrestricted donations and from the Foundation's fundraising programs.

Our Circle of Giving donors sponsor the majority of the Great Fish Match. Circle donors contribute an annual gift of from $5,000 or more, with some giving as much as $50,000, to support the Foundation’s Grant Programs. Individuals and businesses also give directly to the Great Fish Match Fund to help increase the percentage match to nonprofits.

Interested in learning more about becoming a member of the Circle of Giving? Contact Alan Davis at alan@whitefishcommunityfoundation.org or call (406) 863-1781.

Make a gift to the Great Fish Match Fund and become a Great Fish Challenger!

• Variance Power.  All donations are subject to the variance power described in Treas. Reg. Sec. 1.170A-9(f)(11)(v)(B)(1), as amended from time to time. Pursuant to the variance power, the Whitefish Community Foundation Board shall have the power to modify any restriction or condition on the distribution of funds for any specified charitable purpose or to specified organizations, if in their sole judgment (without the approval of any advisor, trustee, custodian or agent) such restriction or condition becomes, in effect, unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the community or area served by the Community Foundation.