As the charitable affiliate of First Interstate BancSystem, the Foundation is funded by the Bank and works closely together to distribute money across our territory where it’s needed most. The Foundation shares the values and vision of First Interstate Bank together we strive to make our communities a better place to live and work. This is accomplished by providing resources to nonprofits located within our communities.

The Mission of First Interstate Foundation is to assist the First Interstate Bank family in being the premier corporate citizen in the communities we serve. The Foundation will achieve its mission by carrying out First Interstate’s Commitment to Community by providing resources and leadership to neighborhood projects and activities and by focusing resources to community development efforts that assist low and moderate income communities and individuals.

Foundation Programs

The Foundation focuses its giving in three main areas: granting funds, financial education and matching the gifts of First Interstate Bank employees.

Grants

Community Development Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations that provide services to low and moderate income (LMI) individuals and communities across our territory. First Interstate branches, the Foundation and community development officer work together with those nonprofits toward the salient goal of community development. We provide expertise and resources to affordable housing projects, services targeted to LMI individuals, activities that revitalize or stabilize LMI geographies and activities that promote economic development.

Leadership Grants give First Interstate employees the opportunity to become community stewards. The Foundation relies on local branch leadership to recommend funding requests based on the needs of their respective communities. From there, the local branch and Foundation grant dollars to the community projects and activities.

The leadership grants are evaluated based on the nonprofits organizational background, community benefit and support, and the strength of the nonprofits leadership and financial stability.

Financial Education

As a financial mentor with local roots, we believe education evolves into responsibility. Working with branches, we participate in local financial education activities, from saving and budgeting to understanding credit and fraud prevention for everyone from kindergarten to seniors. We are also active in national events such as American Bankers Association Education’s Teach Children to Save Day in April and Get Smart About Credit Day in October.

Mini Banks

Mini Banks empower children to operate a school savings bank where any student can have an account. School personnel, local bank branches and the Foundation work together to provide the resources needed to operate the Mini Banks.

Matching

Our Employee Matching program matches the gifts of First Interstate Bank employees dollar for dollar. Anyone- from a teller and Vice President of Lending to First Interstate Advisory Board members – who makes a donation to a nonprofit which benefits our communities, can have their contribution matched by the Foundation.

Our Volunteer Matching program works in much the same way, but for Bank employees who prefer to donate time, we’ll match their effort with Foundation dollars at a rate of $8 for every hour donated with a 20 hour minimum.

Application Process Grant Guidelines Apply

Mission Statement

The Mission of First Interstate Foundation is to assist the First Interstate Bank family in being the premier corporate citizen in the communities we serve. The Foundation achieves this by carrying out First Interstate’s Commitment to Community. We provide resources and leadership to civic and community projects, education, arts and culture, health and human services and community development efforts.