Vermont Businessess for Social Responsibility Resrch & Edctn Fdtn
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ON ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO THE NATURAL, HUMAN, AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS OF VERMONT CITIZENS.
- Income
- $571,517
- Spending
- $686,909
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- -2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 55%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 17
- Highest pay
- $98,408, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 25 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 388% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $61,638 spent. POLICY EDUCATION: THROUGH WORKSHOPS, FORUMS, NEWSLETTERS, AND WHITE PAPERS, WE HELD EDUCATIONAL FORUMS TO EDUCATE BUSINESS PEOPLE, LEGISLATORS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND OTHER DECISION-MAKERS ABOUT POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO BUSINESS. THESE ISSUES RELATE TO THE ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITIES, WORKPLACES, AND OTHER BUSINESS ISSUES.
- $178,530 spent. EDUCATIONAL EVENTS: THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE IS VBSR'S LARGEST EVENT WITH OVER 450 ATTENDEES LEARNING FROM SPEAKERS AND WORKSHOPS ON SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES. OUR ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY, WHICH SHOWCASES INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES WITH LEADERSHIP ACHIEVEMENTS THAT MODEL THE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY, INCLUDED OVER 100 ATTENDEES. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE HELD 9 NETWORKING AND PEOPLE. PLANET. PROSPERITY. SPEAKER SERIES EVENTS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE, HIGHLIGHTING DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF EACH HOST BUSINESS' SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE PRACTICES. OVER THE COURSE OF 2024 VBSR OFFERED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AS WELL AS PROGRAMMING SPECIFIC TO B CORPORATIONS IN VERMONT.
- $324,113 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE CLIMATEREADYVT PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS VERMONT BUSINESS WITH BECOMING MORE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE RELATED BUSINESS DISRUPTIONS. THE PROGRAM IS GEARED TOWARDS SMALL, VERMONT BUSINESSES AND FOCUSES ON BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING AND LEARNING HOW TO IDENTIFY, MEASURE, AND PRIORITIZE CLIMATE RELATED RISKS AND RISK MITIGATION. OTHER PROGRAMS ALSO INCLUDE OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY COMMUNITY LEADERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1996.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.