Vital Communities Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
VITAL COMMUNITIES ENGAGES UPPER VALLEY PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITIES TO CREATE EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS TO OUR REGION'S CHALLENGES, WITH A FOCUS ON THOSE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THEM.
- Income
- $1.6 million
- Spending
- $2.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 57%
- Reserves
- 2.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 74%
- Employees
- 25
- Volunteers
- 160
- Highest pay
- $150,406, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 39 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 28% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 58% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1557% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 June 30, 2025, 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 (7)
- $456,921 spent. FOOD & FARM: DURING FY25 WE MANAGED PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT FARM VIABILITY, ACCESS TO LOCALLY GROWN FOOD, FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCE, EDUCATION, AND CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION. OUR PROJECTS INCLUDED FARM TO SCHOOL, FARM TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, CLIMATE FARMER STORIES, AND THE UPPER VALLEY RESILIENCE NETWORK. TOGETHER, THESE PROJECTS PROVIDED RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR OUR REGION'S K-12 SCHOOLS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS, UPPER VALLEY FARMERS WHO ARE WORKING TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS, AND A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY-ORGANIZED GROUPS WORKING TO ADDRESS GAPS AND CHALLENGES IN THE FOOD SYSTEM.
- $271,872 spent. HOUSING: DURING FY25, WE SUPPORTED UPPER VALLEY PLANNERS, DEVELOPERS, EMPLOYERS, MUNICIPAL LEADERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS SO THAT THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE MORE PLACES TO LIVE. PROJECTS INCLUDED PILOTING THE CREATION OF ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, PARTICULARLY BY LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME HOMEOWNERS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RESOURCE GUIDE AND NETWORKS TO SUPPORT BIPOC HOME OWNERSHIP, HOSTING FORUMS WITH STAKEHOLDERS THAT PROMOTE HOUSING SOLUTIONS AND ACTION PLANS, ORGANIZING A MULTI-SECTOR HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, COLLECTING DATA ON HOME CREATION TO INFORM SOLUTIONS, SUPPORTING THE UPPER VALLEY LOAN FUND, A $9 MILLION PROJECT OF THE CORPORATE COUNCIL, AND ENGAGING UPPER VALLEY COMMUNITIES TO EXAMINE AND REFORM ZONING AND LAND USE REGULATIONS.
- $155,849 spent. TRANSPORTATION: DURING FY25 WE SUPPORTED UPPER VALLEY COMMUNITIES' EFFORTS TO CREATE A SAFE, RELIABLE AND MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT IS AFFORDABLE, INCREASES COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, AND MINIMIZES CLIMATE IMPACT. PROJECTS INCLUDED CONVENING THE UPPER VALLEY TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS THE STATEWIDE, CLIMATE FOCUSED VERMONT TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY NETWORK. WE ALSO EXPANDED THE UPPER VALLEY E-BIKE LENDING LIBRARY (UVELL), FACILITATED EMPLOYER-BASED E-BIKE LIBRARY AND BIKESHARE PROGRAMS, PROVIDED E-BIKE SUBSIDIES FOR LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME RESIDENTS, AND PROMOTED WALK, BIKE, & RIDE CAMPAIGNS.
- $115,576 spent. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP THE ORGANIZATION IMPLEMENTED A VARIETY OF PROJECTS THAT ADVANCE OUR REGION AS ONE OF INCLUSIVE, COOPERATIVE, AND WELCOMING COMMUNITIES WHERE ALL PEOPLE SEE THEMSELVES REPRESENTED. DURING FY25, THESE PROJECTS INCLUDED LEADERSHIP UPPER VALLEY, THE CORPORATE COUNCIL, THE MUNICIPAL LEADERS, COMMUNITY DISCUSSION LISTS, AND VALLEY QUEST.
- $281,236 spent. FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS FOR THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2025 AND 2024, PROJECTS INCLUDE WRLC. WRLC IS A FARMER-LED, COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROJECT THAT AIMS TO PROVIDE YOUNG FARMERS AFFORDABLE LAND AND HOUSING, OFFER OTHER SUPPORT TO THE REGION'S FARMERS AND ECONOMY, GENERATE GREEN POWER, AND PROVIDE COMMUNITY SPACE.
- $69,533 spent. COMMUNICATIONS WITH A COMMITMENT TO EQUITY FOR ALL, WE PROMOTE THE VISION OF A THRIVING AND INTERCONNECTED REGION. PROJECTS INCLUDE SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT VITAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAMS AND ABOUT OUR PARTNERS THROUGH SPRING AND FALL PRINT NEWSLETTERS, A MONTHLY E-NEWS, PROGRAM-SPECIFIC NEWSLETTERS, OUR WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA; AND PARTICIPATING IN A WIDE VARIETY OF EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
- $63,811 spent. CLIMATE & ENERGY DURING FY25, THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, MAPPING THE NEEDS AND PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED BY OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS. OUR FINDINGS WILL INFORM THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW PROJECTS, WITH THE GOAL OF SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS AS THEY WORK TO RESTORE ECOSYSTEM BALANCE, MITIGATE THE DRIVERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE WHILE ADAPTING TO THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND INCREASE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 2025.
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 July 1998.
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.
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