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Upper Valley Trails Alliance Inc

EIN 03-0369847 · Norwich, VT

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood88 out of 100GovernanceFair67 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE UPPER VALLEY TRAILS ALLIANCE ADVOCATES FOR THE USE, MAINTENANCE, AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRAILS IN THE REGION. THROUGH EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND STEWARDSHIP WE PROMOTE ACTIVE LIFESTYLES THROUGH TRAIL USE IN ALL SEASONS, CONNECT PEOPLE AND PLACES THROUGH A REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORK, AND LEAD A COALITION OF LOCAL TRAIL GROUPS AND ADVOCATES.

Income
$460,319
Spending
$450,359
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
7.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 79%
Employees
6
Volunteers
230
Highest pay
$79,508, 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

Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% 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: 67 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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)
  1. $190,193 spent. TRAIL PROJECTS TRUE TO OUR ALLIANCE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES, WE ARE WORKING WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF UPPER VALLEY COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS PROVIDING EXPERTISE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR TRAIL PROJECTS INCLUDING: IN 2024 UVTA WORKED ON OVER 30 TRAIL PROJECTS, BUILDING AND IMPROVING OVER 80 MILES OF TRAILS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY TOWNS, BUSINESSES, FOUNDATIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE REGION. UVTA ORGANIZED OVER 230 VOLUNTEERS TOTALING OVER 2,000 HOURS OF WORK. UVTA PARTNERED WITH FIVE ORGANIZAITONS TO FACILITATE THE IMPROVEMENT AND CREATION OF ACCESSIBLE TRAILS IN VERMONT THROUGH THE NEW TRAIL ACCESSIBILITY HUB. UVTA STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS BUILT NEW TRAILS IN THE SUMMER FALLS RECREATION AREA AND IMPROVED THE HARRIS TRAIL ON MOOSE MTN. UTVA ALSO BUILT A WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE BRIDGE ACROSS TROUT BROOK CONNECTING THE CHAFFEE WILDLIFE SANTUARY AND POST POND RECREATION AREA AND BUILT A NEW TRAIL WITH 4 BRIDGES ALONG THE WAITS RIVER IN BRADFORD. TRAIL PROJECTS TRUE TO OUR ALLIANCE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES, WE ARE WORKING WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF UPPER VALLEY COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS PROVIDING EXPERTISE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR TRAIL PROJECTS INCLUDING: IN 2024 UVTA WORKED ON OVER 30 TRAIL PROJECTS, BUILDING AND IMPROVING OVER 80 MILES OF TRAILS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY TOWNS, BUSINESSES, FOUNDATIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE REGION. UVTA ORGANIZED OVER 230 VOLUNTEERS TOTALING OVER 2,000 HOURS OF WORK. UVTA PARTNERED WITH FIVE ORGANIZAITONS TO FACILITATE THE IMPROVEMENT AND CREATION OF ACCESSIBLE TRAILS IN VERMONT THROUGH THE NEW TRAIL ACCESSIBILITY HUB. UVTA STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS BUILT NEW TRAILS IN THE SUMMER FALLS RECREATION AREA AND IMPROVED THE HARRIS TRAIL ON MOOSE MTN. UTVA ALSO BUILT A WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE BRIDGE ACROSS TROUT BROOK CONNECTING THE CHAFFEE WILDLIFE SANTUARY AND POST POND RECREATION AREA AND BUILT A NEW TRAIL WITH 4 BRIDGES ALONG THE WAITS RIVER IN BRADFORD.
  2. $166,404 spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH SERVICES 2024 WAS A YEAR OF CELEBRATION AND REFLECTION AS UVTA CELEBRATED 25 YEARS WITH SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE PASSPORT TO WINTER FUN, UVTA'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM THAT PROMOTES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE WINTER MONTHS HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR, SERVING 5,600+ STUDENTS IN 29 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND 33 HOMESCHOOL GROUPS IN 2024. UVTA'S TRAIL FINDER, A FREE, ONLINE TRAIL RESOURCE, NOW PROVIDES INFORMATION ON OVER 950 TRAILS AND TRAIL NETWORKS. TRAIL FINDER ALSO HELPS BOOST LOCAL ECONOMIES WITH THE TRAILSIDE SERVICES FEATURE. UPPER VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL TRAIL CORPS BROUGHT 50 STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE UPPER VALLEY OUT ON A 5-WEEK TRAIL CREW PROGRAM IN 2024. IN RESPONSE TO INTENSE STORMS AND FLOODS CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, 12 BRIDGES WERE CONSTRUCTED AND 50 + MILES OF TRAIL WERE IMPROVED. UVTA'S SUMMER TRAIL STEWARDS CREW OF 8 INTERNS WORKED AS AN ON-CALL CREW, ASSISTING WITH SITE PREP AND TRAIL BUILDING. IN 2024, THE STEWARDS PROVIDED 160 HOURS OF SERVICE AND IMPROVED OVER 10 MILES OF TRAIL, MAKING THEM A VITAL PART OF UVTA'S SUCCESS. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH SERVICES 2024 WAS A YEAR OF CELEBRATION AND REFLECTION AS UVTA CELEBRATED 25 YEARS WITH SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE PASSPORT TO WINTER FUN, UVTA'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM THAT PROMOTES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE WINTER MONTHS HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR, SERVING 5,600+ STUDENTS IN 29 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND 33 HOMESCHOOL GROUPS IN 2024. UVTA'S TRAIL FINDER, A FREE, ONLINE TRAIL RESOURCE, NOW PROVIDES INFORMATION ON OVER 950 TRAILS AND TRAIL NETWORKS. TRAIL FINDER ALSO HELPS BOOST LOCAL ECONOMIES WITH THE TRAILSIDE SERVICES FEATURE. UPPER VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL TRAIL CORPS BROUGHT 50 STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE UPPER VALLEY OUT ON A 5-WEEK TRAIL CREW PROGRAM IN 2024. IN RESPONSE TO INTENSE STORMS AND FLOODS CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, 12 BRIDGES WERE CONSTRUCTED AND 50 + MILES OF TRAIL WERE IMPROVED. UVTA'S SUMMER TRAIL STEWARDS CREW OF 8 INTERNS WORKED AS AN ON-CALL CREW, ASSISTING WITH SITE PREP AND TRAIL BUILDING. IN 2024, THE STEWARDS PROVIDED 160 HOURS OF SERVICE AND IMPROVED OVER 10 MILES OF TRAIL, MAKING THEM A VITAL PART OF UVTA'S SUCCESS.
  3. $1,500 spent. UVTA PLAYS A LEADERSHIP ROLE ON THE MASCOMA RIVER GREENWAY COALITION. IN 2024, PROJECT PARTNERS CONTINUE TO PLAN FOR THE ONGOING EXTENSION OF THE GREENWAY FROM ITS CURRENT TERMINUS IN LEBANON, TO ROUTE 12A IN WEST LEBANON. IN ADDITION, UVTA CONTRIBUTED NEW SIGNAGE AND MAPS FOR THE TRAIL.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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.