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Vermont Foodbank

EIN 22-3021942 · Barre, VT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO GATHER AND SHARE QUALITY FOOD AND NURTURE PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT NO ONE IN VERMONT WILL GO HUNGRY.

Income
$35.9 million
Spending
$34.8 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
7.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
101
Volunteers
4,015
Highest pay
$223,174, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 15% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 (1)
  1. $28.7 million spent. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, VERMONT FOODBANK DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 14.1 MILLION POUNDS OF DONATED FOOD, USDA FOODS, AND PURCHASED FOOD DIRECTLY TO INDIVIDUALS AND TO MORE THAN 220 NETWORK PARTNERS. OF THAT, OVER 4.4 MILLION POUNDS OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WERE DISTRIBUTED, AND 50% OF THE FOOD DISTRIBUTED WAS FRESH FOOD (PRODUCE, MEAT, EGGS, AND DAIRY). VERMONT FOODBANK ALSO WORKED WITH ALMOST 225 VERMONT FARMS TO PURCHASE, GATHER AND SHARE CLOSE TO $1.9 MILLION WORTH OF VERMONT-GROWN FOOD. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, THE FOODBANK FUNDED 369 GRANTS TOTALING CLOSE TO $1.3M TO NETWORK AND PROGRAM PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. THESE GRANTS, WHICH REACHED EVERY COUNTY IN VERMONT, DEEPENED OUR IMPACT AND HELPED SOLVE TARGETED CHALLENGES TO FOOD ACCESS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES (EXAMPLES INCLUDE INCREASING REFRIGERATION CAPACITY TO ENABLING PURCHASING FRESH PRODUCE FROM LOCAL, SMALL-SCALE FARMS).THE FOODBANK ALSO WORKED WITH 77 PARTNERS, HOUSING SITES, HOSPITALS, AND SCHOOLS TO HOST A TOTAL OF 760 FRESH FOOD DISTRIBUTION EVENTS ACROSS ALL VERMONT COUNTIES, DISTRIBUTING FRESH FOODS TO AN AVERAGE OF MORE THAN 10,000 HOUSEHOLDS A MONTH. THE VERMONT FOODBANK CONTINUES TO SEE INCREASES IN EXPENSES OVER PRE-PANDEMIC BUDGETS, AT THE SAME TIME THAT FEDERAL FOOD AND FUNDS ARE BEING CUT AND POLICY CHANGES ARE MAKING IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO MEET BASIC NEEDS, INCREASING THE NEED FOR CHARITABLE FOOD. VERMONT FOODBANK HAS RELIED ON RESERVES TO CONTINUE TO MEET THIS INCREASED LEVEL OF NEED. REVENUE IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 MET PROJECTIONS, MAINLY THROUGH PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY, AND A $1M APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE OF VERMONT.A 2022 STUDY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT SHOWS THAT 2 IN 5 PEOPLE IN VERMONT EXPERIENCED FOOD INSECURITY IN THE 12 MONTHS PRIOR. THIS DATA IS SUPPORTED BY 2023 DATA SHARED BY THE USDA, WHICH ALSO SHOWS A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW OF RISING FOOD INSECURITY RATES. THESE STUDIES SHOW THAT FOOD INSECURITY IS FAR HIGHER THAN THE 9.6% FOOD INSECURITY RATE VERMONT SAW BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND ALSO HIGHER THAN AT ANY POINT IN 2020 OR 2021, DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC IMPACTS. FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES ARE INCREASING FOOD AND ECONOMIC INSECURITY, AND DATA TO MEASURE THE IMPACTS OF THESE CHANGES MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE FUTURE. THE LEVEL OF NEED IS BEYOND WHAT OUR NETWORK OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WAS BUILT TO ADDRESS. THE VERMONT FOODBANK, THE STATE'S ONLY FOOD BANK, IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF VERMONT'S FOOD SECURITY RESPONSE SYSTEM. INCREASED LEVELS OF FOOD INSECURITY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE STRAINED RESOURCES AT BOTH VERMONT FOODBANK AND ITS NETWORK OF MORE THAN 220 FOOD ACCESS AGENCIES (FOOD SHELVES, MEAL SITES, ETC.). PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT REMAINS STRONG, BUT THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO SUSTAIN INCREASED LEVELS OF OPERATIONS ARE OUTPACING FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND FEDERAL CUTS ARE IMPACTING BOTH RESOURCES TO VERMONT FOODBANK AND ITS PARTNERS AS WELL AS INCREASING FOOD INSECURITY FOR PEOPLE IN VERMONT. VERMONT FOODBANK IS ADVOCATING ALONGSIDE PARTNERS FOR INCREASED STATE SUPPORT TO HELP CLOSE THIS GAP.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1990.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.