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Vermont Trails & Greenways Council

EIN 22-3075047 · Barre, VT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceGood83 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROMOTE TRAILS AND GREENWAYS AND TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS HAVE ACCESS TO THE LANDSCAPE OF VERMONT.

Income
$345,704
Spending
$331,969
Spent on programs
97%
Reserves
1.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 91%
Employees
1
Volunteers
10

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 529% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    97% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 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

    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

    10 of 10

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

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 March 31, 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. $320,357 spent. PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT, MAINTENANCE, AND PRESERVATION OF HIGH QUALITY, PUBLIC ACCESS TRAILS AND GREENWAYS IN VERMONT. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE HELPING SECURE SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC FUNDS FOR FLOOD RECOVERY, RAISING AWARENESS OF STEWARDSHIP NEEDS, AND PROVIDING TESTIMONY ON RELEVANT LEGISLATION. THE COUNCIL COHOSTED THE FIRST EVER OUTDOOR RECREATION DAY AT THE STATEHOUSE, BRINGING TOGETHER NEARLY 100 TRAIL ADVOCATES, AND HOSTED A SITE VISIT FOR INTERESTED LEGISLATORS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN TRAILS AND THRIVING LOCAL COMMUNITIES. EDUCATE, INFORM, AND CONNECT THE RECREATIONAL TRAILS AND GREENWAYS COMMUNITY IN VERMONT. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE REDESIGN AND LAUNCH OF A NEW WEBSITE, HOSTING A STATEWIDE TRAILS SYMPOSIUM, AND CIRCULATION OF A MONTHLY EDUCATIONAL NEWSLETTER TO NEARLY 500 RECIPIENTS. IN TERMS OF EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, THE VTGC PARTNERED WITH THE VERMONT RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION TO HOST THE VERMONT CONFERENCE ON RECREATION AND TRAILS SYMPOSIUM IN THE FALL OF 2024, WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS ACROSS PUBLIC AGENCIES, PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND MUNICIPAL GROUPS TO SHARE SUCCESS STORIES, LEARN ABOUT NEW METHODS AND TOOLS, AND STRENGTHEN OUR COLLECTIVE NETWORK. ADVISE THE VERMONT AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES ON ALL MATTERS RELEVANT TO RECREATIONAL TRAILS AND GREENWAYS. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DRAFT COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS, PARKS, AND RECREATION, PROVIDING GUIDANCE ON UPDATES TO THE RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM (RTP) GRANT PROGRAM, FORMALLY SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VERMONT'S STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN (SCORP), AND PARTICIPATING IN THE VERMONT OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMIC COLLABORATIVE (VOREC) STEERING COMMITTEE. WHILE THE VTGC HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED IN STATUTE AS AN OFFICIAL ADVISORY BODY TO THE VERMONT AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS, PARKS, AND RECREATION (FPR), VTGC BOARD AND STAFF WORKED CLOSELY WITH FPR REPRESENTATIVES TO DEVELOP A FORMAL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT THAT OFFICIALLY DEFINES HOW BOTH ORGANIZATIONS WILL INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLABORATIVELY ADVANCE THE LANDSCAPE FOR TRAIL BASED RECREATION IN VERMONT. VTGC HAS ALSO BEEN CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THE VERMONT CONSERVATION STRATEGY INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL DEFINE VERMONT'S APPROACH TO MEETING 30 BY 30 AND 50 BY 50 CONSERVATION GOALS, ADVISING HOW RECREATIONAL TRAILS CAN HELP ADVANCE THE DESIRED LAND PROTECTION OUTCOMES. PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT, MAINTENANCE, AND PRESERVATION OF HIGH QUALITY, PUBLIC ACCESS TRAILS AND GREENWAYS IN VERMONT. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE HELPING SECURE SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC FUNDS FOR FLOOD RECOVERY, RAISING AWARENESS OF STEWARDSHIP NEEDS, AND PROVIDING TESTIMONY ON RELEVANT LEGISLATION. THE COUNCIL COHOSTED THE FIRST EVER OUTDOOR RECREATION DAY AT THE STATEHOUSE, BRINGING TOGETHER NEARLY 100 TRAIL ADVOCATES, AND HOSTED A SITE VISIT FOR INTERESTED LEGISLATORS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN TRAILS AND THRIVING LOCAL COMMUNITIES. EDUCATE, INFORM, AND CONNECT THE RECREATIONAL TRAILS AND GREENWAYS COMMUNITY IN VERMONT. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE REDESIGN AND LAUNCH OF A NEW WEBSITE, HOSTING A STATEWIDE TRAILS SYMPOSIUM, AND CIRCULATION OF A MONTHLY EDUCATIONAL NEWSLETTER TO NEARLY 500 RECIPIENTS. IN TERMS OF EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, THE VTGC PARTNERED WITH THE VERMONT RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION TO HOST THE VERMONT CONFERENCE ON RECREATION AND TRAILS SYMPOSIUM IN THE FALL OF 2024, WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS ACROSS PUBLIC AGENCIES, PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND MUNICIPAL GROUPS TO SHARE SUCCESS STORIES, LEARN ABOUT NEW METHODS AND TOOLS, AND STRENGTHEN OUR COLLECTIVE NETWORK. ADVISE THE VERMONT AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES ON ALL MATTERS RELEVANT TO RECREATIONAL TRAILS AND GREENWAYS. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DRAFT COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS, PARKS, AND RECREATION, PROVIDING GUIDANCE ON UPDATES TO THE RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM (RTP) GRANT PROGRAM, FORMALLY SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VERMONT'S STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN (SCORP), AND PARTICIPATING IN THE VERMONT OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMIC COLLABORATIVE (VOREC) STEERING COMMITTEE. WHILE THE VTGC HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED IN STATUTE AS AN OFFICIAL ADVISORY BODY TO THE VERMONT AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS, PARKS, AND RECREATION (FPR), VTGC BOARD AND STAFF WORKED CLOSELY WITH FPR REPRESENTATIVES TO DEVELOP A FORMAL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT THAT OFFICIALLY DEFINES HOW BOTH ORGANIZATIONS WILL INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLABORATIVELY ADVANCE THE LANDSCAPE FOR TRAIL BASED RECREATION IN VERMONT. VTGC HAS ALSO BEEN CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THE VERMONT CONSERVATION STRATEGY INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL DEFINE VERMONT'S APPROACH TO MEETING 30 BY 30 AND 50 BY 50 CONSERVATION GOALS, ADVISING HOW RECREATIONAL TRAILS CAN HELP ADVANCE THE DESIRED LAND PROTECTION OUTCOMES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 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 March 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 February 2025.

    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.