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The Vermont Center for Ecostudies Inc

EIN 51-0639429 · Norwich, VT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE VERMONT CENTER FOR ECOSTUDIES ADVANCES THE CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE ACROSS THE AMERICAS THROUGH RESEARCH, MONITORING, AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.

Income
$2.2 million
Spending
$2.5 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
11.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 71%
Employees
35
Volunteers
10
Highest pay
$159,727, executive director

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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 16% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 37% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • 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

    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 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 (4)
  1. $465,013 spent. SUSTAIN THE HEALTH OF NORTHEASTERN ECOSYSTEMS- THE ECOREGION THAT STRETCHES FROM NEW YORK'S CATSKILL MOUNTAINS AND MASSACHUSETTS'S BERKSHIRES TO THE GASPE PENINSULA OF QUEBEC IS UNIQUELY AT RISK. HOME TO ALMOST 5.5 MILLION PEOPLE AND WITHIN A DAY'S DRIVE FROM 70 MILLION MORE, THE REGION'S HEART IS THE RUGGED AND ANCIENT APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN RANGE, FLANKED BY AN ECOLOGICALLY RICH WEB OF TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC NATURAL COMMUNITIES. VCE'S WILDLIFE RESEARCH AND MONITORING WITHIN THE EXPANSIVE AREA CROSSES INTERNATIONAL, STATE, AND PROVINCIAL BOUNDARIES TO FOCUS ON THREE DISCRETE ECOSYSTEMS OF CONSERVATION CONCERN;MOUNTAINS, GRASSLANDS, AND FORESTS. OUR OVERARCHING GOAL FOR NORTHEASTERN ECOSYSTEMS IS TO GALVANIZE AND COORDINATE COLLABORATIVE,SCIENCE-BASED CONSERVATION ACTIONS TO PROTECT WILDLIFE AND THEIR ECOSYSTEMS.
  2. $674,876 spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH - EDUCATIONAL TALKS, PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS TO THE COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS THAT VOLUNTEER ON OUR DIRECT AND CROWD SOURCED PROJECTS. OUTREACH ACTIVITIES INCLUDE INVITED TALKS, PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS, ENGAGEMENT OF VOLUNTEERS IN COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROJECTS, AND DISSEMINATION OF EDUCATIONAL CONTENT THROUGH PRINT, RADIO, AND DIGITAL MEDIA.
  3. $421,865 spent. MAP BIODIVERSITY FOR CONSERVATION- WITH MANY ECOSYSTEMS UNDERGOING UNPRECEDENTED CHANGE AS A RESULT OF HUMAN ACTIVITY, OUR MAPPINGBIODIVERSITY FOR CONSERVATION PROGRAM PROVIDES KEY INFORMATION FOR CONSERVATION. MANY HABITATS HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERE LOSS, DEGRADATION OR FRAGMENTATION, AND INTRODUCTION OF EXOTIC SPECIES HAS TRANSFORMED OTHERS, CAUSING DECLINES OR EXTINCTIONS OF NATIVE WILDLIFE. ANTHROPOGENIC CLIMATE CHANGE NOW THREATENS TO REDRAW THE GEOGRAPHIC MAP OF BIOTIC DIVERSITY. STUDIES OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS AS A MEANS TO ADVANCE CONSERVATION, TERMED "CONSERVATION BIOGEOGRAPHY," USE THE CONCEPTUAL TOOLS AND METHODS OF BIOGEOGRAPHY TO ADDRESS REAL WORLD CONSERVATION PROBLEMS. RESULTS PROVIDE PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE FATE OF KEY SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEMS, NOW AND FAR INTO THE FUTURE.
  4. $216,969 spent. PROTECT VITAL CARIBBEAN HABITATS- SOME 120 SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BREEDING BIRDS MIGRATE ANNUALLY TO THE ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN, WHICH HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AMONG THE TOP "HOTSPOTS" FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION WORLDWIDE. YET, BURGEONING HUMAN POPULATIONS AND THEIR ATTENDANT DEMAND FOR NATURAL RESOURCES HAVE DEVASTATED MONTANE FORESTS - THE REGION'S MOST HIGHLY THREATENED TERRESTRIAL HABITAT. THESE FORESTS PROVIDE CRITICAL WINTER HABITAT FOR BICKNELL'S THRUSH, ONE OF NORTH AMERICA'S HIGHEST CONSERVATION PRIORITY MIGRANT BIRDS. EFFORTS AIMED AT LONG-TERM BICKNELL'S THRUSH CONSERVATION INCLUDE HABITAT AND BIRD POPULATION MODELING AND MONITORING, BUILDING LOCAL AWARENESS OF CONSERVATION ISSUES, AND CAPACITY BUILDING AND COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS.

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 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 October 13, 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 December 2024.

    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 November 2007.

    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 October 21, 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.