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.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$88K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2022 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $59K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
83%
of spending
Looks good: 83% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$88K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $300K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$178K
8% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 8% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
17
of 17 voting members
Looks good: 17 of 17 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.9M
-3% vs prior year
Spent
$2.3M
To programs
83%
Net assets
$2.2M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$2.9M
FY2022▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$3.0M
FY2022$2.9M
FY2023$3.0M
FY2024$1.9M
FY2025$1.6M
Expenses
$2.3M
FY2022▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$2.5M
FY2022$2.3M
FY2023$3.0M
FY2024$2.3M
FY2025$2.5M
Net assets
$2.2M
FY2022▲ +45%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$1.5M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$2.2M
FY2024$1.8M
FY2025$907K

From the FY2022 Form 990 (year ending June 2022) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1998.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $2.0M Management & general 9% · $207K Fundraising 8% · $179K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

18 people listed on the 990; $88K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2021); the FY2022 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$87,629Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair Thru 6/22 Then Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair Thru 6/22
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sarah Jackson’s $146K as Executive Director is at the 44th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2832 $1–10M community development nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Sarah Jackson$146,025$122,269$102,496$87,629$16,557
Tom Roberts————$71,089

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Boosts the Upper Valley's civic, environmental, and economic health.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.2M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Upper valley everyone eats we implement the state-funded vermont everyone eats (vee) model in the upper valley, providing meals to people in need of nourishing food while supporting local restaurants, farmers, and food producers.

$740Kprogram expense
02

Outreach

With a commitment to equity for all, we promote the vision of a thriving and interconnected region. Projects include promoting VC programs through newsletters, our website, and social media; managing 35 public email community discussion lists for community-focused news and exchanges; and collaborating with area chambers on upper valley…

$255Kprogram expense
03

Food & Farm

We support upper valley farms and working lands to protect their natural resources, bolster regional self-sufficiency and food security, and help drive our economy. Projects include sharing artful climate farmer stories that promote local farmers' positive role in climate resilience.

$193Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$300K
Grants paid · 14 grants · $498K · 2021–2024
Moon and Stars CorpNH · FY2024$9,092
Kearsarge Food HubNH · FY2024$7,777
Feeding the Valley AllianceVT · FY2024$7,285
Ottauquechee Natural Resources Conservation DistrictFY2024$5,900
Sullivan County Conservation DistrictFY2024$5,235
Sustainable Woodstock INCVT · FY2023$6,536
Global Village FoodsFY2022$163,400
Unitemized GrantFY2021$1,200
Unitemized GrantFY2021$300

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$952K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Money outPt IX
$2.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.0M
Managementcol C$207K
Fundraisingcol D$179K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$178K
PeoplePt VI, VII
18
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a17
IndependentVI 1b17
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$137K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$13K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$952K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$314
Total revenueLn 12$2.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$16K
SavingsLn 2$1.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$77K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$26K
Other assetsLn 15$78K
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$178K
Net assetsLn 32$2.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 525
VolunteersI 6160
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$86K$77K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9K$26K
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$174K$178K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M$2.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$39K$39K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$26K$26K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$103K$65K$10K$28K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$865K$651K$128K$86K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$20K$15K$3K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$121K$90K$20K$11K
Payroll taxesLn 10$74K$55K$11K$8K
Legal feesLn 11b$7K$5K$1K$692
Accounting feesLn 11c$28K$20K$5K$3K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$139K$125K$6K$9K
OccupancyLn 16$53K$41K$8K$4K
TravelLn 17$11K$10K$130$44
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5K$4K$1K$526
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$816K$791K$7K$18K
All other expensesLn 24e$26K$15K$7K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.3M$2.0M$207K$179K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.6M$2.5M−$921K$907K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.9M$2.3M−$389K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.0M$3.0M$22K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $2.9M$2.3M$538K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.0M$2.5M$455K$1.5M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,876,292 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,369,200$1,922,184
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,581,066$951,906
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,910$1,888
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $974$314
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,954,150$2,876,292
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $13,100$64,455
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $929,759$1,182,926
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $9,799$5,556
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,546,431$1,085,084
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,499,089$2,338,021
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $455,061$538,271
Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17
VI-1b Independent voting members17
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,876,292 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$137,285
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,784,899
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$12,884
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,922,184
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $951,906$951,906
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,888$1,888
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $314$314
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $952,220 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,888$2,876,292
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,338,021 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $38,945$38,945
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $25,510$25,510
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $65,019 · Management $10,320 · Fundraising $27,865$103,204
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $650,611 · Management $128,161 · Fundraising $86,051$864,823
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $15,381 · Management $2,781 · Fundraising $1,681$19,843
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $90,331 · Management $19,853 · Fundraising $10,623$120,807
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $55,363 · Management $10,582 · Fundraising $8,304$74,249
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $5,194 · Management $1,332 · Fundraising $692$7,218
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $19,936 · Management $5,112 · Fundraising $2,654$27,702
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $5,556$5,556
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $124,530 · Management $5,576 · Fundraising $8,568$138,674
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $40,518 · Management $8,136 · Fundraising $4,226$52,880
IX-17 TravelPrograms $10,376 · Management $130 · Fundraising $44$10,550
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $3,920 · Management $1,013 · Fundraising $526$5,459
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $791,363 · Management $7,148 · Fundraising $17,867$816,378
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $15,045 · Management $6,876 · Fundraising $4,302$26,223
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,952,042 · Management $207,020 · Fundraising $178,959$2,338,021
Part X · Balance sheet $2,336,539 assets, 17 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $25,301; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $59,201$15,985
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,141,340$1,409,076
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $29,567$563,905
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $204,655$120,527
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $20,558$20,808
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $8,967$25,589
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $59,721$51,080
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $25,994$26,007
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $88,211$78,261
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,663,364$2,336,539
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $136,521$176,061
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $2,787$1,443
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $173,808$177,504
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $911,302$1,040,119
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $578,254$1,118,916
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,489,556$2,159,035
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,663,364$2,336,539
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,159,035 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,876,292
XI-2 Total expenses$2,338,021
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$538,271
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,489,556
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$16,306
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$147,514
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,159,035

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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