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.
75¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$102K 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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FY2023 · 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
75%
of spending
Looks good: 75% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$102K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.8 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
$319K
13% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 13% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.0M
+6% vs prior year
Spent
$3.0M
To programs
75%
Net assets
$2.2M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$3.0M
FY2023▲ +6%
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
$3.0M
FY2023▲ +29%
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
FY2023▲ +2%
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 FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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

75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 75% · $2.3M Management & general 17% · $510K Fundraising 8% · $244K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $102K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$102,496Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer End 6/30/2023
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$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.

See Vital Communities INC executive salaries →

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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 · $1.3M · in their own filed words · FY2022
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.

$558Kprogram expense
02

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; we also support farm to school programming; and…

$487Kprogram expense
03

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…

$243Kprogram 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 FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$723K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Money outPt IX
$3.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.3M
Managementcol C$510K
Fundraisingcol D$244K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$2.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$319K
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$240K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$4K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$723K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Other incomeLn 4–11$1K
Total revenueLn 12$3.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$6K
SavingsLn 2$1.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$86K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$26K
Other assetsLn 15$220K
Total assetsLn 16$2.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$319K
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.4M$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$77K$86K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$26K$26K
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M$2.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$178K$319K
Net assetsLn 32$2.2M$2.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$225K$225K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$14K$14K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$127K$80K$13K$34K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.2M$829K$217K$146K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$30K$21K$5K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$188K$144K$22K$22K
Payroll taxesLn 10$108K$75K$19K$14K
Legal feesLn 11b$8K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$25K$25K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$305K$206K$89K$10K
OccupancyLn 16$78K$32K$46K
TravelLn 17$19K$17K$1K$590
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$8K$188$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$636K$586K$40K$11K
All other expensesLn 24e$56K$37K$17K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.0M$2.3M$510K$244K

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 Viewing $3.0M$3.0M$22K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,041,220 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,922,184$2,313,274
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $951,906$723,290
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,888$3,575
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $314$1,081
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,876,292$3,041,220
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $64,455$238,586
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,182,926$1,645,794
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $5,556$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,085,084$1,134,507
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,338,021$3,018,887
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $538,271$22,333
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
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 $3,041,220 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$239,558
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,073,716
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$3,783
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,313,274
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $723,290$723,290
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $3,575$3,575
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $1,081$1,081
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $723,290 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,656$3,041,220
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,018,887 across 15 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $224,867$224,867
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $13,719$13,719
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $80,035 · Management $12,704 · Fundraising $34,301$127,040
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $829,054 · Management $217,370 · Fundraising $146,116$1,192,540
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $21,391 · Management $5,132 · Fundraising $3,344$29,867
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $143,807 · Management $22,197 · Fundraising $22,379$188,383
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $74,799 · Management $19,187 · Fundraising $13,978$107,964
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $7,846$7,846
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $24,539$24,539
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $206,458 · Management $88,780 · Fundraising $10,210$305,448
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $31,538 · Management $46,361$77,899
IX-17 TravelPrograms $16,854 · Management $1,064 · Fundraising $590$18,508
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $188 · Management $7,938$8,126
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $585,502 · Management $39,802 · Fundraising $10,724$636,028
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $36,925 · Management $17,134 · Fundraising $2,054$56,113
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,265,137 · Management $510,054 · Fundraising $243,696$3,018,887
Part X · Balance sheet $2,511,012 assets, 17 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $25,453; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $15,985$5,979
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,409,076$1,192,274
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $563,905$894,390
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $120,527$43,019
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $20,808$17,842
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $25,589$26,132
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $51,080$59,592
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $26,007$26,280
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $78,261$220,051
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,336,539$2,511,012
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $176,061$177,685
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,443$141,147
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $177,504$318,832
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,040,119$1,100,872
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,118,916$1,091,308
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,159,035$2,192,180
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,336,539$2,511,012
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,192,180 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,041,220
XI-2 Total expenses$3,018,887
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$22,333
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,159,035
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$10,812
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,192,180

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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