Vermont Legal Aid
Vermont Legal Aid reported $11.9 million in revenue and $11.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $82.37 went to program services, $17.63 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 96.4% of the total. Government grants made up 78.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $168,432 (EXECUTIVE DI). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 41% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor context, the median across 274 covered crime & legal-related charities: $87.85 programs, $11.30 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 82.4% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 17.6% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 96.4% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 78.7% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $168,432 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.41% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 3.2 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 10 of 10 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe poverty law project provides the full range of legal services subject to income and substantive eligibility guidelines imposed by the relevant grants and contracts of the vla board. Significant activities include providing legal representation to victims of family abuse, tenants facing eviction, vermonters denied government benefits, and consumers subject to fraud and exploitation. Total expenses = 1,953,523
The health care advocate office acts as an independent advocate that investigates reported complaints from consumers of health insurance. It helps people with claims of denial of care, access to health care, billing problems, complaints, and appeals. It also participates in health insurance rate filings with the board charged by the vermont legislature with overseeing the rate of health care cost growth in vermont and the quality of the health care system. Total expenses = 1,786,164
The mental health law project represents the constitutional rights of vermonters facing legal commitment to vermont psychiatric hospitals or court-ordered forced medication for psychiatric problems. Total expenses = 1,058,871
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DI Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $146,175 | $0 | $22,257 | $168,432 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $106,412 | $0 | $29,036 | $135,448 |
| ASSISTANT TO Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $105,124 | $0 | $28,931 | $134,055 |
| PROJECT DIRE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $112,773 | $0 | $18,110 | $130,883 |
| PROJECT DIRE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $106,296 | $0 | $17,368 | $123,664 |
| PROJECT DIRE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $114,274 | $0 | $5,949 | $120,223 |
| CHIEF HCA AD Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $110,186 | $0 | $5,744 | $115,930 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Vermont Legal Aid (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $167K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b10 · 10 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 592
- Volunteers Part I, line 618
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Vermont Legal Aid totaling $57 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Vermont Legal Aid's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Vermont Legal Aid, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Vermont Legal Aid spent in FY2025, $82.37 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Lawyers for ChildrenNew York, NY · revenue $12M · programs 86.2% · FY2025
- Community Legal Aid ServicesAkron, OH · revenue $12M · programs 81.9% · 2025
- Police Executive Research ForumWashington, DC · revenue $12M · programs 91.4% · 2024
- Centro Legal de LA RazaOakland, CA · revenue $12M · programs 83.0% · FY2025
- The Next DoorHood River, OR · revenue $12M · programs 83.1% · FY2025
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Vermont
Questions people ask
How much of Vermont Legal Aid's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Vermont Legal Aid reported that 82.4% of its $11.9 million in expenses went to program services, 17.6% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Vermont Legal Aid pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Vermont Legal Aid reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $168,432, for the role of EXECUTIVE DI (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Vermont Legal Aid get its money?
Of $11.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 96.4% came from contributions and grants (including 78.7% from government grants) and 0.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Vermont Legal Aid a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 03-0219366 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202612259349301336 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202542209349301209 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202442229349300304 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202312269349300406 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202211749349300501 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202122229349300012 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 03-0219366: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.