Vermont Land Trust
Vermont Land Trust reported $20.6 million in revenue and $18.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $87.18 went to program services, $9.98 to management and general costs and $2.84 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 87.4% of the total. Government grants made up 44.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $143,354 (PRESIDENT AND CEO). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 32% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $19MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $21MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.2% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.0% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.03 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 87.4% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 44.4% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $143,354 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.77% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 36.4 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 14 of 14 | 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 expenseConservationthe Vermont Land Trust is a member-supported land conservation organization that has worked with families, communities, farmers, and forestland owners since 1977 to conserve over 2,000 parcels of land important to vermonters. Vlt has permanently conserved more than 650,000 acres. This land includes more than 1,100 working farms, more than 410,000 acres of productive forestland, and numerous parcels of community lands. Our staff chooses initiatives and weighs investments of resources in our effort to best serve current and future residents and visitors to vermont. Our…
Stewardshipthe Vermont Land Trust accepts the responsibility to safeguard and uphold, for the benefit of all vermonters, the legal agreement signed voluntarily by the landowner. We call this work stewardship. Our stewardship role means that we monitor all our conserved properties on an annual basis and meet with almost 90% of the owners of conserved land. These experiences, visiting the land and creating relationships with landowners, are core to creating balanced care for the ecological integrity, cultural heritage, and economic productivity of conserved properties
The brewster uplands conservation trust is an entity that supports the management of 1,000+ acres for public access, farming and educational purposes
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT AND CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $131,250 | $0 | $12,104 | $143,354 |
| VP FOR ENGAGEMENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $130,780 | $0 | $3,181 | $133,961 |
| VP FOR LAND ACTIVATION Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $104,185 | $0 | $19,375 | $123,560 |
| LEGAL DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $104,418 | $0 | $2,515 | $106,933 |
| LANDS DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $103,467 | $0 | $2,364 | $105,831 |
| PROJECT DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $102,397 | $0 | $2,333 | $104,730 |
| BOARD SECRETARY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $65,989 | $0 | $18,086 | $84,075 |
| DIRECTOR OF FINANCE- OUTGOING Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $68,271 | $0 | $10,349 | $78,620 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Vermont Land Trust (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $646K (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–1b14 · 14 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 550
- Volunteers Part I, line 6148
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| OPEN APPROACH It support provider | $173,855 |
| SPATIAL INFORMATICS GROUP Vermont forest carbon program | $142,051 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
45 private foundations reported grants to Vermont Land Trust totaling $2.8M 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 Land Trust'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 Land Trust, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Vermont Land Trust spent in FY2025, $87.18 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Wetland TrustNew Berlin, NY · revenue $20M · programs 97.4% · 2024
- Omaha Botanical CenterOmaha, NE · revenue $21M · programs 64.9% · 2025
- Naples Botanical GardenNaples, FL · revenue $20M · programs 77.7% · FY2025
- The Alliance for Climate ProtectionWashington, DC · revenue $21M · programs 77.1% · 2025
- Sutter Buttes Regional Land TrustYuba City, CA · revenue $20M · programs 36.1% · 2024
Questions people ask
How much of Vermont Land Trust's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Vermont Land Trust reported that 87.2% of its $18.7 million in expenses went to program services, 10.0% to management and general and 2.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Vermont Land Trust pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Vermont Land Trust reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $143,354, for the role of PRESIDENT AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Vermont Land Trust get its money?
Of $20.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 87.4% came from contributions and grants (including 44.4% from government grants) and 3.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Vermont Land Trust a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 03-0264836 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 June 30, 2025, object 202600479349300530 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511069349301011 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441229349301929 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331319349301833 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211369349303306 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202100639349300040 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 03-0264836: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.