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More Coverage in this Series
Economy
How Vermont’s Nonprofit Sector Became a $6.8 Billion Industry
According to IRS filings, the state's 6,044 nonprofits reported annual revenue of $6.8 billion and assets of $13.2 billion. These public-private hybrids, funded by the wealthy and the state, have become a sort of shadow government.
Economy
Some of Vermont's Highest-Paid Execs Run Nonprofits
Eighty one Vermont nonprofits paid at least one staff member more than $200,000 in 2016. These high earners include the leaders of Vermont's top hospitals and colleges.
Economy
So You Want to Start a Nonprofit? Here's What It Takes
In Katie Jickling's do-it-yourself case — no lawyer involved — it took four months, two dozen forms, a handful of phone calls and $400 to turn Girls Empowered, Motivated, Strengthened into a 501c3.
Economy
Why Are Fraternities and Sororities Exempt from Federal Taxes?
It's not just animal shelters, churches and food shelves. The host of that kegger you crashed in college might have been a nonprofit.
Politics
These Vermont Gubernatorial Candidates Have Nonprofit Roots
Three of the four Democratic candidates in this year's gubernatorial race are nonprofit leaders.
Economy
Too Big to Measure? Inside Vermont's Nonprofit Shadow Government
Who cares for Vermonters in need? The state has increasingly outsourced those jobs — and hundreds of millions of dollars — to an ad hoc network of private nonprofits.
Economy
Why Vermont Nonprofits Lobby the Legislature That Funds Them
The three highest individual spenders on lobbying during Vermont's 2018 legislative session were all nonprofits.
Economy
Vermont Charities Take a Chance on Break-Open Tickets
Nonprofit gaming is a surprisingly large industry in Vermont — one that hauls in millions of dollars with little regulation or oversight.
Economy
The Olde Northender Isn't Just a Pub — It's a Nonprofit, Too
Bob Beauvais distributes proceeds from break-open tickets sold at his tavern through his nonprofit, Old North End Charities.
Economy
Burlington Boosts Funding for Social-Service Nonprofits
Where the United Way of Northwest Vermont is cutting back, the city of Burlington is giving more.
Economy
Is Anyone Watching Vermont's 6,000-Plus Charitable Organizations?
Vermont's nonprofit sector gets minimal government scrutiny. Next door in New Hampshire, it's a different story.
Economy
Does Vermont Have Too Many Nonprofits?
Only a few Vermont nonprofits have followed the urge to merge. What's stopping them?
Economy
Professional Fundraisers Keep a Large Cut of the Cash They Bring In for Nonprofits
Just 37.2 percent of the $33 million raised by paid fundraisers in Vermont since 2006 has made its way to the intended charities.
Economy
The Champlain Valley Fair Is a Rite of Summer — and a Nonprofit
The Champlain Valley Expo owns the 130 acres on which the fair is held, and rents out the grounds when the fair's not in session.
Economy
Mission Mashup Quiz: Connect the Vermont Nonprofit With Its Purpose
Can you match the mission statement with the Vermont organization?
Economy
Nonprofit News: The Rise of Vermont Public Media
Vermont’s rapidly evolving media ecosystem is increasingly dominated by nonprofits: Vermont Public Radio, Vermont PBS and VTDigger.
Economy
Meet the ‘Frequent Fliers’ of Vermont’s Nonprofit Boards
The executive directors who run Vermont’s nonprofits are paid for their efforts. The people who hire and fire them, however, are mostly volunteers.
Economy
Some Vermont Nonprofits Loan Money to Employees and Board Members
10 nonprofits in Vermont in 2016 were owed a total of about $900,000 from individuals listed as “interested persons.”
Economy
Blue Cross Blue Shield Collects Millions From Vermonters Each Month. It’s Also a Nonprofit
“We’re not a typical nonprofit,” company spokesperson Sara Teachout said of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont. But that’s how the state classifies the locally incorporated insurance company.
Economy
Massachusetts Republican John Kingston Runs a Christian Retreat in Vermont
Before he started his campaign to defeat Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Republican John Kingston established a “creative sanctuary” near Woodstock and loaned it $4 million.
Economy
What's the Future of Vermont Philanthropy?
Millennials are less interested in giving than doing. That's one of several trends worrying Vermont's nonprofit leaders.
Economy
Vermont Cops Partner with Nonprofits to Fight Sex Crimes
The Special Investigations Units that pursue sex crimes in Vermont are affiliated with 501c3 organizations.
Economy
Search and Replace: Hiring New Nonprofit Leaders Isn't Easy
Many of Vermont’s most iconic ones are in the process of passing the baton to a new generation of leaders — or at least thinking about it.
Economy
How a Vermont Fly-Fishing Museum's Lawsuit Changed the Definition of a Nonprofit
The American Museum of Fly Fishing fought hard for tax-exempt status, and eventually won a landmark Vermont Supreme Court case.
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About this Series
Vermont has eight times as many nonprofits as it has dairy farms — and unlike the milk industry, the state’s charitable sector just keeps growing.
Vermont’s 6,044 nonprofits reported $6.8 billion in revenue and $13.2 billion in assets in their latest Internal Revenue Service filings. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that nearly 18 percent of the state’s workers are employed by 501c3s.
Though they’re undergirded by generous tax breaks and government expenditures, these organizations rarely make the news — save for the occasional embezzlement scandal or multimillion-dollar donation.
In its “Give and Take” series, Seven Days is examining the state’s nonprofit ecosystem, from tiny local charities to one of the biggest enterprises in the state: the $1.29 billion University of Vermont Medical Center. Yep, it’s a nonprofit.
What do these mostly tax-exempt organizations have in common? What does their proliferation mean for Vermont?
To find out, Seven Days digital editor Andrea Suozzo built a database so our news team could analyze revenues reported by the 6,044 federally recognized nonprofit organizations that were based in Vermont as of May. The reporters looked closest at 1,873 that now submit detailed Form 990 tax filings in a digital format. Then they started making phone calls.
Seven Days is sharing those findings over the course of several weeks during the summer of 2018. Look for multiple stories in each issue and find all the articles in the “Give and Take” series on this page. You can also suggest a story here or just leave us a voicemail at 802-488-5074.
Methodology
Seven Days’ "Give and Take" series analyzes Internal Revenue Service data submitted by the 6,044 federally recognized nonprofit organizations based in Vermont. The paper looked most closely at the 1,873 organizations that submit detailed Form 990 tax filings in a digital format. Certain nonprofits — including churches, semi-governmental entities and those with annual revenue of $50,000 or less — offer up more limited information. Though these filings provide a thorough look into an organization’s finances, they’re not always error free.
Credits
Lead Editor & Project Manager: Paula Routly
Editors: Sasha Goldstein, Paul Heintz, Candace Page, Matthew Roy
Data Wrangler: Andrea Suozzo
Writers: Mark Davis, Taylor Dobbs, Alicia Freese, Sasha Goldstein, Paul Heintz, Katie Jickling, Matthew Roy, Sara Tabin, Molly Walsh
Illustrator: Thomas James
Designers: Don Eggert, John James, Rev. Diane Sullivan
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