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Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc

The mission of vins is to motivate individuals and communities to care for the environment through education, research, and avian wildlife rehabilitation.

Environment Quechee, VT EIN: 030231665 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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90
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
90/100 · methodology

About Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc

VINS Nature Center features the Forest Canopy Walk, Education & Outreach, Wild Bird Rehabilitation, Live Animal Programs, Songbird Aviary, Exhibits, Nature Trails & Store, and is ADA accessible.

Founded
Headquarters
Quechee, VT
Foundation type
Supporting organization (509(a)(3))
NTEE code
C600
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
medium

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1973

Mission

The mission of vins is to motivate individuals and communities to care for the environment through education, research, and avian wildlife rehabilitation.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar environment in United States
Program spending This charity: 75%
Peer average: 78%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 3.64%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 90
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2025 · IRS 990 (FY2025)
$0.75
Program$0.75

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • It is one of the better-documented environment charities in the United States GiveRadar currently tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
  • Established in 1972, it predates 87% of the environment charities in the United States GiveRadar has a founding year for. View this cohort
  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 4 independent sources, led by the IRS - more than 82% of comparable charities. See the sources
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc is a registered environment nonprofit based in Quechee, VT, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1972 and has been operating for 54 years. Its EIN is 030231665. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 90/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $3M in annual revenue. 64 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 030231665. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 90 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for environment charities in United States is 90/100.

Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc is located in Quechee, VT, United States. The organization was established in 1972 and has been active for 54 years.

Based on official tax filings, Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc has $3M in annual revenue. It allocates 75% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 78% for environment charities in United States. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc is classified as an Environment organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). By size, it is categorized as a medium organization. It has $3M in annual revenue. The organization has 64 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 75% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 78%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

VINS Nature Center features the Forest Canopy Walk, Education & Outreach, Wild Bird Rehabilitation, Live Animal Programs, Songbird Aviary, Exhibits, Nature Trails & Store, and is ADA accessible. Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc is classified as an environment organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1972.

Among environment charities registered in United States: It allocates 75% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 78%. Its annual revenue of $3M is comparable to the peer average of $2M.

Yes, donations to Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 030231665, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$1M-$10M
75% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2025) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2025, FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
67

Leadership

From FY2025 filing

AL
Alden S••••
Executive Director

Officers & trustees (21)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

21 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

5 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$3.0M revenue
FY2025
IRS 990
Form filed
$3.1M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Golden eagle takes flight following rehab at Vermont Institute of Natural Science - WCAX
Feb 2024
www.wcax.com
Golden eagle takes flight following rehab at Vermont Institute of Natural Science - WCAX
Feb 2024
www.wcax.com
Vermont Institute of Natural Science appoints next executive director - Vermont Business Magazine
Feb 2024
vermontbiz.com
Form filed
$2.5M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
The Vermont Institute of Natural Science presents A Forest of Lights - Vermont Business Magazine
Nov 2023
vermontbiz.com
Form filed
$3.2M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$2.3M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Vermont Institute of Natural Science announces trustee arrivals & retirement - Vermont Business Magazine
Jan 2020
vermontbiz.com

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
Environment this charity 30,143
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 64 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2025 on record
  • Named leadership · 64 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 1972
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc

What is Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc?
Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc is a environment supporting organization (509(a)(3)) based in Quechee, United States. VINS Nature Center features the Forest Canopy Walk, Education & Outreach, Wild Bird Rehabilitation, Live Animal Programs, Songbird Aviary, Exhibits, Nature Trails & Store, and is ADA accessible.
When was Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc founded?
Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc was founded in 1972.
Who leads Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc?
Alden Smith serves as Executive Director.
Where is Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc located?
Headquartered in Quechee, VT, United States.
What is Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $1M-$10M. 75% of expenses go to program services.
Is Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc trustworthy?
Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc's registration number?
IRS EIN: 030231665.
What is Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc's website?
http://www.vinsweb.org