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Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc logo

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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89
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
89/100 · 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
🌿 Environment · NTEE C600
Cause tags

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar environment in United States
Program spending This charity: 0%
Peer average: 0%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 3.64%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 89
Peer average: 89

Red flags

· All clear
IRS revocation history
Open investigations
Governance scandals
Related-party deals
Excessive exec comp

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. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. 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 has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100. 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 89 ('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 89/100.

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. 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 a 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.

Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 (Strong transparency) and no red flags have been detected, which suggests it is a well-documented organization. It is regulated by the IRS. You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.

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 a environment organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1972.

Among environment charities registered in United States: Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 is in line with the peer average of 89/100. 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.

Verified against 4 official sources, last refreshed .

Annual revenue
$1M-$10M
0% 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.
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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.

Leadership

AL
Alden Smith
Executive Director

Officers & trustees (21)

Source: Public filings

AL
Alden S••••
Executive Director
BR
Brucie H••••••
TRUSTEE
CH
Charles F R•••••••
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CH
Charles R•••••••
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CH
Chuck S••••••
TRUSTEE
DA
David T••••••••••
VICE CHAIR
ED
Edith H••••••
TRUSTEE
EL
Elizabeth A••••
SECRETARY
JO
John L••
CHAIR
JO
Jonathan B•••••
TRUSTEE
KA
Kate D••••••
TRUSTEE
LE
Len R••••••
TRUSTEE
LE
Leonard R••••••
TRUSTEE
PA
Patrice M••••••
TRUSTEE
RI
Richard F••••••
TRUSTEE
RI
Rick F••••••
TRUSTEE
RO
Ronald P•••••••
TREASURER
SA
Sarah B••••
TRUSTEE
ST
Stacey G••••••
TRUSTEE
SU
Susan L••••
TRUSTEE
TH
Thomas W•••••••
TRUSTEE
Full names, contact details & compensation

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Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$3.0M revenue
FY2025
IRS_990
Form filed
$3.1M revenue
FY2024
IRS_990
Form filed
$2.5M revenue
FY2023
IRS_990
Form filed
$3.2M revenue
FY2022
IRS_990
Form filed
$2.3M revenue
FY2021
IRS_990

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Peer charities

Other environment in United States, by integrity assessment

Charity Score Revenue Program %
Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc This page 89 $3.0 million -
Friends of Casco Bay 89 $1.3 million -
Drive Clean Colorado 89 $1.3 million -
Chesapeake Climate Action Network 89 $4.0 million -
Jackson Hole Land Trust 89 $7.9 million -
Citizens for Pennsylvanias Future 89 $3.2 million -
Huron River Watershed Council 89 $5.1 million -
Climate Action Reserve 89 $5.8 million -
Alaska Conservation Foundation 89 $8.0 million -

Sources and verification

Refreshed

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.
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
May 27, 2026
Profile completeness
90%

What we don't know

Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact

Programs & projects
No named programs listed by the charity
Operating reach
Countries where programs run not specified

Methodology

GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

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, United States.
What is Vermont Institute of Natural Science Inc's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $1M-$10M. 0% 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 89 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