Vermont Achievement Center Inc

Overview

Mission

Through flexible, diverse and responsive programs, Vermont achievement center, inc. (vac) provides a foundation of life skills to prepare individuals to reach their full potential as contributing members of society. All people are capable of change. Individuals flourish because they are nurtured, valued and treated with respect. Education is empowering. The family is the primary influence in a persons life. Children belong in a family. Families are enhanced by support of the community. Children and family services are flexible and responsive to changing needs.

What it reported doing in 2024

Vermont achievement center's early education and care program offers a variety of enriching quality care programs for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children. Vac's programs work to bring children together in an enriching developmentally appropriate learning environment to help promote independence, self-esteem, and growth in areas of motor skills, language and literacy, play skills, and social competency. We also assist children six-weeks to twelve-years of age by providing nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day. In addition to our educational classrooms, we also provide playground, gymnasium and swimming services. Vac's sheldon academy offers a special education program and therapeutic summer program for kids grades k-8 that meet the individual needs of students with special needs. Our experienced staff work to make sure children receive the therapy and educational supervision they need. Another resource we provide is the mitchell therapy pool at vac which is an indoor, heated and specially equipped therapy pool. It is the only therapy pool in central Vermont. With warm water and specialized ramps, the pool provides therapeutic swimming for children and adults of all abilities.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 65% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
030179407
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Rutland, VT, USA
Phone
8027752395
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Specialized Education Institutions

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 65
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 64
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 62.4%; rating input score 62
  • Program expense ratio: 75.1%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $14.48 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 21.2%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.03; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.1%; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -1.1% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.1% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 62.4% of revenue deployed · 75.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $119K · 10 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $313K reported
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 16 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • MARK MOSSEY (PRESIDENT &): $118,515 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.