Vermont Interfaith Power and Light

What it reported doing in 2024

The principal Vermont interfaith power and light (vtipl) mission is to help members of all Vermont's faith and spiritual communities understand and address the climate crisis. Almost all staff hours and a large proportion of volunteer hours are committed to conducting education and providing a variety of resources for faith communities, while also facilitating communication among Vermont's diverse faith communities to take action to address the climate crisis. Vtipl emphasizes the need to act locally to support state, regional, and global action to reduce the pace of climate change and to prepare communities for the unavoidable consequences of a change global climate. Accomplishments: (1) vtipl produces a monthly newsletter to update faith communities on activities in Vermont, the u.s. And beyond, and on new program initiatives that support faith and spiritual communities' efforts to address climate change, while also keeping vtipl's community apprised of climate and related environmental events more broadly. Vtipl monitored and shared news of faith community action elsewhere in the nation and around the globe, partnering with the national interfaith power and light organization. (2) vtipl helped congregations speak out on key climate legislation and policy issues, i.e, addressing the importance of divesting fossil fuel support from public investment portfolios, promoting federal farm support policy that addresses climate impacts of farm production, supporting public action to reduce climate emissions from all sources, and supporting passage of Vermont legislation to help low and middle-income vermonters switch from fossil fuel heating to heating options that reduce climate pollution. (3) vtipl collaborated with Vermont interfaith action to convene faith climate action day at the Vermont legislature, which brought about 30 volunteer representatives from Vermont congregations to advocate for action by the legislature on key proposals to address the climate crisis. (4) vtipl participated in the vergennes energy fair alongside other energy efficiency organizations to educate the public about ways of lowering their carbon footprint. (5) vtipl started a quarterly, virtual book club as a chance for our wider community to read and discuss books about faith and climate change. (6) vtipl did a presentation for all souls interfaith gathering in shelburne, vt, speaking to congregants about how faith informs environmental values. (7) vtipl partnered with national ipl during election season to support democracy by voting and encouraging people to vote their faith values on environmental issues. (8) vtipl participated in interviews for a story in the Vermont community news service about religion and the environment, which also was published by vt digger, an online newsletter.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 94.4%; rating input score 94
• Fundraising efficiency: $21.07 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 89.8%; rating input score 90; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 3 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 43
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • 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: 0.1%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 13.45; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -0.6% per year; rating input score 0; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 18% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings