National Life Group Charitable
National Life Group Charitable is a private foundation based in Montpelier, Vermont. It supports nonprofits through grants and sponsorships, with its grantmaking focused primarily on childhood hunger and children’s mental health, and secondarily on community development in central and northern Vermont and the Dallas, Texas area.
National Life Group Charitable at a glance
In short: National Life Group Charitable gave $2.7M across 757 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), mostly in Vermont. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,654,987
- -21.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 757
- +3.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,507
- -24.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,040
- Total assets
- $27,377,919
- +13.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Vermont (64% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to National Life Group Charitable
- How to Apply
-
Apply online using the foundation’s application form. Grant proposals should describe a well-planned approach to the need, a base of support, and metrics for success. Sponsorships are for one-time events and are reviewed on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted; the listed sponsorship award range is up to $5,000.
- Review Cycle
- Grant applications are open January 1 through March 31. The application page says sponsorship applications open year-round beginning in January and recommends applying at least two months before the event or program; sponsorship requests are reviewed until the annual budget is exhausted.
- Deadline
- Grant applications are open January 1 through March 31.
- Contact
Application contact: Online Application
Mailing address: 1 National Life Drive, Montpelier, VT 05604
Phone: (802) 229-3947
Email: giving@nationallife.com
Website: https://nationallife.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from National Life Group Charitable
Who National Life Group Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Vermont Foodbank ($154K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $780K.
Organizations only. It also paid 26 grants to individuals ($107,088), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,491 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,469 grants of 1,491 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies central and northern Vermont and the Dallas, Texas area as its primary giving areas. In its 2024 grant data, 64% of grant dollars went to recipients in Vermont and 21% to recipients in Texas. Massachusetts and Florida each received 2%, and New York received 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 757 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How National Life Group Charitable gives
- 43% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 42% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 216% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.9M (2021) to $3.4M (2023). In 2024 it made 757 grants totaling $2.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Let's Grow Kids Burlington, VT | Children Support | $125,000 |
| Vermont Foodbank South Barre, VT | Foodbank | $125,000 |
| Hunger Free Vermont South Burlington, VT | Poverty Support | $125,000 |
| Champlain Housing Trust Burlington, VT | Community Development | $60,000 |
| Central Vermont Medical Center Berlin, VT | Food Insecurity | $55,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $55,000 |
| Boston Childrens Hospital Boston, MA | Hospital | $50,000 |
| The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps Richmond, VT | Youth Development | $50,000 |
| Parkland Foundation Dallas, TX | Healthcare | $50,000 |
| Central Vermont Community Action Council Berlin, VT | Housing Assistance | $40,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $27,377,919 | $3,100,616 | $2,672,029 | $2,654,987 | 757 | $2,596,407 | $696,981 | $1,202,852 |
| 2023 | $24,058,202 | $3,764,370 | $3,056,772 | $3,372,319 | 731 | $3,045,087 | $701,566 | $1,374,926 |
| 2022 | $21,452,764 | $3,080,975 | $1,990,721 | $1,990,721 | 1 | $1,990,721 | $80,825 | $943,098 |
| 2021 | $20,342,410 | $20,011,004 | $1,864,456 | $1,864,456 | 1 | $1,864,456 | — | $87,156 |
| 2020 | $2,195,862 | $1,000 | $1,971,184 | $1,971,184 | 1 | — | — | $133,111 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, National Life Group Charitable reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s primary focus areas are programs that help end childhood hunger and address children’s mental health; community development is a secondary focus. It says the vast majority of its funding is directed to central and northern Vermont and the Dallas area.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of its giving. Hunger Free Vermont says its mission is to end hunger and pursue systemic change; Vermont Foodbank says it gathers and shares food so no one in Vermont goes hungry. The Family Place in Dallas says it supports survivors of family violence through safe housing, counseling, and skills-building. Vogel Alcove says it helps young children and families prevent and overcome the effects of homelessness and poverty. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In its 2024 filing, the foundation reported 757 grants totaling $2,654,987. Grant amounts ranged from $20 to $125,000, with a median of $1,040. Its largest listed grants included $125,000 each to Let’s Grow Kids, Vermont Foodbank, and Hunger Free Vermont; $60,000 to Champlain Housing Trust; and $55,000 each to Central Vermont Medical Center and Howard Center.
Other listed 2024 grants included $50,000 each to Boston Children’s Hospital, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, and Parkland Foundation; $40,000 to Central Vermont Community Action Council; and $35,000 each to The Family Place and Vogel Alcove.
Separately, the foundation announced more than $1.16 million in grants to 115 recipients in 2024. It also reported contributing $455,470 in employee-gift matches to 595 nonprofits through its Share the Good campaign.
Grant applicants must be 501(c)(3) public charities. The foundation says grants may be partial and rarely cover an entire program. It does not fund new programs, endowments, scholarships, higher-education institutions, religious organizations, labor or fraternal groups, debt reduction, completed work, individuals, daycare facilities, or school trips. It also excludes organizations that discriminate on the listed grounds of race, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing include Beth Rusnock, President and CEO and Director; Shannon Salembier, Chief Counsel and Secretary; Gregory M. Mateja, Treasurer; Lisa F. Muller, Assistant Secretary; Joseph Heaslip, Investment Officer; Jess Russo, Operations Officer; David B. Soccodato, Tax Officer and Director; Eva Zhang, Tax Officer; Donna Lasick, Tax Officer and Director; and Thomas H. Macleay, Chair. The filing notes that some roles ended or began during 2024.
National Life Group Charitable is led by Beth Rusnock, President, CEO & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 15 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Beth Rusnock
President, CEO & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Thomas H. Macleay
Chair
Chairman → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David B. Soccodato
Tax Officer & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mehran Assadi
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Dawn Minter
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Donna Lasick
Tax Officer & Director
Tax Officer → Tax Officer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Nimesh Mehta
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Scott Rogers
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Michael Veilleux
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Lisa F. Muller
Assistant Secretary
Secretary → Vice President, Chief Counsel & Secretary, 2023
Vice President, Chief Counsel & Secretary → Assistant Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Gregory M. Mateja
Treasurer
Vice President & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Jess Russo
Operations Officer
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Joseph Heaslip
Investment Officer
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Eva Zhang
Tax Officer
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Shannon Salembier
Chief Counsel & Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Keith R. Phelan (2020–2023) — Tax Officer
- Former: Lindsay E. Staples (2023) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Catherine C. Fisk (2020–2022) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Christopher Graff (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Ross Sneyd (2020–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Sarah Vanbeck (2020–2022) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about National Life Group Charitable
How much does National Life Group Charitable give each year?
National Life Group Charitable gave $2.7M across 757 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.4M across 731 grants.
What is National Life Group Charitable's typical grant size?
National Life Group Charitable's median grant in 2024 was $1,040, and its average grant was $3,507, across 757 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does National Life Group Charitable give grants?
National Life Group Charitable gives mostly in Vermont: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (21%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (72 grants), Montpelier, VT (53 grants), Burlington, VT (50 grants) and Barre, VT (37 grants).
Does National Life Group Charitable give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 757 grants with a stated purpose on National Life Group Charitable's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Support" (65 grants), "Education" (51 grants) and "Disease Support" (49 grants).
Who are National Life Group Charitable's largest grantees?
National Life Group Charitable's largest 2024 grantees include Vermont Foodbank ($154,048 across 2 grants), Hunger Free Vermont ($129,500 across 2 grants) and Let's Grow Kids ($126,400 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 26 grants to individuals ($107,088), which are not listed by name. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is National Life Group Charitable?
National Life Group Charitable reported $27.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does National Life Group Charitable fund?
The foundation’s primary focus areas are programs that help end childhood hunger and address children’s mental health; community development is a secondary focus. It says the vast majority of its funding is directed to central and northern Vermont and the Dallas area. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Life Group Charitable?
Apply online using the foundation’s application form. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is National Life Group Charitable's EIN?
National Life Group Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4818866. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). National Life Group Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/national-life-group-charitable-morg_f1d23f73912d4fa98d79ed4c24f16f60
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_204818866_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{National Life Group Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/national-life-group-charitable-morg_f1d23f73912d4fa98d79ed4c24f16f60},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from National Life Group Charitable's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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