The Help for People Foundation
The Help for People Foundation is a private foundation based in Norwich, Vermont. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations supporting educational programming, cancer research, people experiencing homelessness, public broadcasting, food access, and other community needs.
The Help for People Foundation at a glance
In short: The Help for People Foundation gave $275K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), top state Vermont. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $275,000
- -35.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- -4.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,750
- -32.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,501,037
- +9.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (5 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Vermont (47% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Help for People Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1, Norwich, VT 05055
Phone: (802) 649-1689
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Help for People Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Lighthouse Holyoke ($40K). Together the top 10 received $220K.
Grant Size Distribution
144 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 140 grants of 144 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in Vermont (47%), Massachusetts (16%), New Hampshire (15%), Tennessee (15%), and Virginia (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Help for People Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 20 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $16K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 55% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 81% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $226K (2020) to $425K (2024). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $275K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lighthouse Holyoke Holyoke, MA | Support of Educational Programming | $40,000 |
| St Judes Research Hospital Memphis, TN | Support Research of Childhood Cancer | $40,000 |
| Upper Valley Haven White River JCT, VT | Support for the Unhoused | $40,000 |
| Friends of the Norris Cotton Cancer Lebanon, NH | Support for Cancer Research | $20,000 |
| Vermont Public Colchester, VT | Support for Public Broadcasting | $20,000 |
| Willing Hands Norwich, VT | Support for Food Access | $20,000 |
| Hartford Dismas House Hartford, VT | Support of the Formerly Incarcerated | $10,000 |
| New Hampshire Public Radio Concord, NH | Support for Public Broadcasting | $10,000 |
| Public Broadcasting Service Arlington, VA | Support for Public Broadcasting | $10,000 |
| Special Needs Support Center White River JCT, VT | Special Needs Community Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Help for People Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,501,037 | $1,072,175 | $338,087 | $275,000 | 20 | $277,198 | $508,225 | $342,363 |
| 2024 | $5,947,251 | $648,606 | $478,425 | $424,500 | 21 | $426,400 | $345,084 | $319,236 |
| 2023 | $5,776,464 | $413,206 | $442,224 | $390,000 | 32 | $391,783 | $112,910 | $312,132 |
| 2022 | $5,981,878 | $620,134 | $329,134 | $282,500 | 31 | $284,140 | $324,657 | $333,607 |
| 2021 | $5,852,347 | $532,134 | $389,465 | $329,950 | 40 | $329,950 | $237,551 | $365,279 |
| 2020 | $5,937,119 | $946,878 | $269,441 | $226,100 | 34 | — | $657,316 | $315,606 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Help for People Foundation reported a distributable amount of $342K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including education, cancer research, housing and food access, public broadcasting, arts, and community services.
Some grantees describe their work this way: Upper Valley Haven says it assists people experiencing poverty to be free from hunger, be securely housed, and pursue a self-directed life. New Hampshire Public Radio describes its work as producing and distributing objective, in-depth reporting and engaging content. The Family Place says it provides programs to strengthen relationships, teach essential skills, and promote healthy growth for families with young children. Holyoke Art says it supports city-wide cultural events and arts programs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $275,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $40,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $40,000 to Lighthouse Holyoke for educational programming, $40,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for childhood cancer research, and $40,000 to Upper Valley Haven for support for people experiencing homelessness. Other grants included $20,000 to Friends of the Norris Cotton Cancer Center for cancer research, $20,000 to Vermont Public for public broadcasting, and $20,000 to Willing Hands for food access. The foundation also gave $10,000 to New Hampshire Public Radio and $10,000 to PBS, both for public broadcasting.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Teresa Lyons and Tracy Lyons Rodriguez as trustees.
The Help for People Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Teresa Lyons
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Lyons Rodriguez
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: John Lyons (2020–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 The Help for People Foundation
How much does The Help for People Foundation give each year?
The Help for People Foundation gave $275K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $425K across 21 grants.
What is The Help for People Foundation's typical grant size?
The Help for People Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $13,750, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Help for People Foundation that year got $16K on average.
Where does The Help for People Foundation give grants?
The Help for People Foundation's top state is Vermont, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (16%) and New Hampshire (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Norwich, VT (6 grants), Lebanon, NH (3 grants) and Holyoke, MA (2 grants).
Does The Help for People Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on The Help for People Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support for Public Broadcasting" (4 grants).
Who are The Help for People Foundation's largest grantees?
The Help for People Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Lighthouse Holyoke ($40,000), St Judes Research Hospital ($40,000) and Upper Valley Haven ($40,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Help for People Foundation?
The Help for People Foundation reported $6.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $277K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $342K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Help for People Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including education, cancer research, housing and food access, public broadcasting, arts, and community services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Help for People Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Help for People Foundation's EIN?
The Help for People Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6520154. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Help for People Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 23, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 20, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 5, 2026)
Live grants for the work The Help for People Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Help for People Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Help for People Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-help-for-people-foundation-morg_199c333aad3d41d8877c3f7943f8bc7c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_546520154_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Help for People Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-help-for-people-foundation-morg_199c333aad3d41d8877c3f7943f8bc7c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 The Help for People Foundation'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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