The Help for People Foundation

NORWICH, VT EIN: 54-6520154

The Help for People Foundation is a private foundation based in Norwich, Vermont, established in 2003. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization focused on charitable contributions across multiple sectors and geographic regions.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$5.9M

+3.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$425K

+8.8% YoY

Grant Count

-34.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$20K

+65.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Help for People Foundation reported a distributable amount of $319K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's grant-making priorities include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services
Housing and Supportive Housing
Women's Shelters
Community Health
Theater Arts
Food Access
Health Services

Grantmaking

The foundation made 17 additional grants beyond those listed above in 2023.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in:

Vermont
New Hampshire
Tennessee

Grant Distribution by State

Vermont $1.0M (61%)

New Hampshire $266K (16%)

Massachusetts $110K (7%)

Tennessee $87K (5%)

Maryland $81K (5%)

District of Columbia $43K (3%)

Connecticut $28K (2%)

New York $11K (1%)

+3 more states

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Massachusetts Maryland New Hampshire New York South Dakota Tennessee Virginia Vermont

Cities

AmherstArlingtonBaltimoreBelmontBinghamtonBrattleboroChestertownColchesterConcordDavidsonvilleEast ThetfordEnfieldFairfieldHanoverHardwickHartfordHolyokeLebanonMemphisMiddlebury

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 31, 2023:

Total Assets: $5,776,464
Total Revenues: $413,206
Total Expenses: $442,224
Total Grants, Contributions, etc.: $249,855
Investment Income and Dividends: $129,637

As of 2024 (most recent filing):

Total Assets: $5,947,251

Staffing:

Number of Employees: 0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$5,947,251	$5,776,464	$5,981,878
Revenue	$648,606	$413,206	$620,134
Expenses	$478,425	$442,224	$329,134
Qualifying Distributions	$426,400	$391,783	$284,140
Net Investment Income	$345,084	$112,910	$324,657
Distributable Amount	$319,236	$312,132	$333,607

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

158 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Willing Hands ($100,000), Norwich Community Collaborative ($50,000), St Jude Hospital ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP WASHINGTON, DC	PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH	$3,000
GOOD NEIGHBOR HEALTH CLINIC WHITE RIVER JCT, VT	HEALTH SERVICES	$10,000
HANOVER LIONS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION HANOVER, NH	COMMUNITY SERVICE	$500
HARTFORD DISMAS HOUSE HARTFORD, VT	SUPPORT FORMERLY INCARCERATED	$20,000
HARTFORD NORWICH HOLIDAY BASKET HEL NORWICH, VT	HOLIDAY BASKETS FOR CHILDREN IN NEED	$3,000
HONDURAS TOLUPAN ED FOUNDATION NORWICH, VT	SUPPORT OF RURAL LITERACY	$10,000
LIGHTHOUSE HOLYOKE HOLYOKE, MA	SUPPORT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING	$20,000
NORWICH COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE NORWICH, VT	RESTORATION OF HISTORIC GRANGE HALL	$50,000
NORWICH COMMUNITY NURSE NORWICH, VT	PUBLIC HEALTH	$3,000
NORWICH PUBLIC LIBRARY NORWICH, VT	SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY LIBRARY	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
TERESA LYONS	TRUSTEE	2	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Help for People Foundation fund?

The foundation's grant-making priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Housing and Supportive Housing • Women's Shelters • Community Health • Theater Arts • Food Access • Health Services

How do I apply for a grant from The Help for People Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 34 grants in 2023 • Total giving: $424,500 (most recent year) • Typical award range: $500–$100,000 **Recent Grants (2023):** • Northern Stage Company: $40,000 (Theater Arts) • Visiting Nurse Association And Hospice Of Vermont And New Hampshire: $35,000 (Health Services) • Willing Hands Enterprises: $26,000 (Food Access) The foundation made 17 additional grants beyond those listed above in 2023.

Where does The Help for People Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Vermont • New Hampshire • Tennessee

What size grants does The Help for People Foundation award?

In 2024, The Help for People Foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $425K — an average of about $20K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Help for People Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Help for People Foundation reported a distributable amount of $319K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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 2020–2024.