Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc
Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc is a private foundation based in Burlington, Vermont. It funds STEM education activities, including equipment projects at Vermont K–12 schools, extracurricular science and technology projects, and recognition for Vermont science teachers.
Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc at a glance
In short: Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc gave $36K across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Vermont. 55% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $36,245
- -30.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- -29.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,510
- -0.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,500
- Total assets
- $15,406
- +169.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 55% first-time grantees (11 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Vermont (92% 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 Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing describes electronic applications using the materials listed above and says recipients must be in the Vermont region.
- Review Cycle
- September, as stated in the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- September, as stated in the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Vase
Mailing address: PO Box 4158, Burlington, VT 05406
Phone: (802) 363-4083
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Essex Westford Educational Communit ($3K). Together the top 10 received $18K.
Organizations only. It also paid 4 grants to individuals ($7,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
128 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 128 grants of 128 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing states that grant recipients must be in the Vermont region. In filing year 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Vermont, 4% to California, and 4% to New Hampshire.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc open to new grantees?
55%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 20 grantees (55%) 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 $1K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 25% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 180% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $13K (2022) to $52K (2024). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $36K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Essex Westford Educational Communit Essex Junction, VT | Small equipment grant SEG | $2,987 |
| 4 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $7,000 |
| River Valley Technical Center Springfield, VT | Leahy grant mentor stipend | $2,000 |
| Lyndon Institute Lyndon Center, VT | Leahy grant mentor stipend | $2,000 |
| Champlain Valley School District Shelburne, VT | Small equipment grant SEG | $1,808 |
| Milton Town School District Milton, VT | Small equipment grant SEG | $1,500 |
| Harwood Unified Union School District Waitsfield, VT | Small equipment grant SEG | $1,500 |
| Archytas Education Corp Bethel, VT | Small equipment grant SEG | $1,500 |
| Univ of Vermont 4H Program Inc Burlington, VT | Hands-on Science & Technology grant HOST | $1,500 |
| Friends of the Fletcher Free Library Inc Burlington, VT | Hands-on Science & Technology grant HOST | $1,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $15,406 | $71,200 | $61,506 | $36,245 | 24 | $36,245 | $1,014 |
| 2024 | $5,712 | $72,853 | $80,066 | $51,756 | 34 | $53,756 | $1,319 |
| 2023 | $12,974 | $47,550 | $59,868 | $43,209 | 38 | $49,970 | $1,819 |
| 2022 | $25,292 | $23,660 | $16,350 | $12,965 | 12 | $12,965 | $1,492 |
| 2021 | $16,982 | $23,116 | $25,086 | $24,411 | 20 | — | $1,200 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc reported a distributable amount of $1K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The filing does not state a mission. It describes competitive Small Equipment Grants (SEG) for STEM projects at Vermont K–12 schools and Hands On Science and Technology (HOST) grants for extracurricular STEM activities at Vermont schools, science and engineering clubs, and nonprofit educational organizations. The Academy also makes an award for a Vermont Science Teacher of the Year, selected from nominations submitted by Vermont school systems.
Its 2025 grants included support for schools, educational organizations, and a library. For example, Lyndon Institute says its mission is to inspire accomplished learners, creative thinkers, and compassionate community members. Friends of the Fletcher Free Library says it encourages community support for the library and sponsors educational and enrichment programs for all ages. The Schoolhouse Learning Center describes itself as a PreK childcare center and K–8 school focused on students’ learning experiences and academic, emotional, and social development.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $36,245. Grants ranged from $260 to $2,987, with a median grant of $1,500. Listed awards included $2,987 to an individual recipient Educational Community for a Small Equipment Grant; $2,000 each to Lyndon Institute and River Valley Technical Center for Leahy grant mentor stipends; and $1,500 each to the University of Vermont 4H Program and Friends of the Fletcher Free Library for HOST grants. The Hack Foundation received $1,500, and The Schoolhouse Learning Center received $260.
The foundation’s 2024 filing says applications are submitted electronically using a PDF form with organizational identification and contact information, a project narrative for evaluating the application, and a proposed budget. The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Recipients must be in the Vermont region.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Grace Spatafora as President; Michael Metz as Development Director; John Cohn as Outreach Coordinator; Dwight Matthews as Financial Officer and Treasurer; and Jeffrey Finkelstein, Sylvie Doublie, Rory Waterman, Linda Schadler, James Vigoreaux, and Ralph Budd as directors.
Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc is led by Grace Spatafora, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Grace Spatafora
President
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Finkelstein
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Metz
Development Director
Secretary → Development Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sylvie Doublie
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Vigoreaux
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Linda Schadler
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rory Waterman
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ralph Budd
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Cohn
Outreach Coordinator
Outreach Director → Outreach Coordinator, 2023
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dwight Matthews
Financial Officer Treasurer
Treasurer → Financial Officer Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Stephen Knowlton (2021–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Emmett Hughlett (2021) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc
How much does Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc give each year?
Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc gave $36K across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $52K across 34 grants.
What is Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc's typical grant size?
Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $1,510, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc that year got $1K on average.
Where does Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc give grants?
Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc gives mostly in Vermont: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Essex Junction, VT (3 grants), Burlington, VT (2 grants) and Bennington, VT (2 grants).
Does Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Small equipment grant SEG" (9 grants), "Hands-on Science & Technology grant HOST" (8 grants) and "Leahy grant mentor stipend" (5 grants).
Who are Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc's largest grantees?
Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Essex Westford Educational Communit ($2,987), River Valley Technical Center ($2,000) and Lyndon Institute ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 4 grants to individuals ($7,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc?
Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc reported $15K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $36K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc fund?
The filing does not state a mission. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc?
The filing describes electronic applications using the materials listed above and says recipients must be in the Vermont region. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc's EIN?
Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-1718942. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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