VERMONT PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FUND
141 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602 www.vpirg.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: Founded in 1975, the Vermont Public Interest Research and Education Fund (VPIREF) was established as VPIRG's outreach and education arm. VPIREF conducts independent research on the top challenges facing our state, crafts commonsense solutions, and mobilizes the grassroots through innovative educational outreach campaigns that amplify the voice of average citizens over well-moneyed special interests that too often corrupt our democratic processes. VPIREF's mission is to promote and protect the health of Vermont's people, environment, and locally- based economy by informing and mobilizing citizens statewide.

Founded in 1975, the Vermont Public Interest Research and Education Fund (VPIREF) was established as VPIRG's outreach and education arm. See page 2 for more information.

Climate and Energy - Vermonters know that we have a moral responsibility to protect our kids and grandkids from the environmental, economic, and social havoc that fossil fuels are wreaking. VPIREF agrees with the majority of Vermonters who want to cut our dependence on fossil fuels and take control of our energy future using clean, renewable power. VPIREF conducts independent research, public education and grassroots outreach aimed at reducing our continued reliance on fossil fuels and other dirty energy, and instead dramatically increase the use of clean, local, renewable energy that can power a clean energy future for Vermont. * To that end, in 2018 VPIREF organizers ramped up work with members and the public throughout the year to build support for bold climate action and local renewable energy. * In 2018, VPIREF worked in coordination with the National No Fossil Fuel Money coalition to launch a campaign asking all candidates for elected office in Vermont to sign the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge. More than a hundred candidates across the state signed on, pledging not to take contributions from the oil, gas, and coal industry and instead prioritizing the health of Vermont's families, climate, and democracy over fossil fuel industry profits. In the November 2018 election, out of the 150 candidates elected to the Vermont House of Representatives, 60 had taken the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge - or 40% of the overall members of the House of Representatives. In the Senate, 17 victors had signed on to the pledge, greater than 55% of the 30-member Senate body. * VPIREF also expanded our research, education and administrative efforts to educate and promote local energy solutions in Vermont. To further educate our members and the public on climate and energy topics, VPIREF expanded our online library of FAQs on efficiency and electrification. And when several reports came out detailing the extent of the climate crisis - and Vermont's failure to achieve its climate goals - VPIREF conducted research, educated the public and got Vermonters involved in making the case for bold climate action.

Environmental Health - VPIREF works to protect the public health and our environment from the hidden dangers of exposure to toxic chemicals in our everyday lives. VPIREF aims to fundamentally reform how chemicals are regulated, encouraging the use of safer alternatives whenever possible and minimizing exposures particularly for children. * In 2018, our work to protect Vermonters from toxic chemicals once again came to the forefront as we joined with local and national allies to push for stronger protections against deadly paint strippers containing methylene chloride and N-Methylpyrrodlidone (NMP). Through VPIREF's efforts, local retailer Bibens Ace Hardware announced a new policy ending the sale of paint strippers containing methylene chrloride and NMP effective immediately. * To educate the broader public on potential toxic threats in consumer products, VPIREF released reports and held media events that included Trouble in Toyland, a report on potentially dangerous toys released prior to the holiday shopping season. * These efforts succeeded in increasing public awareness about chemicals in every day products and pressured local companies to ensure the safety of products on their shelves.

Elections & Government Reform - VPIREF actively supports efforts to make our democracy more open and transparent. We also seek to ensure that elections are fair and balanced by reducing the undue influence of money in our political process. We continue to draw attention to the consequences of the Supreme Court's flawed verdict in Citizens United and watchdog the role of money in Vermont politics. As VPIRG has made great strides enacting laws that expand access to voting, including early voting, online voter registration, automatic voter registration and Election Day registration - VPIREF worked to educate Vermonters about these expanded opportunities to participate in the democratic process. * In 2018, in response to an alarming decline in Vermont voter turnout in recent years, VPIRG launched VPIRG Votes, the most robust voter turnout effort in the organization's history. Canvassers went door to door around the state to engage in conversations with everyday Vermonters about the importance of voting, ultimately generating more than 20,000 voter pledges. The effort paid off. Turnout amount VPIRG members was 85% statewide, and in 16 legislative districts VPIRG members turned out to vote at or above 90%. And while turnout increased across the board from 2014 to 2018, the increase in VPIRG member turnout was nearly twice as much as the overall turnout increase.

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Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (public 990 form dataset) from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/201933189349304813_public.xml