Dismas of Vermont

What Dismas of Vermont does

Dismas of Vermont is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 that provides transitional housing and structured community-based support to people making the difficult transition out of incarceration and trauma. Headquartered in Hyde Park, Vermont, the organization operates five residential houses across the state: Buell Street Dismas House and East Allen Dismas House in Burlington/Winooski, Hartford Dismas House (Upper Valley region), Rutland Dismas House, and the gender-specific Women's Dismas House in Rutland. The houses deliver shelter alongside structured daily rhythms, family-like communal living, consensus decision-making, and weekday dinners shared with staff and volunteer cooks. A Step-Down Housing Program extends the continuum by helping residents transition into independent apartments.

The organization's service portfolio is human-led rather than technology-led: there are no AI capabilities, APIs, or third-party integrations in scope, and the website runs on the standard Firespring nonprofit platform. The Hartford Resident Hub is the most resource-rich component, aggregating curated support for career development, transportation, housing, legal aid, health services, Vermont activities, and clothing. Since founding, Dismas reports it has served 2,311 people, provided 327,186 nights of housing, and logged 288,765 volunteer hours, with 79% of residents employed during their program. Outreach is amplified through the 'Going the Dismas' podcast series, social media (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram), and semi-annual print and email newsletters.

Dismas of Vermont operates as a private nonprofit governed by a Board of Directors, with no parent company, equity, or venture capital involvement. It is funded entirely through donations, foundation grants, and volunteer contributions; services are provided free of charge to residents. Institutional and corporate support comes from a broad coalition of partners including the Vermont Community Foundation, TD Charitable Foundation, Granite United Way, Mascoma Bank, Casella, White Mountains, HOPE Foundation, Couch Family Foundation, the City of Burlington, Rutland Regional Medical Center, and the Vermont Women's Fund, among others.

Name

Dismas of Vermont

Legal name

Dismas of Vermont

Website

https://dismasofvt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dismas of Vermont is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1986 that operates five transitional houses across Burlington, Hartford, Rutland, and Winooski, providing shelter, structured community living, and wraparound support to people transitioning out of incarceration and trauma. Services are delivered free of charge, funded by donations, grants, and volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hyde Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Primary funding source from individual donors, corporate donors, and foundation grants supporting the organization's mission of providing shelter and support to people transitioning from incarceration and trauma.
2. Volunteer Services: Hundreds of volunteers contribute time and talents annually, providing structured daily rhythms, weekday dinners, and resident support without direct monetary compensation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dismas of Vermont operates five transitional houses across Vermont (Burlington, Hartford, Rutland, and Winooski) that provide free shelter and structured support to individuals transitioning from incarceration and trauma. Residents receive housing, sober living environment, shared meals with volunteers, career development, legal aid, health services, transportation assistance, and clothing resources. The program also includes a Step-Down Housing option enabling residents to graduate to independent apartments.

Product overview

Dismas of Vermont operates five transitional houses across Vermont (Burlington, Hartford, Rutland, and Winooski) providing shelter and structured support for people transitioning from incarceration and trauma. The portfolio includes gender-specific housing (Women's Dismas House), general transitional housing (Buell Street, East Allen, Hartford, Rutland locations), and a Step-Down Housing Program enabling gradual transition to independent living. Core services center on the house-based residential model featuring family-like community living, structured daily rhythms, shared meals with volunteers, consensus decision-making, and comprehensive resident support including career development, health, legal, and transportation resources. The organization also offers a podcast series (Going the Dismas) for community storytelling. This is not a software product but a nonprofit social services organization; there are no AI capabilities, APIs, or technology integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Step-Down Housing Program: Transitional housing program allowing residents to graduate from the Dismas houses to independent living apartments

Products and services

• Dismas Houses (Transitional Housing) Five transitional homes across Vermont (Burlington, Hartford, Rutland, Winooski) providing shelter and support to people transitioning from incarceration and trauma, featuring structured daily rhythms, family-like community living, and shared weekday dinners with staff and volunteers.
• Buell Street Dismas House One of two Burlington locations providing transitional housing with resident application process, house events, and donation support options for residents re-entering the community.
• East Allen Dismas House Second Burlington location in Winooski offering transitional housing for residents re-entering the community.
• Hartford Dismas House Hartford location featuring a Resident Hub with resources for career development, transportation, housing, legal aid, health services, Vermont activities, and clothing assistance.
• Rutland Dismas House Rutland-based transitional house with resident application, ongoing house events, and community support.
• Women's Dismas House Gender-specific transitional housing serving women with specialized support for recovery and reintegration, located on Royce Street in Rutland.
• Step-Down Housing Program Progressive housing program allowing residents to transition from full-support Dismas houses to independent apartments, with eligibility requirements and ongoing community connection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% of residents employed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and supporting.

• GuidestarminorOthersGuideStar (Candid) partnership providing nonprofit transparency and rating verification for Dismas of Vermont.
• Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (VAHC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare association partnership supporting resident health services and wellness programming.
• Rutland RegionalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRutland Regional Medical Center providing health services connections for Rutland residents.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dismas House (national): The parent-style national organization that shares Dismas of Vermont's name and core model of transitional housing for formerly incarcerated individuals; the most direct mission and operating-model peer.
• The Fortune Society: New York-based nonprofit providing housing, employment, and reentry support to formerly incarcerated people; comparable in mission and multi-service residential model though at substantially larger scale.
• A New Way of Life Reentry Project: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing housing and reentry support, including gender-specific housing for women — directly comparable to Dismas's Women's Dismas House model.
• Exodus Transitional Community: New York-area nonprofit providing transitional housing and supportive services for formerly incarcerated individuals; comparable mission and residential model.

Broad incumbents

• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National reentry nonprofit focused on employment outcomes for people returning from incarceration; comparable in target population and employment-focused outcomes (Dismas reports a 79% employment figure).

Regional players

• Vermont Works for Women: Vermont-based gender-specific nonprofit serving women in reentry, workforce, and economic self-sufficiency; shares geography and the women-specific reentry focus of Women's Dismas House.

Emerging players

• Root & Rebound: Reentry-focused nonprofit providing legal aid, housing navigation, and reentry support; overlaps with Dismas's Hartford Resident Hub services (legal aid, housing, employment).
• Friends of Reentry: Community-based reentry and housing support organization with comparable focus on transition from incarceration; smaller and less national in scale than Dismas.

Others

• National Reentry Network: Industry/funder convening network in the reentry space; not a direct service peer but a relevant ecosystem participant and potential partnership/funding channel for Dismas.
• Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (VAHHS): Existing Dismas partner that connects the reentry population to health services; relevant ecosystem participant given Dismas's health-services programming for residents.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpXjlDGg7p_Y9l38Dm6KSSQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/dismasvt
• Instagraminstagram.com/dismasvt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dismas-of-vermont-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dismas of Vermont