What Green Up Vermont does

Green Up Vermont (legally Vermont Green Up Inc.) is a private nonprofit organization headquartered in Montpelier, Vermont, founded in 1970 as a statewide litter-cleanup initiative and incorporated as an independent nonprofit in 1979. The organization coordinates the annual Green Up Day, held on the first Saturday in May and recognized as Vermont's largest single-day volunteer event, mobilizing over 30,000 volunteers annually to clean roads, waterways, and public spaces across all 14 Vermont counties. Operations are conducted through a network of volunteer Town Coordinators in each municipality, supported by a mobile application (iOS and Android) for route tracking, team communication, and trash-location reporting, along with free Greencore-branded trash bags manufactured from 70% post-consumer recycled material.

The revenue model is donation-based and diversified across individual contributions (including a tax-designated Line 23 slot on the Vermont state income tax return since 2014), corporate sponsorships from more than 50 partners such as Casella, Subaru of New England, Shaw's, Walmart, and Ben & Jerry's Foundation, branded merchandise sales via an online Gear Store ($16 t-shirts, $12 reusable water bottles, $8 carbage cans), and an in-store retail partnership with Shaw's grocery stores under the Bags for a Cause program. Customer engagement segments include individual volunteers, volunteer Town Coordinators, corporate partners seeking CSR exposure, and secondary youth participation through a mentorship program and poster art contest. Year-round initiatives extend beyond the May event to include flood recovery cleanups, youth engagement programs, and post-event Apres Green Up celebrations hosted by Vermont breweries.

The organization's strategic positioning rests on 55+ years of brand recognition as a Vermont tradition, an entrenched town-coordinator distribution network, and statutory inclusion on the state tax return. In May 2024, Green Up Vermont secured a Guinness World Record for the most pledges received for a trash cleanup in 24 hours, indicating ongoing capacity to scale engagement through earned media and PR-driven campaigns.

Name

Green Up Vermont

Legal name

Vermont Green Up Inc.

Website

https://greenupvermont.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Green Up Vermont is a Montpelier-based nonprofit that organizes the annual Green Up Day, Vermont's largest statewide volunteer event. Founded in 1970, it mobilizes over 30,000 volunteers across 14 counties via Town Coordinators, funded by donations, sponsorships, and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Volunteer Cleanup Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Waste Collection (56211)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Street & Public Space Litter Collection (Municipal Cleaning) (BPALAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Street & Public-Space Litter Collection (Bins, Parks, Transit) (EUAIAAAG)

Keywords

• Volunteer litter cleanup
• Environmental stewardship
• Community cleanup events
• Statewide volunteer coordination
• Nonprofit environmental programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Montpelier

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Private nonprofit organization relying on donations from individuals. Donations can be made through the website (givebutter.com/GreenUP2026) and through the Vermont state tax return by donating to Green Up Vermont on Line 23 of the VT return.
2. Corporate Partnerships: As a private nonprofit, Green Up Vermont relies on corporate partner support including financial contributions and in-kind support from over 50 corporate partners including Subaru, Casella, Shaw's, and various Vermont businesses.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Green Up branded merchandise including neon green t-shirts with reflective print ($16), aluminum water bottles ($12), and carbage cans ($8). All proceeds support Green Up Day operations.
4. Shaw's Bags for a Cause Program: During April, May, and June, reusable shopping bags are sold at Shaw's grocery stores in Vermont with $1 from each bag donated to Green Up Vermont.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Green Up Vermont coordinates an annual statewide volunteer litter cleanup held the first Saturday in May, mobilizing more than 30,000 volunteers through a network of volunteer Town Coordinators in every Vermont municipality to clean roads, waterways, and public spaces. The organization funds operations via individual donations (online and via Line 23 of the Vermont State Income Tax Return), corporate sponsorships, and merchandise sales, and supports volunteers with a mobile app for route tracking/team communication, free Greencore recycled trash bags, year-round stewardship initiatives, and youth mentorship programs.

Product overview

Green Up Vermont operates primarily as a nonprofit volunteer coordination organization centered around Green Up Day, the largest statewide volunteer event in Vermont held annually on the first Saturday in May. The organization provides a mobile app for volunteer route tracking and team coordination, distributes free official trash bags made from recycled materials, and sells branded merchandise (t-shirts, water bottles, car trash cans) through its Gear Store to support operations. Supplementary programs include the Mentorship Program connecting students with town coordinators, post-event celebrations at partner breweries, and the Bags for a Cause retail partnership with Shaw's. The portfolio is best described as event coordination with supporting tools (mobile app, supplies) and merchandise, rather than a traditional software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Green Up Day The flagship annual volunteer event where Vermonters clean up roads, waterways, and public spaces statewide on the first Saturday in May. Coordinated through volunteer Town Coordinators with community-wide participation of over 30,000 volunteers each year.
• Green Up Mobile App Mobile application enabling volunteers to track cleanup routes, coordinate with team members, communicate in real time, and report trash locations to town coordinators. Available on iOS (Apple Store) and Android (Google Play).
• Green Up Gear Store (merchandise) Online store selling branded merchandise including neon green t-shirts with reflective print ($16), reusable 20 oz aluminum water bottles ($12), and car trash receptacles or "Carbage Cans" ($8). All proceeds support Green Up Day operations.
• Green Up Supplies (Greencore trash bags) Official Green Up trash bags made in the USA by Petoskey Plastics from 70% post-consumer recycled material, selected for the lowest carbon footprint among alternatives. Distributed free through the Town Coordinator network and town clerk offices.
• Green Up Mentorship Program Program pairing motivated neighborhood students with Volunteer Town Coordinators to develop leadership skills while supporting environmental stewardship and Green Up Day operations.
• Apres Green Up Day Celebrations Post-cleanup celebrations hosted by partner breweries across Vermont featuring live music, hobby horse racing, DIY Kentucky Derby hat contests using recycled materials, and community gatherings to recognize volunteer efforts.
• Bags for a Cause Program (Shaw's partnership) Partnership program with Shaw's grocery stores in Vermont during April, May, and June where reusable shopping bags are sold and $1 per bag is donated to Green Up Vermont to support its cleanup mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30,000 volunteers participate annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

37 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CasellacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor waste management company and longstanding corporate partner of Green Up Vermont, providing dumpster and waste disposal support for cleanup events.
• Subaru of New EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomotive partner supporting Green Up Day events, with multiple Subaru dealerships serving as volunteer hubs and bag distribution locations across Vermont.
• Shaw'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrocery chain partner running Bags for a Cause program where reusable bags are sold at Vermont Shaw's stores with $1 per bag donated to Green Up Vermont (April-June).
• Darn Tough VermontminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont-based sock manufacturer and corporate partner supporting Green Up Vermont initiatives.
• Lawson's FinestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont brewery and corporate partner, host of Apres Green Up celebrations with live music and Kentucky Derby themed activities.
• Front Porch ForumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVermont community social platform partner helping spread awareness about Green Up Day events and volunteer opportunities.
• WCAXminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVermont television station providing media coverage and visibility for Green Up Vermont initiatives.
• Agency of Natural Resources (ANR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont state agency partner supporting environmental stewardship initiatives and providing resources for Green Up activities.
• Efficiency VermontminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont energy efficiency organization and corporate partner supporting environmental initiatives.
• Vermont State Parks and RecreationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for park cleanup and beautification initiatives.
• Kingdom BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont brewery hosting Apres Green Up celebrations in Newport with hobby horse racing and Kentucky Derby hat contests.
• Switchback VTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont brewery and beer garden hosting Apres Green Up celebrations in Burlington.
• Vermont Green FCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont soccer team's sustainability initiative partner.
• Ski Vermont (Okemo, Mount Snow, Stowe)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont ski resort partners supporting Green Up Vermont initiatives.
• Vermont Brewers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade association for Vermont breweries, supporting Apres Green Up celebration events.
• Ten Bends BeerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont brewery in Hyde Park hosting Apres Green Up celebrations.
• Eight Oh BrewminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont brewery in Ludlow hosting Apres Green Up celebrations.
• Stone CorralminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont brewery in Richmond hosting Apres Green Up celebrations.
• Bent Nails RoadhouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont restaurant in Middlesex hosting Apres Green Up celebrations.
• AfterthoughtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont venue in Waitsfield hosting Apres Green Up celebrations.
• Mill River Tap HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont tap house in St. Albans hosting Apres Green Up celebrations.
• Vermont GloveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont-made glove manufacturer and corporate partner.
• Ursa MajorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont-based grooming products company and corporate partner.
• Vermont TireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont tire company supporting tire disposal for Green Up cleanup events.
• Vermont 251minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont-based organization and community partner.
• United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Northern Vermont supporting community volunteer initiatives.
• Vermont Trails & GreenwaysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont trails organization partner.
• Vermont Outdoor Business AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of Vermont outdoor businesses supporting environmental stewardship.
• Concept 2minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont-based rowing equipment company and corporate partner.
• Cabot CheeseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont cheese cooperative and corporate partner.
• HuskyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy company with Vermont operations supporting Green Up initiatives.
• Green Mountain PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont utility company and corporate partner supporting environmental initiatives.
• VelcominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont electric utility partner.
• Dealer.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont-based automotive technology company and corporate partner.
• The AlchemistminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont brewery in Stowe hosting volunteer meetups and refreshments for Green Up Day.
• Long Trail BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont brewery in Bridgewater providing dumpster for Green Up cleanup and bag distribution.
• VGSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont-based company and corporate partner.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Surfrider Foundation: Volunteer-driven environmental nonprofit with a beach-cleanup and chapter network model—analogous combination of grassroots cleanup events, local-chapter coordinators, and corporate/sponsor support structures comparable to Green Up Vermont's town coordinator system.
• Alliance for the Great Lakes: Operates the Adopt-a-Beach program, a flagship volunteer litter cleanup event with annual impact statistics and corporate sponsors—direct functional peer to Green Up Day in mobilizing and quantifying mass-volunteer litter removal in a defined geography.
• Keep America Beautiful: National nonprofit focused on litter prevention, recycling, and community beautification, including the Great American Cleanup—the closest national-scale analog to Green Up Vermont's model. Operates an affiliate/network structure across U.S. states, mirroring Green Up's town-coordinator approach at a national level.
• Ocean Conservancy: Runs the International Coastal Cleanup, the largest volunteer cleanup event globally; directly comparable in mobilizing tens of thousands of volunteers to remove trash from public spaces and aggregating environmental impact data for advocacy use.
• Earthday.org (Earth Day Network): Global environmental nonprofit that organizes an annual flagship event (Earth Day) mobilizing millions of volunteers—comparable event-driven civic-activism model to Green Up Vermont's annual Green Up Day and similar reliance on sponsorships, merch, and grassroots coordinators.

Others

• VolunteerMatch: National volunteer-engagement platform relevant as an enabling/ecosystem peer—competes for volunteer attention and represents both a channel for Green Up Vermont to recruit and a competitor for the same pool of environmentally motivated volunteers.
• Casella Waste Systems (corporate-partner lens): Core waste-management partner of Green Up Vermont providing dumpsters and disposal; included as an ecosystem peer given the operational dependency and potential conflict as a for-profit waste-services competitor expanding in sustainability/CSR programs.

Regional players

• SOLVE Oregon: Oregon-based nonprofit that mobilizes tens of thousands of volunteers for cleanups and stewardship events; closest regional-state analog operating a similar statewide volunteer cleanup + corporate-sponsor model, though geographically non-overlapping with Vermont.
• Keep Britain Tidy: UK-based environmental charity running the Great British Spring Clean, an annual volunteer litter-cleanup event analogous in structure and national recognition to Green Up Day; useful international comparator for organizational model and scale.

Broad incumbents

• Friends of the Earth: Established environmental advocacy nonprofit with broader policy and campaign remit; comparable as a fundraising and donor-base competitor for the same individual ESG-motivated donors Green Up Vermont targets via Line 23 and online giving.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GreenUpVermont
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreenUpVermont
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/green-up-vermont

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Green Up Vermont