As the first major ski resort in Lake Tahoe, Sugar Bowl has always been a visionary leader in the communities we serve. From the time we were founded in 1939 until today our owners and staff have made a genuine commitment to being a positive force in supporting philanthropy, the environment, education and the arts. Sugar Bowl’s management and staff not only help with the financial support of numerous community endeavors, but also serve as leaders on multiple non-profit community and philanthropic boards. The spirit of volunteerism and our genuine desire to make our communities a better place to live is rooted in the culture of Sugar Bowl's history.

The Tahoe Truckee Excellence in Education Foundation was founded in 1986 as a business/education partnership and Sugar Bowl was among the foundations first business partners. Sugar Bowl was actually the first resort to ever host the foundation's “Skiing for Schools” drive in 1991 and has raised over $200,000 to date. The Foundation's efforts are targeted to enhance the education of 4,000 students in a school district that encompasses 11 schools in a geographic area of 720 square miles.

The Foundation
The Foundation supports "hands-on" academic learning experiences for students and promotes instruction that is meaningful and relevant in real-world situations. The Foundation awards grants to teachers in the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District through a competitive, selective application process. The Foundation recognizes exceptional teachers through the Linda Brown Fellows Awards program. The Foundation is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors and Advisory Board of over 40 community members with a broad range of experience, representing all geographic areas of the community.

Excellence in Education’s Mission
The Tahoe Truckee Excellence in Education Foundation supports quality public education within the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. The Foundation raises money and provides grants, resources and partnerships to benefit students, teachers and the Kindergarten through 12th Grade educational community as a whole.

The Sierra Avalanche Center is a not-for-profit organization run by volunteers who are dedicated to promoting safe backcountry travel. The Sierra Avalanche Center is a 501.3c not-for-profit organization working in partnership with the Tahoe National Forest to provide avalanche advisories. The vast majority of the Center’s funding comes from private donations and fund raising events. Sugar Bowl was the first resort in the Sierra to step up and commit to hosting a ski day fundraiser and the resort has help raise thousands for this vital backcountry service.

Sierra Avalanche Center’s Mission
The mission of the Sierra Avalanche Center includes disseminating current snow pack stability information to the general public; providing educational information, knowledge, and understanding of avalanches to recreational users and groups; and facilitating communication in the region to reduce the impact of avalanches on recreation, industry, and transportation through a partnership with the United States Forest Service.

Community involvement and philanthropy means more than just writing a check or making a donation, it means jumping in, volunteering and making things happen! It’s a big part of how we’re involved in making our communities better places to live.

We’re involved in everything from helping in our local class rooms and athletic fields to environmental programs for river restoration, erosion control, waste management, and trash clean-ups on the interstate and around the resort.