Sierra State Parks Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 53 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
The Sierra State Parks Foundation provides critically needed financial and professional support to the Lake Tahoe-Donner Sierra State Parks for Education, Restoration, and Cultural and Environmental Preservation in partnership with California State Parks.
- Income
- $1.0 million
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 10.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 39%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 62
- Highest pay
- $67,457, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 67 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 53 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $696,119 spent. Education/Interpretation: 1. Our historic house museum guides team for Vikinghsolm and the Hellman-Ehrman Estate inspired 15,781 visitors with historic house museum tours, including 950 free tours to school children and 1,323 to vistors arriving by by boat to reduce vehicular trips. 2. SSPF staff welcomed 58,519 visitors to the visitor centers operated by SSPF (Sugar Pine Point and Vikingsholm). In addition, our staff supplemented state parks staff at the Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center for 6 months in 2024. 3. We collaborated with state parks with the production of major outreach events that included: Donner Legacy Day, Free Ski Day at the Park, and California State Parks Week events. 4. SSPF supported a large variety of educational programming provided by the talented interpretive staff of California State Parks. Our support included considerable financial contributions to pay for park interpretive staff, purchasing the equipment and materials to support these programs and professional support that helped in program development and implementation. These collaborative efforts that bought free educational and interpretive program to over 28,368 park visitors including 2,482 in-person students and 7,280 virtual students in 2024. These programs ranged from rafting experiences on Donner Lake, supporting the Docent Program that brings daily historic tours at the Donner Visitor Center and school group programming, Junior Rangers, tabling that brought programs to where people are at Emerald Bay and Sugar Pine Point SP, and virtual school programs to classrooms around the country.
- $140,083 spent. Cultural and Natural Resource Restoration: 1. SSPF funded restoration and on-going maintenance projects at Vikingsholm. We have also established an endowment to help fund future projects. 2024 highlights included the completion of the restoration of the garage and lakeside entry doors; we worked with State Parks to forward the on-going projects of the turret restoration, roof repairs and lakeside site improvements to stop the degration of the landscape by the estimated 1.5 million visitors to this popular Emerald Bay beach. 2. We continued to support the maintenance and restoration needs of the Hellman-Ehrman Estate (Pine Lodge) to include the historic garden, repairs to exterior and interior plaster repair needs, siding and roof repairs and general upkeep.
- Advocacy and Outreach: Our Ad Hoc Advocacy Committee including out Board President and the Executive Director remained involved in advocacy work by attending meetings, creating opportunities to educate community members, legislators and state park officials about the partnership value of SSPF and pertinent park related projects within our jurisdiction. In out 50th year as an organization, we were awarded a golden Bear Award by the California State Parks and Recreation Commission that recognizes individuals and organizations who have made a significant impact to the betterment of California State parks.
- Organization Mission The Sierra State Parks Foundation (SSPF) believes that the Lake Tahoe and Truckee Area California State Parks are unique treasurers that are worthy of our support. We fund projects and educational programs that connect people with our rich natural resources and cultural heritage. Because of our work, our parks will continue to be places of education and inspiration for generations to come.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1979.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.