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Sugar Pine Foundation

The Sugar Pine Foundation is dedicated to restoring sugar pines and other native trees by involving the community in hands on restoration activities in order to inspire forest …

South Lake Tahoe, CA EIN: 251909869 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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70
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
70/100 · methodology

About Sugar Pine Foundation

2011 Accomplishments: 1) Planted 20,000 resistant sugar pine seedlings, 3,000 Jeffrey pines, and 1,000 incense cedar seedlings to reforest 300 acres of land. 2) Won Redwood Creek Greater Outdoor Project. 3) Educated and involved over 600 local schoolchildren and 400 members of the community in hands on forest restoration. 4) Collected cones from 85 western white and 36 sugar pines candidates for blister rust resistance testing. 5) Collaborated with the local Fire Safe Council to distribute seedlings in the Butte Lightning Fire Complex. 2012 Accomplishments: 1) Planted 8,000 resistant sugar pine seedlings to reforest 150 acres of land. 2) Recruited 1100 volunteers to plant trees. 3) Collected 50 pounds of seed for future planting 4) Joined the South Tahoe Environmental …

Founded
Headquarters
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
small

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2005

Mission

The Sugar Pine Foundation is dedicated to restoring sugar pines and other native trees by involving the community in hands on restoration activities in order to inspire forest stewardship.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar education in United States
Program spending This charity: 75%
Peer average: 74%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 27.92%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 70
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· 1 red flag
High Executive Pay
Top executive compensation is 35.6% of total expenses ($67,200 of $188,837).

Where every $1 goes

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.75
Program$0.75

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Sugar Pine Foundation has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 3 independent sources including the IRS.

  • It has more complete contact information than nearly all similar organizations, with a verified website, email, phone and address on record. See national comparisons
  • It has more complete governance disclosure than nearly all similar organizations, because GiveRadar has verified leadership, executive compensation, a mission statement and a founding date. See national comparisons
  • GiveRadar's profile for Sugar Pine Foundation draws on its financial disclosures and its governance, in line with the typical education charities in the United States it tracks. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Sugar Pine Foundation is a registered education nonprofit based in South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2004 and has been operating for 22 years. Its EIN is 251909869. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 70/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $241K in annual revenue. 28 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern.

Sugar Pine Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 251909869. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Sugar Pine Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 70/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 70 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for education charities in United States is 90/100.

Sugar Pine Foundation is located in South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States. The organization was established in 2004 and has been active for 22 years.

Based on official tax filings, Sugar Pine Foundation has $241K in annual revenue. It allocates 75% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 74% for education charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $7M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Sugar Pine Foundation is classified as an Education organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a small organization. It has $241K in annual revenue. The organization has 28 disclosed officers and directors.

GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern for Sugar Pine Foundation. Red flags are automatically detected from official data and may include high executive compensation relative to budget, low program spending, or missing financial filings. Red flags do not necessarily mean wrongdoing but indicate areas that may warrant further review before donating.

According to GiveRadar's records, Sugar Pine Foundation holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 75% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 74%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

2011 Accomplishments: 1) Planted 20,000 resistant sugar pine seedlings, 3,000 Jeffrey pines, and 1,000 incense cedar seedlings to reforest 300 acres of land. 2) Won Redwood Creek Greater Outdoor Project. 3) Educated and involved over 600 local schoolchildren and 400 members of the community in hands on forest restoration. 4) Collected cones from 85 western white and 36 sugar pines candidates for blister rust resistance testing. 5) Collaborated with the local Fire Safe Council to distribute seedlings in the Butte Lightning Fire Complex. 2012 Accomplishments: 1) Planted 8,000 resistant sugar pine seedlings to reforest 150 acres of land. 2) Recruited 1100 volunteers to plant trees. 3) Collected 50 pounds of... Sugar Pine Foundation is classified as an education organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2004.

Among education charities registered in United States: It allocates 75% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 74%. Its annual revenue of $241K is below the peer average of $7M.

Yes, donations to Sugar Pine Foundation are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Sugar Pine Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 251909869, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$100K-$1M
75% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
2

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

MA
Maria M•••••••
Executive Director

Officers & trustees (11)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

11 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$0.2M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.2M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.3M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.2M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.1M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education this charity 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 28 disclosed in the public registry.
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
90%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 28 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2004
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Sugar Pine Foundation

What is Sugar Pine Foundation?
Sugar Pine Foundation is a education publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in South Lake Tahoe, United States. 2011 Accomplishments: 1) Planted 20,000 resistant sugar pine seedlings, 3,000 Jeffrey pines, and 1,000 incense cedar seedlings to reforest 300 acres of land. 2) Won Redwood Creek Greater Outdoor Project. 3) Educated and involved over 600 local schoolchildren and 400 members of the community in hands on forest restoration. 4) Collected cones from 85 western white and 36 sugar pines candidates for blister rust resistance testing. 5) Collaborated with the local Fire Safe Council to distribute seedlings in the Butte Lightning Fire Complex. 2012 Accomplishments: 1) Planted 8,000 resistant sugar pine seedlings to reforest 150 acres of land. 2) Recruited 1100 volunteers to plant trees. 3) Collected 50 pounds of seed for future planting 4) Joined the South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition. 5) Sent an annual newsletter to 800 supporters. 2013 Accomplishments: 1) Planted 13,000 resistant sugar pine seedlings to reforest 250 acres of land. 2) Involved over 1000 local schoolchildren and 300 members of the community in hands on forest restoration. 3) Collected 25 pounds of seed for future planting 4) Taught Junior Botany to 500 elementary school students 5) Provided service learning for 150 at risk youth. 2014 Accomplishments: 1) Planted 10,130 sugar pine seedlings progeny of white pine blister rust resistant seed trees to reforest 200 acres of land. 2) Published a children's book. 3) Involved over 800 local schoolchildren and 500 members of the community in hands on forest restoration. 4) Collected 40 pounds of seed for future planting. 5) Taught "Trees are Terrific" curriculum to 1200 elementary school students. 2015 Accomplishments: 1) Planted 10,060 white pine seedlings progeny of white pine blister rust resistant seed trees to reforest 200 acres of land. 2) Starred in a BBC Wild West Episode. 3) Set a Guinness Planting record with partner organizations 4) Worked with 700 local schoolchildren and 500 members of the community on forest restoration. 5) Started a wes
When was Sugar Pine Foundation founded?
Sugar Pine Foundation was founded in 2004.
Who leads Sugar Pine Foundation?
Maria Mircheva serves as Executive Director.
Where is Sugar Pine Foundation located?
Headquartered in South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States.
What is Sugar Pine Foundation's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $100K-$1M. 75% of expenses go to program services.
Is Sugar Pine Foundation trustworthy?
Sugar Pine Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 70 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Sugar Pine Foundation's registration number?
IRS EIN: 251909869.
What is Sugar Pine Foundation's website?
http://www.sugarpinefoundation.org