Congratulations to Our 2024 Sustainable Slopes Grant Recipients! 

Applications for the 2024 Grant Cycle have closed. Winners will be recognized at NSAA’s National Convention in May.

Launched in 2009 and now in its 15th year, NSAA’s Sustainable Slopes Grant Program offers valuable grants to NSAA member ski areas that are endorsers of Sustainable Slopes. These grants can help you earn Sustainability Badges and help you meet your targets in the Climate Challenge if you participate in that program. Past grant recipients completed projects with many positive benefits, including more efficient snowmaking, increased protection of habitats and watersheds, reductions in waste and resource usage, on-site renewable energy generation, partnerships with sustainability consultants, and receiving significant ROI as a direct result of their work. To date, $890,535 in cash and in-kind funding has been awarded to ski areas seeking to reduce their footprint and increase their environmental stewardship. There are two types of grants ski areas can apply for: Cash Grants, which provide cash to fund your next sustainability project and the newly renamed Herman K. Dupré Sustainable Snowmaking Grant, which provides energy efficient snowmaking equipment. Find more details about the Sustainable Slopes Grant Program here.  

Thank you to HKD Snowmakers for providing equipment to ski areas to make their snowmaking programs more efficient.

Herman K. Dupré

HKD Snowmakers and NSAA are proud to honor the life and environmental stewardship of HKD Co-Founder Herman K. Dupré through the Sustainable Slopes snowmaking grant. This grant, officially renamed as the Herman K. Dupré Sustainable Snowmaking Grant, annually provides energy efficient snowmaking equipment to NSAA member resorts around the country helping them reduce their snowmaking carbon footprint. "My father-in-law, Herman K. Dupré, always sought to leave the earth better than he found it, and this snowmaking grant, now in his name, will inspire and support others to do the same," said Charles Santry, President and Co-founder of HKD Snowmakers. Learn more about Herman K. Dupré here.

Past Sustainable Slopes Grant Winners

2024 Recipients

• Timberline Lodge & Ski Area (OR) - LED lighting upgrade project
• The Summit at Snoqualmie (WA) - Building energy efficiency project
• Burke Mountain Resort (VT) - HKD Impulse air/water snowguns
• Eldora Mountain Resort (CO) - HKD Impulse air/water snowguns

HKD Snowmakers is excited to announce Burke Mountain Resort, VT and Eldora Mountain, CO as the two winners of the 2024 Herman K. Dupré Snowmaking Grant! Burke and Eldora will each be awarded with over $30,000 of energy efficient HKD snowguns. These ski areas are being recognized for leading by example and incorporating sustainable practices and environmental stewardship into all aspects of their resorts, including snowmaking.

-Charles Santry, HKD President

At Burke, we're committed to making skiing and riding accessible to all. By implementing sustainable practices and utilizing innovative technologies that HKD has to offer, we're able to offer a quality product at a price point that won’t break the bank. Our dedication to sustainability not only keeps costs down but also preserves the beauty of both Burke and the northeast kingdom, guaranteeing that future generations can continue to experience the joy of life in mountains.

-Mack McCaughey, Snow Surface Manager of Burke Mountain Resort

At Eldora, we recognize the urgent need to mitigate our environmental impact and are dedicated to implementing sustainable practices that ensure we ‘Play Forever'. By investing in advanced snowmaking technology, we are not only improving our operational efficiency, but also taking significant strides towards reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. This partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration within the ski industry and reinforces our shared responsibility to protect the environment.

-Brent Tregaskis, President and General Manager of Eldora Mountain Resort

* In 2024, HKD Snowmakers offered grants to two ski areas with a combined value over $60,000.