In 1999, mountaineering outfitter Alpine Ascents International established the Alpine Ascents Foundation as a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization - EIN 91-1985677. The foundation is a non-profit corporation dedicated to improving the lives of people who live in indigenous mountain areas by providing access to education and resources.
Sherpa Education Fund
The Sherpa Education Fund was created to provide funds to educate children in Nepal. Our motivation originated from the families who came to us seeking an education for their children. It is the hope of the Sherpa Education Fund that, through education, these students will enhance their communities by sharing knowledge and generating resources in the future.
Our Mission
Supporting Mountain Communities Through Education
Founded in 1999 by Alpine Ascents International, Alpine Ascents Foundation is dedicated to helping people living in indigenous mountain communities gain access to education and essential resources.
Our programs focus primarily on Nepal, where geographic isolation and financial challenges can make quality education difficult for many families to access. Through scholarships, school support, room and board assistance, and community projects, we help students pursue opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Our goal is not simply to help students attend school. We want to help provide the foundation they need to build meaningful futures and ultimately bring knowledge, skills, and resources back to their communities.
Our Impact
Building More Than Classrooms
Our commitment extends beyond individual scholarships.
Alpine Ascents Foundation has supported educational facilities and projects designed to strengthen communities for generations. This includes work connected to the Shree Himalaya School and continued support for students throughout Nepal.
Every scholarship, classroom, and educational opportunity represents something larger: the ability for a young person to imagine a future with more choices.
You could put three visual columns underneath this:
Student Education
Helping students access tuition, housing, school supplies, and educational opportunities.
School & Community Support
Investing in schools and resources that serve families in Nepal’s mountain communities.
Long-Term Opportunity
Supporting students through multiple stages of their education and encouraging them to use their knowledge to strengthen their communities.
Why Education Matters
Opportunity Can Begin With One Student
In remote regions of Nepal, attending school can involve challenges that extend far beyond the classroom. Families may face financial limitations, geographic isolation, housing needs, and difficult decisions about whether children can continue their education.
Alpine Ascents Foundation works with students and communities to help remove some of those barriers.
When a student receives the opportunity to continue learning, the benefits can extend far beyond that individual. Education can provide new career opportunities, strengthen families, encourage leadership, and create skills that remain within the community for generations.
That is why we view every student we support as an investment in a stronger future.
Our Connection to Nepal
Built From Decades of Friendship and Experience
The Foundation grew from Alpine Ascents International’s longstanding relationship with Nepal and the Sherpa community.
Foundation leaders have spent decades climbing, guiding, traveling, and working throughout Nepal. Those relationships created a firsthand understanding of both the strength of these communities and the educational challenges many families face.
What began with individual requests for help has developed into a long-term commitment to students, schools, and families.
Meet Our Students
Help Create the Next Opportunity
A scholarship can help a child stay in school. A school project can serve generations of students. A single donation can become part of a much larger story.
Join Alpine Ascents Foundation in helping students throughout Nepal gain access to the education and resources they need to pursue brighter futures.