Charitable Contributions Program
Chateau Ste. Michelle has been a proud supporter of charitable organizations for more than 30 years. Ste. Michelle's Charitable Contributions Program provides philanthropic support throughout the U.S. where our employees live and work. Special emphasis is placed on programs that focus on:
2010 HIGHLIGHTS
Auction of Washington Wines Founded in 1988, the The Auction of Washington Wines represents the Washington wine industry’s gift to the community and is the largest charity auction in the country featuring Washington wine. Hosted on the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle winery, the auction benefits Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation and the Washington Wine Education Foundation. In 2010, nearly 3,500 guests attended the three-day wine auction weekend, raising $1.4 million, bringing the total raised to over $24 million.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Scholarship Fund In 2002, Ste. Michelle established a scholarship fund to support high-achieving, underrepresented minority undergraduates at Washington State University and the University of Washington. The program expanded in 2009 to include students attending any college or university in Washington state.
The program has awarded more than 100 scholarships totaling $2.8 million since inception. Students in the program, administered by the College Success Foundation, have an 85-90 percent graduation rate.
Washington State University Foundation Chateau Ste. Michelle also supports A Celebration of Washington Wines - an annual event to support scholarships in the Viticulture and Enology program and an endowed chair position at Washington State University. Over the past nine years the auction has raised a total of more than $1.25 million.
Washington Wine Education Foundation Chateau Ste. Michelle supports the Washington Wine Education Foundation. A portion of the funds raised during the Auction of Washington Wines, along with proceeds from several other local charity events, is dedicated to the Washington State University Viticulture and Enology Program. The program supports the growth of the industry by providing cutting-edge research and by training the next generation of vintners and grape growers.
Charitable Contribution Requests Download the Donation Request Form and submit the PDF form to charitable.contributions@smwe.com 8 weeks prior to the event. Requests submitted with less notice may be denied without review. Upon approval after review from our Contributions Committee you will be notified via email. Organizations requesting a contribution must have a 501(c)3 status and be classified by the Internal Revenue Service as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions
