Nonprofit seeks projects that will improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy

The Tahoe Fund today announced the opening of its annual call for projects. The nonprofit is seeking projects for its 2024 portfolio that will increase the pace and scale of forest restoration, improve lake clarity, expand sustainable recreation, provide innovative solutions to transportation challenges, and create more stewards of Lake Tahoe. 

Public agencies, nonprofits and environmentally focused businesses are invited to submit proposals for projects that require $5,000 to $1,000,000 in funding. Projects with the ability to leverage additional public funding as a result of Tahoe Fund support will be prioritized.

“Every year we are blown away by the incredible projects brought to us by our partners around the Basin,” said Caitlin Meyer, chief program officer for the Tahoe Fund. “In our last fiscal year, we granted over $1.4 million to 52 different projects, like the 72-mile scuba cleanup of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline, aquatic invasive species removal in Emerald Bay, and the new Ski Run Community Park in South Lake Tahoe, which will serve over one thousand young people. We can’t wait to see what’s in store this next round of submissions.” 

Since its inception, the Tahoe Fund has worked with more than 30 partners to support over 130 projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Some highlights include the building of the Tunnel Creek Singletrack Trail on Tahoe’s East Shore, scholarships for the Lake Tahoe Community College Forestry program, basinwide programs that provide free bikes and bike safety gear to residents in need through the Lake Tahoe Bike Coalition, adaptive summer activities for people with disabilities and their families through Achieve Tahoe, and scuba cleanups of litter hotspots by Clean Up The Lake.

All submissions will be reviewed by the Tahoe Fund Board of Directors, which is tasked with developing the Tahoe Fund’s project portfolio. Projects submitted for consideration may receive immediate funding or be selected for a Tahoe Fund project campaign in 2024. 

“From the health of our forests to the clarity of our Lake, the Tahoe Basin faces many challenges,” said Cory Ritchie, Tahoe Fund Board Chair. “Through our annual call for projects process, we are looking for ideas both big and small that will improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.” 

Project submissions are due by January 31, 2024. Guidelines and the request for project submission form can be found here.

Feeling welcome in the outdoors is not a given for all young people in the Tahoe Basin. That’s why the Tahoe Fund supports programs that are helping more kids experience the benefits of nature, like Gateway Mountain Center’s Youth Ecology and Adventure Camps (YEA! Camps). 

YEA! Camps are a free program for high-risk Tahoe youth to help them overcome adversity and develop crucial life skills such as adaptability, communication, and empowerment through outdoor adventure and mindfulness lessons. The camps help young people build a strong connection to themselves, their community and the natural world, all while learning how to become environmental stewards. 

Last summer, YEA! Camp counselors saw their campers develop strong connections to the outdoors while they learned important life lessons. They shared in lively discussions with campers about how the choices they make now – like vaping or smoking – might impact their ability to recreate outdoors as they age.

Campers who were experiencing frustration in their personal lives found solace in new activities like rock climbing. By the end of the summer, the campers would proudly pick up trash and point out graffiti as they became more aware of the leave no trace principles and the importance of maintaining a healthy ecosystem to live in.

Thanks to support from Tahoe Fund donors, YEA! Camps were able to expand their programs and are now serving under-resourced communities in North and South Lake Tahoe.

Rock climbing is an increasingly popular sport in the United States. From new indoor climbing gyms popping up across the country to gear shops exceeding their sale numbers for popular climbing gear, it’s safe to say this sport has captured the interest of recreation enthusiasts. 

“Climbing is a unique and incredible sport that challenges people both mentally and physically,” said Gianna Aveni, owner of Blue Granite Climbing Gym in South Lake Tahoe. “Climbers can gain self-confidence, find a fun way to exercise and lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle, be a part of a social group, or find valuable time for introspection. It’s a versatile sport with so much to offer different people.” 

Despite the popularity of this sport, it’s not always the most accessible. High costs for gym memberships and equipment can be preventative barriers to climbing, especially for underserved communities. 

Although the Tahoe Fund is focused on expanding access and inclusion in outdoor recreation, we recognize that new sports are often easier and safer to learn indoors. That’s why, with the support of our Stewardship Circle donors, we funded a new indoor climbing program for the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. 

“Climbing is a fantastic sport and easily available in Tahoe, but if no one in your family or friendship circle climbs, it can be a really hard activity to get into,” said Jude Wood, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. “Being able to offer a climbing program this summer and providing access to kids who normally wouldn’t have the opportunity was incredible.” 

Every Friday during the summer, two groups of twelve kids headed over to Blue Granite Climbing Gym for hands-on instruction from climbing coaches. After mastering the basics, many of the kids were able to quickly progress and looked forward to returning each week to learn something new. 

One female member shared that although she was initially cautious, she quickly grew to love the new sport. “I had never climbed before and I really enjoyed it,” she said. “It was my favorite activity this summer.” Another participant expressed enthusiasm for his favorite activities in the program, saying: “I really like bouldering and doing the obstacle courses.”

This new program was also part of Blue Granite’s Community Climbing Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to remove barriers to climbing, broaden accessibility to the sport, promote and celebrate inclusivity, and provide under-resourced youth and under-represented populations the opportunity to experience rock climbing.

“We are so grateful to the Tahoe Fund and Blue Granite for this experience,” said Wood. “ We hope that we can continue to partner together to get more local kids into climbing.”