The new Tahoe Trails Endowment will provide funding for annual trail work

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (Nov. 23, 2020) – The nonprofit Tahoe Fund has launched a new effort to create a $3 million endowment to generate enough funding to pay for annual trail work in the Tahoe region. The campaign, started with a $100,000 contribution from trail enthusiasts Chris and Viktoria McNamara, represents a long-term commitment to caring for the trails everyone loves.

“Historically our focus as an organization has been to help expand the Tahoe trail network so we can spread people out and build new trails that not only provide recreational opportunities, but reduce erosion that can affect lake clarity,” said Julie Teel, Tahoe Fund board member. “This trail endowment exemplifies our mission of using the power of philanthropy to improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy. We will continue to support new trails, but this endowment will help address the need for long-term care of the entire trail network.”

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased the strain on Tahoe’s trail system as people began spending more time outdoors. Despite “stay-at-home” orders, use of Tahoe’s trails exploded, with one trail counter at DL Bliss State Park recording higher usage in April 2020 than in July 2019. Since then, things have not slowed down.

Although trails provide a healthy way for people to recreate outdoors, increased use puts real stress on both the natural environment and land managers as trails and trailheads fill up. By generating a constant stream of funding to pay for ongoing maintenance, Tahoe’s trail network will benefit from regular maintenance designed to ensure the trails are fun and erosion free.

While building the endowment, the Tahoe Fund is also working with its trail partners at the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association, Truckee Trails Foundation and public land managers to develop a Trails Master Plan that will outline priority ranking for trail maintenance and allow everyone to think and plan long-term.

To help grow the endowment, an anonymous donor has offered to match every dollar donated up to $100,000. Learn more and contribute to the Tahoe Trails Endowment at www.tahoefund.org.

Financial support will be awarded to projects providing solutions to Lake Tahoe’s environmental challenges in 2021

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2020) – When she joined the Tahoe Fund as one of its founding board members over 10 years ago, Cory Ritchie was all in on the concept of creating a nonprofit designed specifically to raise money and help get specific, impactful projects done at Lake Tahoe. Fast forward 10 years and the group has made an indelible mark in the region. By generating support from private donors, the Tahoe Fund has leveraged over $3 million in private funds to secure over $50 million in public funds for more than 40 environmental projects.

As the Tahoe Fund 2021 Request for Projects process kicks off, Ritchie, now Vice Chair, offers a tip for organizations planning to submit funding requests: “we look for impact and projects that meet multiple goals.”

The Tahoe Fund’s annual call for projects results in funding for projects designed to restore Lake Tahoe’s famed clarity, create healthier forests, improve transportation, create more sustainable recreation, and inspire greater stewardship in the region. Since 2010, the Tahoe Fund has collaborated with organizations to develop Signature and Premier Projects with fundraising goals of $5,000 to $1,000,000 that align with its mission. Organizations can submit projects for consideration by January 29, 2021. 

“Given the context of wildfire in the west–even before the severity of the 2020 wildfires–our board identified forest health as our top priority,” said Ritchie. “We’d really like to move the needle and increase the pace and scale of the work that needs to be done.”

Eligible projects must demonstrate the benefit to the Tahoe Basin, an alignment with a specific goal area, and a general timeline and budget range. Projects should appeal to the private community and must comply with all applicable federal, state and local statutes and regulations. They should also contribute to the attainment of one or more TRPA thresholds and must have completed the environmental review process and been granted approval. 

All submissions will be reviewed by the Tahoe Fund Board, which is tasked with developing the Tahoe Fund’s Signature and Premier Projects Portfolio. Select projects will be invited to provide further details. The Tahoe Fund Board will review proposals on a rolling basis.

Project submissions for early-stage grants through the Environmental Venture Trust or Smartest Forest Fund can also be submitted. These projects should demonstrate how an early investment will be leveraged to secure significantly more funding in the future from public and/or private sources. They should also bring innovative solutions to Tahoe’s environmental challenges.

“We get really excited about projects that simultaneously improve the user experience, improve safety and better protect the environment,” continued Ritchie.

Project guidelines and the request for projects submission form can be found online at www.tahoefund.org/our-projects/submit-a-project/.