NV Energy Foundation’s gift completes the match so construction can begin

Plans to create accessible access to more than half a mile of existing boardwalks in the Tahoe Meadows off Mt Rose Highway are moving full steam ahead thanks to support from the NV Energy Foundation, Keyser Foundation, Steven and Sandy Hardie and dozens of Tahoe Fund donors. With this funding now secured, construction is slated to begin this fall on these major accessibility improvements for the entire community.

Earlier today, project partners from the Tahoe Meadows Access Ramp Committee, Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation and the USDA Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest joined Tahoe Fund donors at the meadows to celebrate this significant milestone. At the event, the NV Energy Foundation presented a $35,000 check to the Tahoe Fund, the final funding match needed to bring this project to life. 

“Helping to close the funding gap on a local project like this is meaningful to our entire team,” said Ryan Bellows, Vice President Government and External Relations, NV Energy. “As a Foundation, we are committed to actively supporting opportunities that improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. The Tahoe Meadows Access Ramp project is perfectly aligned with that priority.”

Located off Mt. Rose Highway, Tahoe Meadows has a boardwalk trail that provides visitors with sweeping views and signage about the local flora and fauna. Access to the boardwalk, however, is currently limited to those who can successfully navigate two sets of stairs. The accessibility ramp will help everyone enjoy this beautiful spot in nature.

“Projects like this accessibility ramp are so important to our mission of improving the Tahoe environment for all to enjoy,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We are so grateful that our donors Steve and Sandy Hardie provided the matching funds to get this campaign started, and that NV Energy Foundation has helped us across the finish line.”

The Tahoe Meadows Access Ramp committee will work alongside the Truckee Meadows Park Foundation and the US Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Carson Ranger District to build the ramp. Construction is anticipated to begin this fall. 

“We are thrilled with the response from both private and public donors who recognize the value of projects like this and the experience it can offer to the people who will use it,” said Roberta Ross, Tahoe Meadows Access Ramp committee chairperson. “This ramp will make it possible for everyone to experience the wonder of Tahoe Meadows in a way they weren’t previously able to because of the railroad-style stairs that currently lead down to the boardwalks.”

Learn more about the project at tahoefund.org/tahoemeadows. 

Fire Aside Platform Offers Streamlined Defensible Space and Home Hardening Process In Time For Wildfire Season

With support from the Tahoe Fund and Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation, every local fire agency in the Tahoe Basin now has access to Fire Aside, a software platform that makes defensible space and home hardening evaluations significantly faster to carry out, and risk mitigation recommendations easier for residents to implement. 

Fire Aside’s Defensible Space Evaluation software makes it easier for fire agencies and residents to conduct inspections by replacing manual forms and checklists with an interactive digital platform. Through the software, fire inspectors are able to share clear, actionable information with residents about their property, including photos of vulnerable items and associated risk levels. This helps residents receive information quickly and prioritize action items. It also helps fire agencies create home hardening prescriptions more efficiently, reducing over 50% of office hours that could be better spent in the field engaging with the community. 

“The threat of catastrophic wildfire is always present in Tahoe, so it’s critical that we do everything possible to prepare our community—and that starts at home,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We are excited to help bring a cost-effective, easy-to-use defensible space and home hardening solution like Fire Aside to every single fire district in the Tahoe basin.”

This basinwide expansion of the Fire Aside software follows a successful pilot in 2023 with the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District funded by Parasol Tahoe Community foundation, who expanded their funding to the rest of Nevada in 2024. A grant from the Tahoe Fund’s Smartest Forest Fund helped expand the software to the entire California side of Lake Tahoe.

“Funding for Fire Aside comes from our Tahoe Fire Safe Fund, which was set up to protect the people and properties of Tahoe,” said Claudia Andersen, CEO of Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation. “This is a great example of how philanthropy can step in and fill funding gaps to make Tahoe communities safer for everyone.”

Fire Aside has been successful in other regions, leading to a 5x increase in wildfire prevention actions among residents. In addition, over 81% of residents who used Fire Aside in 2023 credited the platform for motivating them to remove hazardous vegetation.

“We know that it’s not a matter of if there will be another fire in this area, but when,” said Fire Chief Scott Lindgren of Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District. “The Tahoe Fund and Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation partnership bridges private sector funding to local fire agencies, brings advanced technologies like Fire Aside software to residents, and is exactly the type of brain trust we need to take action where federal and state funding is not enough and insurers are fleeing our communities.”

To request a free defensible space inspection and home hardening evaluation, visit: tahoe.defensiblespacerequest.org.

For more information on preparing Tahoe’s communities for wildfire, visit www.tahoelivingwithfire.com. 

Popular engraved bears have already raised more than $100,000 for North Lake Tahoe Trails

Twenty-five new engraved bears are now hanging from the railings in Tahoe City’s Heritage Plaza through a partnership with the Tahoe Fund, Placer County and the Tahoe City Public Utility District to raise money for trails in North Lake Tahoe. Since launching the new program this fall, more than $100,000 has been raised for trails through the generosity of private donors. 

“The Tahoe City Bears program offers donors a unique opportunity to contribute to trails in North Lake Tahoe while leaving a visual reminder of their lasting legacy,” said Karolina Hedman, chief operations officer for the Tahoe Fund. “We’re thrilled with the success of the program and want people to know there are still opportunities to purchase and personalize their own bear plaque.”

The engraved bears, originally available along the popular Tahoe East Shore Trail, have been embraced by those who love Tahoe and want a way to memorialize their investment and commitment to improving the Tahoe environment for all to enjoy. Bears were chosen for this location to celebrate the proximity to the iconic Penny Bear statue in Heritage Plaza.

“Partnerships like this with the Tahoe Fund not only help bring important trail projects to fruition, they demonstrate the value our community places on projects that enhance the Tahoe experience for all,” said Cindy Gustafson, Placer County District 5 Supervisor.

The bear plaques are available in two sizes. For $5,000, the Mama Bear plaque measures 13” tall x 20” wide and has space for a 40-45 character message. For $2,500, the Baby Bear plaque measures 8” tall x 12” wide and has space for a 20-25 character message. 

For more information and to purchase a Tahoe City bear plaque, visit https://www.tahoefund.org/projects/active-projects/tahoe-city-bear-plaques/.

The Tahoe Fund also offers engraved trout plaques and bear pavers along the East Shore Trail, a three-mile paved path from Incline Village to Sand Harbor. To learn more, visit https://www.tahoefund.org/projects/active-projects/tahoe-east-shore-trail/.

The Tahoe Fund is powered by philanthropy—your philanthropy. Your generosity made a
tremendous impact this past fiscal year, which came to a close on March 31, 2024.

Thanks to the unwavering support of our Stewardship Circle members and more than 1,500
donors, we awarded nearly $1.4 million to 50-plus projects, and helped leverage $40 million
in public funds. Together with over 30 partners, we made significant progress on improving
the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.

In March, we joined forces with a handful of other Tahoe organizations to provide critical
funding for the California Tahoe Conservancy’s acquisition of the Motel 6 property and
surrounding 31 acres within the Upper Truckee River watershed. This made way for what
will become one of the most important restoration projects in Lake Tahoe’s history.

In December, we celebrated the opening of the new sawmill in Carson City, alongside Tahoe
Forest Products and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. Through a grant from our
Smartest Forest Fund and support from key public and private partners, we introduced the
Tahoe-Truckee region to BurnBot’s suite of remote-operated tools that will help remove
excess fuel from our forests.

Construction has begun on new parking lots along State Route 28, marking the first step toward
expanding the East Shore Trail. Over the next several years, we will be working with our partners
to design, fund and build more off-highway parking and the next eight miles of path.

These are just some of the game-changing projects that are powered by your philanthropy.

As you read this project portfolio, know that all of this work was possible because of you.

Read our FY 2023-24 Project Portfolio.