The Tahoe Fund was founded in 2010 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation to bridge the funding gap between the $2.5B identified environmental need and the continued decline in public funding for Lake Tahoe. This public-private collaboration sends an important message that the private sector values and financially supports environmental restoration efforts at Lake Tahoe. The Tahoe Fund provides political delegates with the support needed to justify increased public funding.
The mission of the Tahoe Fund is to restore and enhance the extraordinary natural environment of the Lake Tahoe Basin by building broad support and funding for projects and programs that preserve the Lake for the enjoyment of current and future generations.
Lake Tahoe lies within two states, five counties and an extensive network of local, state and federal agencies. Tahoe Fund programs directly benefit a population base of 53,000 full-time residents and 3 million annual visitors to the Basin. The Tahoe Fund provides a common vision from which to build a sustainable future for this irreplaceable resource and for those who cherish and enjoy this spectacular mountain landscape.
The purpose of the Tahoe Fund is to put environmental projects on the ground. This is accomplished through a three-fold approach: (1) fundraising, (2) providing grants for implementing EIP (Environmental Improvement Program) projects, and (3) public education and outreach. EIP projects have been identified as those most critical to restoring the Tahoe Basin.
The Tahoe Fund was modeled after the successful Yosemite Fund and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy; both non-profits have raised tens of millions of dollars in coordination with their public agency partners. The Tahoe Fund was launched in partnership with the California Tahoe Conservancy and the Nevada Division of State Lands and is governed by a dedicated Board of Directors focused on creating a strong organization capable of securing $50 million in private support over the next 10 years.