Submit a Project

The Tahoe Fund supports projects that will improve Lake Tahoe’s environment by enhancing the water quality of the Lake, restoring watersheds, providing healthier forests that reduce the risk of wildfire, improving transportation and fostering outdoor recreation.  We also seek to build a greater sense of stewardship in the Tahoe Basin.

We are currently seeking Signature and Premier Projects with fundraising goals of $5,000-$1,000,000. Please see our project portfolio for examples of other Tahoe Fund Signature and Premier projects.

Project submissions for early-stage grants through the Environmental Venture Trust can be submitted here as well. These projects should be able to demonstrate how an early investment will be able to 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 invite you to submit a project using the form below. At this stage, we are most interested in learning the basic details of the project, the benefit to the Tahoe Basin, the general timeline and a budget range. Please review project guidelines prior to completing the form

All submissions will be reviewed by the Tahoe Fund Projects Committee, 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 Projects Committee will review proposals on a rolling basis. Any projects seeking 2019 support should submit by January 31, 2019.

Please provide the following information in the form below:

1. Contact information
2. Brief project description (255 characters max)
3. Location of project (in as much detail as possible)
4. Project description and benefits to the environment and community (500 words max)
5. Anticipated timeline of environmental approvals (as accurately as possible)
6. Estimated construction timeline (as accurately as possible)
7. Estimated total project budget range
8. Amount of funding requested from the Tahoe Fund
9. If you have secured any other funding and by whom
10. Project partners

Project Guidelines

1. Tahoe Fund projects must be in the Tahoe Basin and should be consistent with the program level priorities established as part of the 2008-2018 Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) Update, and hence will contribute towards the private share of funding for the EIP. For more, please visit this page.
2. Projects should have high appeal to the private sector. Tahoe Fund does not provide funding for activities or projects that are generally viewed as the base operation and maintenance responsibilities of the requesting entity.
3. Tahoe Fund grants are intended to leverage existing levels of federal, state, and local funding. Project requests cannot be a substitute for the base operational budgets of these entities.
4. With the notable exception of stewardship/interpretation projects, the Tahoe Fund will generally not include funding requests for planning, design, or other pre-construction activities, or for maintenance and monitoring of projects in its portfolios of Signature and Premier Projects.
5. Tahoe Fund will consider funding requests for early-stage projects within its Environmental Venture Trust portfolio. Project must show the ability to leverage an early investment with future funding sources.
6. Tahoe Fund projects must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes and regulations, and should contribute to the attainment of one or more TRPA thresholds (water quality, air quality, soil conservation, scenic quality, recreation, fisheries, wildlife, noise, vegetation preservation).
7. The Tahoe Fund seeks projects that have completed the environmental review process for the Signature and Premier projects. Please state the date of anticipated environmental approvals.
8. The Tahoe Fund is focused on expanding stewardship of the region, and will consider projects that focus on large-scale stewardship. K-12 programs are not currently being considered.
9. The Tahoe Fund will not select projects that address the mitigation requirements of private projects.
10. Project administrator must be able to demonstrate that there is full community support for the project (or no major conflicts.)
11. Project administrator must have ability to recognize the Tahoe Fund for the donation (plaque, publicity, marketing, special events.)
12. Indirect costs cannot exceed 5%.