By Tim Hauserman

The Tahoe Fund is a non-profit organization whose mission is to “improve the extraordinary natural environment of the Lake Tahoe Basin by building broad support and funding for projects and programs that restore and enhance the Lake for the enjoyment of current and future generations.”

Since 2010, the Tahoe Fund has raised funds from private donors for more than 25 environmental improvement projects. Recent projects include ongoing work on the spectacular Incline to Sand Harbor bike trail, as well as the Dollar Creek bike trail across from Dollar Point. The Tahoe Fund has also supported a test of a UV Light to kill invasive species in Lake Tahoe, and helped promote the Take Care sign program that is in use throughout the basin.

Now, The Tahoe Fund is looking for recommendations for future projects. The projects should improve the environment, enhance water quality, improve transportation or foster outdoor recreation. Eligible projects must be able to demonstrate how permits will be obtained, enjoy community support and have other sources of funding identified.

The organization is hoping to find either worthwhile projects in the works that need more funding, or entirely new concepts that need a push to get going.

A speciality of the Tahoe Fund is leveraging private funds to obtain public funding for projects. In fact, Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry says that the Fund has “taken $2 million of private funds and combined it with $40 million of public funding,” to carry out projects.

Berry says that the Tahoe Fund in some instances seeks to provide early stage funding to obtain more public funding down the road, and in other cases it “fills funding gaps to get projects over the finish line.” In other words, the organization is trying to be where they need to be to make things happen.

To submit your project idea, go to tahoefund.org. The process begins with a simple questionnaire, due by January 31, 2018. After that date, The Tahoe Fund will review all the submitted project ideas to develop a diverse group of future projects.

For more information on the Tahoe Fund and it’s programs go to tahoefund.org.