About Tahoe Fund
Tahoe Fund’s grantmaking is anchored in a specific place and a specific environmental agenda: improving the Lake Tahoe environment through projects that restore forest health, reduce wildfire risk, protect lake clarity, and support the visitor experience around the basin. In the recent grants list, that shows up in sizeable awards to Tahoe Rim Trail Association in Stateline, NV, and Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association in South Lake Tahoe, CA, both tied to recreation and stewardship. The foundation also backs environmental conservation work with large grants to Clean Up The Cayes in Stateline, NV, and the California Tahoe Conservancy in South Lake Tahoe, CA.
Across its project portfolio, Tahoe Fund combines on-the-ground implementation with stewardship and infrastructure-related conservation. Its active programs include general project grants, early-stage environmental venture funding, and a Smartest Forest Fund for pilots that improve forest health and reduce catastrophic wildfire risk. The foundation also supports projects through the Plates for Powder license plate program and maintains scholarship support connected to forestry training at Lake Tahoe Community College. That mix points to a funder that supports practical environmental work, not just planning or advocacy.
What Tahoe Fund Funds
Forest health is a central theme. Tahoe Fund gave $115,997 to Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation in South Lake Tahoe, CA for conservation and forest health, and $64,500 to FireAside in San Anselmo, CA for forest health. It also made a $38,875 grant to University of Nevada, Reno Foundation for forest health.
Recreation and trail work is another clear strand. The funder awarded $145,917 to Tahoe Rim Trail Association in Stateline, NV for recreation and stewardship, plus $139,768 and $108,010 to Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association in South Lake Tahoe, CA for recreation.
Transportation and visitor access appear too. Tahoe Fund provided $45,000 to the City of South Lake Tahoe for transportation, and $46,347 to Tahoe Transportation District in Zephyr Cove, NV for recreation-related work.
Lake and conservation projects also recur, including $100,000 to California Tahoe Conservancy in South Lake Tahoe, CA for conservation.
How Tahoe Fund Gives
Tahoe Fund’s recent awards cluster around a median grant size of $25,000, with the 25th percentile at $15,731 and the 75th percentile at $51,853. That places many of its grants in the mid-five-figure range, while still leaving room for larger project awards above $100,000. The organization also makes program-related investments. In the recent-grants list, several recipients appear more than once across 2023, 2024, and 2025, including Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association, Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Clean Up The Lake, and Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation. Tahoe Fund accepts unsolicited project submissions through its project-grant and Environmental Venture Trust pathways, including early-stage seed support for pilots and innovation.
