Comstock's magazine 1018 - October 2018

N orth Tahoe-Truckee area resorts are typically competitive, working dil- igently to differentiate themselves and entice skiers to their proper- ties. But eight resorts have set aside the competition and collaborated to raise funds for the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation through an innovative giving program. The Tahoe50 giving program, which is administered by TTCF and was launched in 2014, offers an exclu- sive ski package to 50 donors annual- ly, granting them unrestricted access to Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Sug- ar Bowl, Royal Gorge, Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort and Cross Coun- try Adventure Center. The passes cost $10,000 for one year or $35,000 for four years, and all of the pass pro- ceeds go to TTCF to support its giving efforts. The Tahoe50 pass concept arose from a joint brainstorming session between TTCF leadership and rep- resentatives from the local resorts, along with the Vail Resort Manage- ment Group, which supports a similar program through The Summit Foun- dation in Colorado. Both the resorts and TTCF strive to protect the environment and contribute to a thriving community — one that attracts visitors and retains employees. This is done through a vari- ety of efforts, including those that focus on forest management and affordable housing. “The resorts have been long-time investors who have been embedded in our work from the start,” says TTCF CEO Stacy Caldwell. “We all want to ensure the trees and forest are protected, the community is stable, our residents ar- en’t hungry and the watershed is healthy. By nature, these are causes that attract the resorts.” “We all want to ensure the trees and forest are protected, the community is stable, our residents aren’t hungry and the watershed is healthy. By nature, these are causes that attract the resorts.” — Stacy Caldwell, CEO, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation Over the past four years, Tahoe50 has generated $650,000 in direct dona- tions. These gifts are magnified when used as matching donations through Give Back Tahoe, an end-of-year giving program with an online donation por- tal and awareness campaign, organized through TTCF. The North Tahoe Family Resource Center has directly benefited from Tahoe50 fundraising. The center offers services to individuals and families to address food insecurity, appropriate and safe housing, and basic mental health services. The nonprofit’s ultimate goal is to help people become self-suffi- cient and financially literate, and offers varied support to parents. “Through our relationship with TTCF, we were able to secure a space at the community house, which is a lo- cation that houses multiple safety-net organizations. This enables us to in- terface with the public we serve,” says Amy Kelley, a senior adviser with the center. The TTCF has also supported the North Tahoe Family Resource Center in capacity-building initiatives. TTCF purchased a donor database and hired a fundraising coach for the organiza- tion. “With those fundraising tools and strategies, we were catapulted to fund- raise six times more than the previous year,” Kelley says. As the Tahoe50 program continues to grow, the TTCF will measure total donations infused into the region, the challenge grants awarded through the Give Back Tahoe giving season and the number of capacity-building grants awarded through its accelerator. These metrics allow TTCF to gauge success and growth, ensuring the communities in the region benefit as a result. n Trish Moratto Litke is a communications consultant who specializes in public re- lations, social media strategy, copywrit- ing and journalism. She is an outdoor enthusiast and avid traveler, which has taken her to more than 40 countries. She is based among the pine trees in Grass Valley. October 2018 | comstocksmag.com 107

Comstock's magazine 1018 - October 2018 | Page 107