Queen of Hearts Awards $60,000 to local nonprofits

Tags: Grant Cycle, Queen of Hearts Women's Fund

This December was a significant month of philanthropy for the Queen of Hearts Women’s Fund, TTCF’s women’s philanthropy program. On December 5th, supporters gathered for the fifth annual GEMS (Grant Educate Motivate Serve) Grants Showcase. After an hour of enjoying one another’s company, the Grants Showcase was standing room only as Nancy Gisko, TTCF Board Member and Queens Leadership Council member, gave an overview of the Fund’s impact. Representatives of Girls Giving Back (GGB), TTCF’s youth philanthropy project, also took the stage to speak to the history of GGB and the goals for the upcoming year.

Eight nonprofits, two in each area of the four areas of grantmaking, had just minutes to pitch their grant proposals, which were also filmed for those supporters who could not attend the event. While all nonprofits invited to the showcase are guaranteed a grant of $5000, four win supporters’ votes and $10,000 grants. Supporters have two weeks to cast their votes before winners are announced. See below for the winners, and see the photos from the event here.

Every holiday season, Queen of Hearts partners with Sierra Senior Services for the Senior Gifts Program. Volunteers adopt local senior citizens who don’t have loved ones nearby and fulfill their wish lists for things like warm sweaters, slippers, and, of course, chocolates! This year, 69 supporters adopted Seniors and made their holiday season a brighter, more cheerful time of year.

2017 GEMS $10,000 grant recipients of $10,000:

• Arts For The Schools: Equitable Access to a Richer, More Comprehensive Education
• Tahoe Fund: For the Sake of Clean Water and Healthy Species
• Tahoe Safe Alliance: Creating a Safe Space to Provide Critical Services
• Boys and Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe: Enriching After School Experiences for More Youth in 2018

2017 GEMS $ 5,000 grant recipients:

• Truckee Bike Park/Biking for a Better World: Shaping Lives, Minds, and Tourism through Shaping Turns
• Truckee Donner Land Trust: With Success Comes Responsibility – Stewarding our Land Acquisitions
• Family Resource Center of Truckee: Mediation and Legal Services for Local Families
• Tahoe Truckee Unified School District/Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships: Developing Local and National Environmental Stewards