Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation evolves trust-based grantmaking to meet the moment

TRUCKEE, Calif. — Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) is evolving its community grantmaking. The 2025 Trust-Based Community Grantmaking awarded $485,000 in unrestricted grants to 60 local nonprofits. TTCF removed the competitive application process this year to reduce the administrative burden on nonprofits and reinforce its commitment to responsive, equitable philanthropy. Joining this process, TTCF’s longtime funding partner, the Martis Fund, awarded additional Nature Fund-specific grants to fund a total of $100,000.

“As we’re in this moment and working through as much as we all are, I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for leaning into your partnerships and the community. Stepping forward as you are in the direction of strength-based philanthropy is a breath of fresh air and wind in our sails as we navigate through all that is coming at us. Thank you. I’m grateful to be standing with you for our kids, our families, and our community,” Seth Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer, SOS Outreach.

Guided by extensive nonprofit input through conversations, focus groups, and collaborative work this year, TTCF heard clearly: competitive cycles can drain capacity and limit flexibility. This is especially true with uncertainty around government regulations and funding that programs have relied on for years. In response, TTCF provided unrestricted grants that nonprofits can use where they are needed most to benefit Tahoe-Truckee. TTCF’s rigorous due diligence included analyzing years of qualitative and quantitative data to ensure equitable and effective funding.

TTCF and funders across the US saw success in responding to the COVID-19 crisis by distributing grants without a traditional application. In 2024, Caldwell joined the Institute for the Future’s Foresight Essentials for Philanthropy three-day workshop, which challenged leaders to reimagine philanthropic tools for a changing world. Caldwell asked, “How do we remove the competitive nature from grantmaking?” The TTCF team dove into the work she started.

Since 1998, TTCF has awarded $48 million in grants and scholarships, fueling critical community priorities. Looking ahead, TTCF will expand this evolution in 2026, integrating the lessons of this transitional year and deepening its role as a thought leader in resilient, long-term philanthropy.