NTCA Launches Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program

The North Tahoe Community Alliance (NTCA) has launched the first phase of its new Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program with a call for Letters of Interest (LOI) for sponsorship requiring multi-year investment. The Sponsorship and Multi-Year Investment Program will provide up to $7.2 million in funding for priority projects, programs, and services that require ongoing financial support over the coming three years. Funds will come from Transient Occupancy Tax generated in Eastern Placer County and assessments from the North Lake Tahoe Tourism Business Improvement District (NLT-TBID).

Created to reinvest funds generated locally in support of economic health, community vitality, and environmental stewardship that benefits residents, businesses, and visitors, the NTCA’s Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program will consist of four program elements:  Sponsorship and Multi-Year Investment Program, Annual Grant Program, Out of Cycle Investments and a Reserve Fund. The Sponsorship and Multi-Year Program application process is open and will accept submissions until June 15. The Annual Grant Program cycle will open for applications in the fall, and the Out of Cycle Investment process will be offered on an as-needed basis with program details to come for both.

Eligible submissions must fit within one of several categories, including:

• Workforce housing
• Economic development 
• Transportation
• Sustainability
• Mitigation of tourism impacts
• Trails

“The launch of the Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program is exciting for a number of reasons. It provides a framework to evaluate projects, programs, and services that TBID and TOT funds generated in our community will be used to support, and it officially kicks off the process by which businesses, nonprofits, regional agencies and others can request funding,” said Tony Karwowski, NTCA president and CEO. “The program also serves as a way to support the destination stewardship responsibilities the NTCA has taken on. We are excited to start receiving submissions and to support investment opportunities that benefit our residents, businesses and visitors.”

Committees convened by the NTCA including the TBID Advisory, TBID Zone 1, TOT committee, and the CAP committee, which is jointly convened by Placer County, will review the LOIs and determine which investment opportunities to consider for sponsorship. The NTCA Board of Directors will consider committee recommendations before taking final action on TBID-funded investment opportunities. They will also recommend TOT-funded investment opportunities to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for their consideration and approval.

“The NTCA’s new Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program will help streamline the process by which funding requests are evaluated against our region’s strategic initiatives,” said Cindy Gustafson, Placer County District 5 Supervisor. “I’m pleased that the NTCA has reached this milestone and excited to see the quality of life-enhancing projects, programs and services that will come from this in support of what our residents, businesses and visitors in Eastern Placer County need.”

All proposals must meet minimum program criteria with specific qualifications that include community vitality, economic health, environmental stewardship, budget, organizational capacity, investment readiness and match requirements.

Applicants have until June 15, 2023 to complete the LOI, including a summary, budget, matching funds, schedule, and measures of success as defined by the NTCA and implementing agency.

A hybrid workshop will be held on Friday, May 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach, and online via Zoom for interested applicants to ask questions and learn more about the process and timeline of the grant cycle. Business owners, nonprofits, agencies, and the general public are encouraged to attend and learn more about qualification and applying for sponsorship.

Learn more about the Sponsorship and Multi-Year Investment Program or submit an application for funding consideration here.