Disaster Relief in Nevada County

The Nevada County Relief Fund exists to direct vital resources to our most vulnerable neighbors impacted by past, current, and future disasters.

Faced with unprecedented hardships, the newly formed “Nevada County Relief Fund” and the “Tahoe Truckee Emergency Response Fund” are coordinating a countywide philanthropic response. The shared goal is to direct vital resources to our most vulnerable neighbors served by nonprofit organizations as well as small businesses vital to our quality of life who were forced to close their doors due to the shelter-in-place orders. Donate now and read more about the progress we have already made in a short period of time. 

On July 14, 2020, the Board of Supervisors allocated $250,000 in State of California Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) to the Nevada County Relief Fund for a third funding round to support “safety-net” nonprofit organizations and small businesses struggling to keep their doors open.

Motivated by the ongoing need for support and inspired by the community’s generosity, the Relief Fund has set a new goal to raise $1 Million by the end of the year. Join us in our efforts to help our small businesses survive and deploy vital resources to our hardworking nonprofits serving our community members most in need.

Our Origin Story:

On April 14, 2020, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors unanimously allocated a $100,000 “challenge grant” to the newly formed Nevada County Relief Fund. These funds inspired generous community giving many times over to fill the gaps not met by federal, state, or local government. The Relief Fund offers:

  • Flexible grants to community-based nonprofit organizations in both Western and Eastern County focused on the rapid deployment of safety net services to the elderly, people with disabilities, and families struggling to find access to food, shelter, childcare, and other critical needs, with the ability to respond to other community needs as funds are available.
  • Resilience micro-grants to small business owners ordered to shut down and those struggling to survive. This program, managed by the Sierra Business Council, helps establishments cover some of their key expenses until they can reopen or resume normal operation.

The Nevada County Relief Fund was created through a partnership between the County of Nevada, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation (SNMH Foundation), Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF), Sierra Business Council (SBC), Center for Nonprofit Leadership (CNL), and the Economic Resource Council (ERC).

In Eastern County, TTCF’s Tahoe Truckee Emergency Response Fund is focused on nonprofit organizations that serve Truckee and North Lake Tahoe. TTCF is a 22-year-old community foundation whose mission is to connect people and opportunities to generate resources for a caring, creative and effective community.

By investing in both Nevada County funds, we provide community-supported structures while navigating impacts from the Covid-19 crisis. Over time, the Nevada County Relief Fund may also serve as a clearinghouse for other critical services in the event of Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), major wildfires or other disasters.