Annual Grant Cycle

The Annual Grant Cycle funds projects and programs for one year of funding, with the potential to kickstart longer initiatives. This cycle is geared towards projects ready for immediate implementation upon approval.

Applicants will indicate which priority area(s) they are positively impacting from the alphabetized list below: 

You are eligible to apply for the Annual Grant Cycle if you meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:

• The applicant is a nonprofit, government agency, or business registered as an LLC, Corp, or B Corp, sole proprietor.
• The applicant provides services or conducts business in the North Lake Tahoe community, including the Placer County portion of the Lake Tahoe Basin, the 267 and 89 corridors, and Donner Summit (for TOT funds only).
• The applicant’s proposal is consistent with the preferred investments outlined in priority areas. 
• The proposal demonstrates public benefit, i.e., all residents within defined boundaries, and is not or would not be considered a gift of public funds.
  • The California gift of public funds doctrine set forth in the California Constitution, Article XVI, § 6, prohibits the giving or lending of public funds to any person or entity, public or private. “In determining whether an appropriation of state funds or property is to be considered a gift, the primary question is whether the funds are to be used for a “public” or “private” purpose. If they are for a “public purpose”, they are not a gift within the meaning of [§6 of art. XVI]. If an expenditure serves a primary public purpose, it is not a gift even if it incidentally benefits an individual.
• Placer County or other agencies do not already fund the investment; however, proposals to enhance or expand the investment are eligible.
• Your project/program falls within the TOT-TBID jurisdiction.
• Your project/program aligns with one of the guiding documents.

Projects outside the TOT-TBID jurisdiction are not eligible. If your project falls on the jurisdiction line, please contact grants@northtahoecommunityalliance.com.  

The Annual Grant Cycle will refer to the following documents for guidance and criteria around each program element found here.

Preview the application to learn more about the information required. We recommend you use the document below to write down your answers and then copy and paste them into Submittable. While Submittable will automatically save your answers, and you can return to your application until the deadline, sometimes it’s helpful to have all your answers documented outside of the Cloud. Please note that this document does not include all the branching questions. Please review the application closely before submitting.

After you apply, please note the following:

• You’ll receive an email confirmation that your application has been received.
• If your application is not accepted, you’ll hear from the NTCA by the end of September.
• If your application has been accepted, you’ll hear from the NTCA at the end of September about the next steps, including applicant presentations. Please note that your project/program may be accepted but not necessarily approved for funding.

After your application is received:

• It will be reviewed by NTCA staff for eligibility.
• The application will then be passed onto the Chairs/Vice Chairs of the TOT Advisory, Zone 1 and TBID Advisory committees and Placer County Executive Staff for review and routing to the appropriate recommending committee.
• Between September 9-20, committee members will read applications and ask questions of applicants through the Submittable platform in preparation for applicant presentations.
• Applicant presentations are scheduled on either October 9 or 10. You will be notified in advance on which date you will be presenting. Please plan a 10-minute presentation on your project and include time for committee questions.
• Committee members will then score your application using the scoring criteria. 
• Your application will also be scored by NTCA staff for match requirements using the match scoring matrix. 
• Final committee recommendations will be made between November 11-22 and will be made before the NTCA Board for approval on December 5. For projects funded by TOT funds, the NTCA board will make recommendations to the Placer County Board of Supervisors in January 2025.  

• Applicants will be asked to make a 10-minute presentation on either October 9 or 10.
• You will be sent a PowerPoint template through Submittable and will be asked to upload it to Submittable in advance of your presentation.
• We highly recommend that you present for around 7-8 minutes and that you leave 2-3 minutes for questions from committee members.
• Your application will be scored after the applicant presentations.

Tips for Success:

• Google Chrome is the recommended browser for Submittable
• Make sure to add your collaborators to your submission (find out how below)
• While Submittable does auto-save your document, we highly recommend you fill out the application preview and paste your answers into Submittable.

FAQs:

Q: How do I get started as a new submitter?
A: Learn more in this article.

Q: How do I add a collaborator to my application?
A: We recommend you add collaborators to your application to help fill out the application and future progress reports. Check out the article on how to invite collaborators and an article on what to do when you receive a request from Submittable.

Q: I can’t find my submissions in my account. Where did they go?
A: Learn more in this article.

Q: What is the difference between objectives and tasks in the Scope of Work section?
A: Learn the difference here.

Q: What is the difference between KPIs and Outcomes in the Monitoring and Evaluation section?
A: Learn the difference here.

For additional information or assistance, please contact the NTCA team at hello@northtahoecommunityalliance.com or Tara Hetz at tara@northtahoecommunityalliance.com.

You will apply through Submittable. The application deadline has been extended, and applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, August 30, 2024.