Event Funding

The North Tahoe Chamber invests in events that strengthen our business community, drive economic impact, enhance community vitality, and promote environmental stewardship. Events create opportunities for visitor spending, support the local workforce and vendors, and help businesses thrive.

Funds are made possible thanks to the contributions of local businesses through the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) assessment.

The Business and Chamber Advisory Committee is the governing body that oversees the Event Sponsorship program and makes recommendations to the North Tahoe Community Alliance Board for approval. Our intention is to drive year-round business activity while being mindful of supporting visitation during shoulder seasons.

Shoulder Season Definition:

• Spring Shoulder: After ski season through June 21.
• Fall Shoulder: After August 14 until winter snow conditions begin.

Additionally:

• In winter, we aim to drive business to the lake.
• In summer, we aim to drive business to the mountains.
• For events that fall during peak season, we encourage extended lodging stays into mid-week and the spreading of visitation across local businesses.
• We also use peak season to help educate visitors on caring for Tahoe through stewardship messaging and on-site activations, such as educational programming at event tents.

• The event must take place within the NLT-TBID district boundaries – Eastern Placer County.
• The applicant must be a nonprofit or business registered as an LLC, Corp, B Corp, or sole proprietor.
• TOT-TBID funds will not be the sole or primary revenue source for the event. The event should not be contingent upon the receipt of this event investment to occur. The event sponsorship ask should not exceed 50% of your event budget.
• The event must support the pillars of economic health, community vitality, and environmental stewardship.
• The event should not be a conference, meeting, industry trade show, workshop, expo, or the sole purpose of the event is a fundraiser.
• The event producer must promote lodging within the NLT-TBID boundaries.
• The event must be open to the general public (spectators), promote attendance to spectators and/or participants, and not require the general public (spectators) to purchase a membership, conference registration, or annual dues to spectate. Spectator ticket charges are acceptable for gated events.
• The event must follow industry standards for environmental stewardship practices.
• The event must be welcoming to all.

• Event producers submit an application with an event budget.
• NTCA staff reviews the application to ensure it meets minimum criteria, aligns with this guiding document, and demonstrates measurable impact.
• The Business and Chamber Advisory Committee will review and score the Round 2 applications.
• The previously sponsored event producers may be invited to meet with the Business and Chamber Advisory Committee for a Q and A and the eligible new event producers will be asked to make a presentation.
• The Business and Chamber Advisory committee will meet to discuss and then vote on which events they will recommend to receive funding and designate the amount.
• The NTCA Board of Directors will review the recommendations and vote for final approval.

All events are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Round 2 (New Events – 2 Years):
Evaluated and measured against the three pillars, with committee scoring based on:

• Economic Health: Attendee spending (lodging, restaurants, retail), local vendor use, workforce hiring, nonprofit partnerships.
• Community Vitality: Collaboration with stakeholders, staffing balance, accessibility, safety, and enhancing resident quality of life.
• Environmental Stewardship: Sustainability practices (waste reduction, refill stations, transit, clean-up days, local sourcing) and environmental stewardship messaging and education.

Round 1 (Established Events > 2 Years):
Evaluation includes the three pillars plus an added component of ROI.

Formulas Used:

• Economic Impact Sample Formula:
  (Local Attendees [locals and second homeowners] × $100) + (Visitors [utilize overnight lodging] × $275) × Event Days
• ROI Formula:
  Economic Impact ÷ Sponsorship Investment

Additional Information for Round 1 – Invitation Only

• Who: Events funded for at least two years.
• Application: Simplified (event name, dates, location, funding request, attendance, budget).
• Evaluation: Committee considers performance against the three pillars, ROI and economic impact, past performance, previous Submittable scores, and discussion.
• Funding Cap: Up to $50,000, not exceeding 50% of the total budget.
• Timeline:
  • Application Available: September 30
  • Application Due: October 17
  • Committee Meeting Review: TBD
  • NTCA Board Approval: December 3
• Exception: If new event date falls before March 4, it may be moved into Round 1. Contact Carly McNiece (carly@northtahoecommunityalliance.com) for the consideration to be moved.

Additional Information for Round 2 – Open Application

• Who: All new events and those funded for the first time or have received funding for only one year.
• Application: Traditional Submittable application required.
• Evaluation: Full scoring against the three pillars (Economic Health, Community Vitality, Environmental Stewardship) and committee discussion.
• Presentation: All new event producers must present to the Business & Chamber Advisory Committee during the Round 2 review on Jan. 13.
• Funding Cap: Up to $15,000, not exceeding 50% of the total budget.
• Timeline:
  • Application Available: December 5
  • Application Due: January 9
  • New event presentations: Jan. 13
  • Committee Meeting Review: February 10
  • NTCA Board Approval: March 4

I. Economic Health – 35 Points

A. Regional Impact

• Amount spent in the region (e.g., Placer County lodging for the crew, use of local vendors/production/catering/rentals, hiring local workforce).
• Attendee spending (e.g., Placer County lodging, restaurants, and retail).
• Support for longer stays, shoulder season visitation, and attraction to the mountains in summer and the lake in winter.
• Event benefits a local nonprofit.

B. Marketing Value – Event producers to provide the following marketing placements:

• North Tahoe Chamber Logo placement.
• Sponsorship acknowledgments.
• Print ad placements in event programs.
• Hashtags in all social posts.
• Dedicated social posts and email placements.
• Images, video, and commercial placements.
• Post-event survey questions.
• PA announcements throughout the event.
• Banner display at the event.
• 8.5 x 11 flyer for VIC window display.
• Event amenities such as tickets.
• Premier location for booth focused on Environmental Stewardship.
• Direct links to Go Tahoe North if needed.
• Recap with proof of run included.
• Increase brand awareness of North Lake Tahoe.

C. Size of Reach: Marketing audience size across all platforms (social media, YouTube, website, newsletter/eblast).

II. Community Vitality – 35 Points

• Staffing Plan: Ratio of paid vs. volunteer staff, ensuring adequate personnel to host the event.
• Collaboration: Engagement with local organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and stakeholders.
• Community Spirit: Positive reviews, testimonials, and event promoter scores.
• Attendance: Number of local vs. visitor attendees; participants vs. spectators.
• Quality of Life: Enhances the quality of life for residents.
• Safety: Considers traffic management, emergency response plan, security, water refill stations, and heat/cold management.
• Accessibility: Welcoming to all, including accommodations for people with disabilities.

III. Environmental Stewardship – 35 Points

• Green Standards: Event meets green event industry standards.
• Sustainability: Promotes environmental sustainability by collaborating with nonprofits such as Keep Tahoe Blue or League to Save Lake Tahoe, or professional green organizations.
• Sustainable Practices: Follows sustainable event practices and zero waste guidelines by reducing single-use items, going paperless, and providing refillable bottle stations.
• Waste Management: Provides recycling bins, minimizes waste production, and offers composting services.
• Eco-friendly Materials: Uses eco-friendly and reusable materials.
• Energy Conservation: Hosts at LEED-certified venues or venues that use solar energy.
• Transportation: Encourages the use of public transportation and provides specific information on how to use local public transit.
• Eco-friendly Transportation: Provides bike valet and incentives for carpooling and ride-sharing.
• Carbon Offset: Invests in carbon offset programs.
• Non-toxic Products: Uses non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products.
• Noise Management: Minimizes noise pollution to reduce impacts on local neighborhoods and wildlife.
• Environmental Education: Provides opportunities for environmental education and outreach.
• Tourism Mitigation: Minimizes visitor impact by organizing clean-up days and restoring trails.
• Local Sourcing: Prioritizes local vendors, materials, and food products.
• Water Events: If the event is near water, provides educational materials on invasive species or hosts a League to Save Lake Tahoe invasive species training as part of the event.

• 50% upfront upon submission of signed contract, a valid Certificate of Insurance (COI) and first invoice.
• 50% after recap submission and second invoice.

• Annual Recaps: Event producers must submit written recaps; summaries are shared quarterly.
• Committee Oversight: Producers may be asked for presentations if results do not align with expectations.
• By Year 3: Events must show measurable impact in all three pillars and provide ROI data to continue receiving funding.
• Compliance Requirement: Events that do not submit required documentation (including recaps) or fail to meet expectations will not be eligible for future funding.

Below you’ll find the North Tahoe Chamber’s event sponsorship toolkit, designed to help you promote your event with ease and consistency. Per the terms of your contract, all event outreach and marketing should follow the guidelines outlined in the Summary of Public Relations Advertising (Exhibit A).

To help you meet these requirements, please use the materials included in the toolkit for all public-facing communications.

For quick reference, your contract states:
When publicly communicating about the event, grantees must follow the media kit guidelines provided by the North Tahoe Chamber marketing department to ensure proper acknowledgment of the Chamber. This applies to:

• Email outreach and publicity
• Social media content
• Newsletter communication
• Logos, flyers, posters, and promotional templates
• Consistent use of the North Tahoe Chamber logo across all materials

If you have any questions or need support, we’re here to help.

We can’t wait to see your event shine—and to see the North Tahoe Chamber logo featured throughout your promotions!

The Business & Chamber Advisory Committee proudly sponsored a diverse range of events in 2025 that includes: 

• Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series – Begins December 12, 2024
• North Lake Tahoe SnowFest – February 26 – March 9, 2025
• Great Ski Race – March 2, 2025
• Kings Beach Snowfest Parade – March 8, 2025
• 2025 Mothership Classic – March 23, 2025
• Toyota U.S. Mogul Freestyle National Championship – March 24-31, 2025
• Stewarding Knowledges: Tending the Future of Lake Tahoe // Ditde’huya làda’ešīp húlew ‘All-our-lands make-it-right-with-our-hands together’ – May 17, 2025
• Made in Tahoe Spring & Fall Festivals – May 24-25 & October 11-12, 2025
• Tail Wagger – May 31, 2025
• Big Blue Adventure Series– June-October, 2025
• Tahoe City Food & Wine Classic– June 7, 2025
• Tahoe Joy Festival – June 8, 2025
• Music on the Beach – June 13- August 29, 2025
• A Day of Healing Arts – June 14, 2025
• Lake Tahoe Summit Classic – June 14-15, 2025
• Concerts at Commons Beach – June 15-September 7, 2025
• Broken Arrow Skyrace – June 19-22, 2025
• The Community of Writers – 55th Annual Public Literary Events in Olympic Valley – June 21-27; July 7-14, 2025
• Tahoe Paddle Racing Series – June 28, August 9, September 12-14, 2025
• TrailCon – June 24-25, 2025
• Tahoe City Lakeside Movies – June 25-August 13, 2025
• Tahoe City 4th of July Celebration – July 4, 2025
• Wild Lotus Yoga Festival – July 11-13, 2025
• Tahoe Trail 100 – July 19, 2025
• Skate the Lake– July 19-20 2025
• Lake Tahoe Dance Festival – July 22-25, 2025
• Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance – August 8-9, 2025
• Brews, Jazz & Funk – August 16, 2025
• Tahoe Music Alive Presents Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes – August 17, 2025
• Lights in the Sky Labor Day Drone Light Show – August 29, 2025
• Tahoe Music Alive Presents the Musubi Trio – September 13, 2025
• The Mexican Heritage Festival – September 14, 2025
• Tahoe City Oktoberfest – September 20, 2025
• Adventure Van Expo – September 20-21, 2025
• Oktoberfest – The Village at Palisades Tahoe – September 27, 2025
• A Liars Cruise – October 4, 2025
• Tahoe Literary Festival – October 10-11, 2025
• Passport to Dining – November 6, 2025
• Tahoe Film Fest – December 4-7, 2025
• Tahoe Nutcracker 2025 – December 19-21, 2025

The Business & Chamber Advisory Committee proudly sponsored a diverse range of events in 2024 that includes: 

• Alpenglow Speaker Series (Nov. 30, 2023; Jan. 4, Jan. 17, Feb. 15, March 7, 2024)
• Stifel Palisades Tahoe World Cup (Feb. 23-25, 2024)
• Snowfest (Feb. 28-March 10, 2024)
• The Great Ski Race (March 3, 2024)
• Winter WonderGrass Tahoe (April 5-7, 2024)
• Tahoe Music Alive (May-November, 2024)
• Made in Tahoe Spring and Fall Festivals (May 25-26 and October 12-13, 2024)
• Tahoe City Lakeside Movie Series (June-August, 2024)
• Big Blue Adventure (June-September, 2024)
• Tahoe City Food & Wine Classic (June 8, 2024)
• Tahoe Joy Festival (June 9, 2024)
• A Day of Healing Arts (June 15, 2024)
• Lake Tahoe Summit Classic (June 15-16, 2024)
• Tahoe Paddle Racing Series (June-September, 2024)
• Broken Arrow Skyrace (June 21-23, 2024)
• Tahoe City 4th of July Celebration (July 4, 2024)
• Tahoe Trail 100 (July 20, 2024)
• Boarding for Breast Cancer’s Annual Skate-the-Lake (July 20-21, 2024)
• Lake Tahoe Dance Festival (July 23-26, 2024)
• Great Gravel Race (August 3, 2024)
• Lake Tahoe Reggae Fest (August 3-4, 2024)
• Lake Tahoe Concours d’ Elegance (August 9-10, 2024)
• CA Enduro Series (August 17-18, 2024)
• Music on the Beach, Lights in the Sky! (August 30, 2024)
• Tahoe City Oktoberfest (September 21, 2024)
• Oktoberfest – The Village at Palisades Tahoe (September 28, 2024)
• Tahoe Literary Fest (October 11-12, 2024)
• Tahoe Film Fest (December 5-8, 2024)
• Tahoe Nutcracker (December 13-15, 2024)

The complete list of 2023 local and sponsored events approved by the NTCA board:

• Alpenglow Speaker Series – December 2022-March 2023
• Palisades Tahoe World Cup – February 24-26, 2023
• SnowFest – March 2-12, 2023
• The Great Ski Race – March 5, 2023
• Winter WonderGrass – March 31-April 2, 2023
• Made in Tahoe – May 27-28, 2023; October 7-8, 2023
• Big Blue Adventure – June-October, 2023
• Lake Tahoe Paddle Racing Series – June-August, 2023
• Tahoe City Food & Wine Classic – June 9-10, 2023
• Lake Tahoe Summit Classic – June 17-18, 2023
• Broken Arrow Skyrace – June 16-18, 2023
• Tahoe City 4th of July Celebrations – July 4, 2023
• Tahoe Trail 100 – July 15, 2023
• Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival – July 22 & 23, 2023
• Lake Tahoe Dance Festival – July 26-July 29, 2023
• Skate the Lake – August 5-6, 2023
• Concours d’ Elegance – August 11-12, 2023
• TaHoe Nalu – August 12-13, 2023
• Northstar Enduro – August 19-20, 2023
• Music on the Beach, Lights in the Sky! (Kings Beach Drone Show) – September 1, 2023
• Adventure Van Expo – September 16-17, 2023
• Tahoe City Oktoberfest – September 23, 2023
• Annual Oktoberfest in the Village at Palisades Tahoe – September 30, 2023