The Tahoe Fund announced the Environmental Venture Trust, a new “venture philanthropy” approach to environmental restoration in Tahoe. While much of traditional philanthropy is focused on established solutions, the Venture Trust will help fill a critical funding gap. Like a venture capital fund, the Venture Trust will support innovative, early-stage projects — but in this case, projects that tackle the environmental challenges facing Lake Tahoe.

The risk is inherent to venture funding, but the rewards can be dramatic. And the easy solutions to Tahoe’s environmental challenges are gone. By providing early stage seed capital, the Tahoe Fund will kick start innovative projects to improve lake clarity, outdoor recreation, transportation and forest health — projects that would otherwise not receive funding.

The Tahoe Fund recently began the first pilot program funded by the Venture Trust. The pilot tests the use of UV light to fight aquatic invasive weeds in Lake Tahoe. A UV light boat has now been deployed near the Lakeside Marina and the surrounding waters in South Lake Tahoe.

Read the source article at medium.com