Each year, Thanksgiving serves as both the unofficial kick-off to winter in Incline Village-Crystal Bay and the start of the holiday season, providing unforgettable moments to cherish forever as we gather with friends and family to celebrate the many joys in life. The last week of November also marks the start of the charitable giving season, an extra special time for Incline Village, which is home to a high percentage of nonprofit organizations.
Local nonprofits focus on everything from Lake Tahoe’s environmental awareness, youth hunger, classical music, historical preservation, pet adoptions and so much more. From the importance of giving back to your community to potentially reducing your taxable income, there are myriad reasons to volunteer time and donate money to Incline Village’s various organizations and foundations.
Charitable Giving Grows Thanks To GivingTuesday
What started as a modest movement in 2012 to bolster financial support for nonprofit organizations struggling with the after-effects of the Great Recession has blossomed into a global phenomenon centered on “Radical Generosity,” the concept that the suffering of others should be as intolerable to us as our own suffering.
Over the past decade, nonprofits across the U.S., including here in Incline Village and North Lake Tahoe, have encouraged homeowners and residents to donate to local causes, starting on GivingTuesday (November 29 this year) and extending through the days and weeks into the holiday season.
During a time of year when we’re buying gifts for loved ones, why not spend a little more to support your favorite nonprofit? Plus, a great added perk to giving back to federally registered 501(c)3 nonprofits is most donations are considered IRS write-offs, which can ultimately reduce your taxable income.
That’s a win-win for those who own homes and other property in Incline Village-Crystal Bay. Nevada residents and business owners also benefit from having no state income tax, no corporate income tax, no gross receipts tax, no franchise tax, and no inventory tax.
25 Years Of Community-Focused Charitable Giving
While Lake Tahoe is home to numerous nonprofits, one organization, in particular, has helped raise the profile of the Incline Village community as a desirable place to live: the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation.
The foundation exists not to support a single organization, but to address the broadest range of charitable giving by building a perpetual source of community capital while promoting philanthropy and nonprofit collaboration. Through the generosity of its donors, the foundation has accomplished this by granting more than $91 million since its inception in 1996.
Based in the heart of Incline Village in the Donald W. Reynolds Community Nonprofit Center, the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation also administers grants annually to nonprofits in the region through its Community Fund Grant Program. To commemorate 25 years, Parasol announced earlier this year it granted $250,000 to local nonprofits, marking the largest grant cycle to date.
Also this year, and with GivingTuesday in mind, the foundation launched a fresh way to connect donors to causes they care about — its nonprofit directory, TahoeGives.org, lists more than 80 nonprofits providing services and programs including education, arts, health and wellbeing, environmental preservation, and community support.
Charitable Giving Opportunities Abound In Incline Village
The Parasol foundation represents just one spoke in the fast-moving wheel of charitable giving across Lake Tahoe. Of those 80-plus nonprofits, many are based in Incline Village and Crystal Bay. Here are just a few notable nonprofits whose staff and volunteers work tirelessly to be stewardship champions for the community:
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Incline-Tahoe Foundation: Created to enhance the overall wellbeing of the Incline Village and Crystal Bay community’s public parks, recreation facilities, programs, and services through private donations, grants, and endowments.
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Incline Village Community Hospital Foundation: Its mission is to deliver the highest quality healthcare services by procuring financial resources, improving community awareness, and involving community residents and visitors in developing a long-term vision for comprehensive care.
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Tahoe Family Solutions: Has provided low- and no-cost services to children and families living in Incline Village and throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin since 1991.
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Pet Network Humane Society: This nonprofit animal shelter is dedicated to saving and improving the lives of pets through rescue, adoption, and humane education programs.
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Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society: Launched in 2009 with a $5 million grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, the society works to preserve several Lake Tahoe historic treasures, including the Thunderbird Lodge and Thunderbird Yacht.
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Toccata: The mission of the Toccata-Tahoe Orchestra and Chorus is to raise awareness and appreciation of classical orchestral and choral music by bringing quality, affordable performances to the greater Reno-Tahoe area.
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Diamond Peak Ski Education Foundation: Established to provide a year-round program to develop local youth skiing programs and to inspire and empower athletes to achieve personal goals in athletics and in life.
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Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival: This nonprofit, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, works to produce top-tier cultural events while educating future generations on the importance of including theater, music, and art in their everyday lives.
Whether you’re a longtime homeowner or new to the community who wants to get involved with charitable giving and would like to stay up to date on selling real estate and living in Incline Village email info@dicksonrealty.com with the subject line, “Give me the Incline Village Inside Scoop!” Whether you are buying or selling, Dickson Realty agents have the experience and innovative technology to help you. For more information, contact a neighborhood real estate expert at Dickson Realty today.
