Stacy Caldwell is CEO of the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF), a place-rooted organization working to strengthen communities in California’s North Tahoe-Truckee region. Focusing on housing, mental health, and regional resilience, TTCF brings together public, private, and philanthropic partners to take on big, long-term challenges.
As part of the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group (Aspen CSG)’s Rural Development Hubs peer learning cohort, Stacy has been helping to shape and define what it means to be a Hub — and what it takes to build a more equitable and prosperous rural future.
We sat down with Stacy to talk about her journey, what makes the Hub model work, and what keeps her motivated in this challenging and rewarding work.
The Forest Futures site visit discussing what would become TTCF’s largest grant – a $1 million grant to Sierra Institute for Community and Environment for a cross-laminated timber operation to take excess hazardous biomass and turn it into cross-laminated timber. This initiative aims to address forest health while also fostering local economic growth through the utilization of cross-laminated timber for housing construction. Not only does this utilize forest materials that would normally go unused, it’s creating jobs and helping to build a more resilient community of fire-resistant housing.
Tell us a bit about the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation and the region you serve. What are some of your community’s biggest challenges and opportunities right now?
Skiing in Lake Tahoe. Photo credit: Robert Kyte, Alpenglow Expeditions
Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) serves North Tahoe – Truckee, California. We are located in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and our crown jewel, as they say, is Lake Tahoe. We are a forested community, surrounded by mountains, rivers, and beautiful alpine lakes. In many ways, it can feel like paradise for those who get to spend their time here. Our young people often have a passion for the environment, are strong from all the snow shoveling, and have an aptitude for fun!
Our community’s primary economy is tourism, which is focused on outdoor recreation like skiing, boating, road biking, and hiking. We also have many second homeowners who are just as passionate about our region as we are, and they come with diverse perspectives, skill sets, and connections. Many are also eager to contribute as leaders and through network connections, investments, and philanthropic resources that can respond to emergencies and shape our future.
Our regional institutions and leadership have a strong history of collaboration. When the average snowfall is 25 feet, you need to know your neighbors, who are often your teachers and firefighters. These close ties create a small-town feel and, with the necessity of survival, make for a highly collaborative environment.
Challenges? As with many rural communities, the jurisdictional boundaries and unincorporated areas silo leadership and resources, and make decisions quite complex. Those representing us in our Counties are responsible for much larger geographic areas, with different needs and circumstances impacting most of their constituents.
Tourism is the main driver of our economy; we experience significant gaps in income levels. With many wealthy visitors and second homeowners, prices for basic necessities like food and gas are quite high. Additionally, we have many second homeowners, resulting in more than 65% of houses being vacant more than half of the time and a median home price of more than $1 million.
Often, in tourism towns, the vacation lifestyle is prevalent. That results in higher substance abuse issues for our community. That combined with our geographic isolation and the hard realities of living in a mountain environment with significant snow years, makes mental health a struggle for many of our residents already.
Additionally, as a mountain community, we live in the forest, which represents a significant watershed for most of California. Yet, years of fire suppression and forest management policies have led to forest overgrowth and significant wildfire threats to our community. Our region has been making a herculean effort to mitigate wildfire risk and restore forest health.
Your team has been doing powerful, place-rooted work for years. How did you come to see TTCF as a Rural Development Hub?
Most people don’t imagine a ski town when they hear the word ‘rural.’ However, we face many of the same challenges as other rural regions.
Much of our approach to philanthropy is grounded in Aspen CSG’s Rural Development Hub framework, which inspired our asset-based and people-centered approaches. About 10 years ago, our community foundation recognized the need to shift our focus and business model.
Inspired by ideas of social entrepreneurship, impact investing, and innovation, we knew that we could be more than grant-makers and engage in system change solutions. It wasn’t until working with the Aspen CSG that we saw the Hub framework and felt validated in our approach and seen by our peers.
We’re now part of Aspen CSG’s Rural Development Hubs peer learning community, and that has allowed me to engage with long-time rural leaders and experts in the field while also meeting the next generation of rural leaders. By participating in a national network, I have others that I can learn from and bring inspiration back to my organization and community.
From left to right, Amy Kelley (Martis Fund Executive Director) and Stacy Caldwell (Chief Executive Office) in the conference room at TTCF’s office. Martis Fund collaborates with TTCF around shared goals from community investment and forest health.
Aspen CSG defines Rural Development Hubs as organizations that take on the complex work of fostering long-term, equitable rural prosperity. What does that definition mean to you in practice?
As a community foundation, we manage endowed community assets. That naturally means we are built to serve our community in perpetuity. Our board, volunteers, and staff are honored to be the temporary stewards of the resources, and we are inspired to know that the mission will serve across multiple generations of our community.
As a Hub leader, you’re responsible for a lot — funding strategies, local partnerships, and systems change. What does that balancing act look like for you day-to-day?
I wish I could say that it looked balanced from day to day. Often, community solutions take years, even decades, to achieve. This means the most enduring value of our work isn’t the money or grants we provide but the relationships that we cultivate and manage over time. Our team must simultaneously build trusting relationships with nonprofit organizations, public agencies, private businesses, community members, and donors, and then ensure that we are aligned and coordinated in those efforts. In a small rural region, leaders often wear different hats on different projects. Our staff must share insights with each other to ensure that we are aligned and thinking about the long-term intent of our interests.
What do you wish more people understood about rural places — especially when it comes to equity, innovation, or investment?
TTCF team at the League of California Community Foundation. Sache Cantu, COO (left), presented on Impact Investing. Stacy Caldwell presented on The Future of Philanthropy.
Rural communities are a repository of history, cultural traditions, and ingenuity for our country. There is so much that has been kept and protected within rural communities. They are stewards of most of our natural resources and naturally cultivate attitudes of generosity and grit.
What advice would you give to other rural leaders or funders trying to support a Hub in their own community?
Oh, I’ve got lots. Those who are closest to the problems are closest to the solutions. Cross-connecting stakeholders and recognizing the interconnectedness of different issues will invite a broader cross-network of stakeholders to engage. Then, break down the silos of business models, capital structures, and issue areas to manifest the solutions focused on systems change.
Define and defend your value proposition when working with others, especially funders. Know your value and ensure that you are clear. Don’t chase money, but invite it to serve a role in the solutions your community seeks. Create readiness through partnerships and collaborative strategies.
What keeps you inspired to do this work?
Creative arts, snacks, and systems change.
Through her leadership at TTCF, Stacy Caldwell is helping redefine what’s possible in rural communities — not just in the Tahoe-Truckee region, but across the country. Her work exemplifies the power of Rural Development Hubs to drive systems change and support thriving, equitable futures rooted in place. Learn more about the Rural Development Hubs initiative here.