The Environment Foundation
The Environment Foundation — a collaboration with Aspen Community Foundation and the Aspen Skiing Company Family Fund, with added support from Lavazza — is a nonprofit employee-led organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the regional environment through grant giving and volunteer opportunities.
Started 25 years ago, the Environment Foundation (EF) funds projects that bolster programs tackling climate change and oil and gas development; fosters environmental stewardship; and promote clean-energy development at scale and at policy level. Projects must be innovative, have measurable results, and respond to a community or regional need. We are most interested in making grants to organizations that identify and work on the root causes of problems and show a commitment to long-term change. We look for programs with a provocative direct-action agenda for change and a strategic plan for achieving the organization's goals, buttressed by strong community support.
The Environment Foundation is unique in the ski industry: employee contribute funds from their paycheck, these funds are matched by the Aspen Skiing Company Family Fund and the Aspen Community Foundation, and a board of directors, comprised of Aspen employees, governs the foundation and decides which projects to fund. More than 1,600 employees contribute annually.
Why does the foundation exist?
When we're not working, we're outside — climbing a mountain, hiking a remote wilderness, kayaking a wild stretch of river, boarding an open bowl, or biking a winding single-track. We realize that our natural environment is being impacted. Through the Environment Foundation we are working to protect habitat, ecosystems, and the biodiversity that we depend upon.
For example, the EF provided a leading grant to the Trust for Public Land to help protect the stunning "High Elk Corridor," which runs from Aspen to Crested Butte and was in danger of being developed.
How is it funded?
Employees volunteer to contribute through a payroll deduction plan. Aspen Community Foundation and Aspen Skiing Company's Family Fund match each dollar contributed; we receive additional support from Lavazza, our coffee partner. With employees giving as little as one dollar a week, we've donated more than $4 million to hundreds of projects since the Foundation's inception in 1997.
Make a donation today
It's easy to fall in love with the Aspen Snowmass area. If you want to give back to your home away from home, the Environment Foundation is a great way to support local organizations working to advance sustainability in the area. We now offer a simple online donation option if you wish to contribute to the Environment Foundation — just click the "Donate Now" button below to complete your donation. Thank you for your interest in supporting the sustainability efforts in the Roaring Fork Valley.
Apply for a grant
The Environment Foundation accepts grant applications in October and late February. Grants generally range from $2,000 to $10,000. Applicants can request an electronic application, eligibility guidelines or more information from Hannah Berman.
Volunteering
In addition to grant giving, board members of the Environment Foundation engage in community volunteering projects like trail workdays and fundraising events. Beyond the board, the Environment Foundation’s scope includes the Ambassador program and bootpacking opportunities. These initiatives allow volunteers—both from the Aspen One workforce and the community at large—to offer their time educating guests about our sustainability initiatives, working to improve mountain terrain, and so more.
