TRUCKEE, Calif. – More than 50 involved community members, utility and infrastructure professionals, and nonprofit representatives met at the Truckee Tahoe Airport on Friday, April 10 to turn climate goals into tactical action at the first Project Incubator Workshop hosted by the Climate Transformation Alliance (CTA).

The workshop was facilitated by the Sierra Business Council (SBC), and welcomed representatives from CTA member organizations, including governing members from the Town of Truckee, Truckee Donner Public Utilities District, and Truckee Tahoe Airport district, as well as the North Tahoe Public Utility District, Sugar Bowl Resort, Sierra Watershed Education Partnership (SWEP), and Truckee Fire Protection District, among others.

More than 40 projects were submitted, both at the meeting and via submission form prior to the meeting, for workshopping during the session, with about half of the projects in the conceptualization phase and half ready for more formal planning, partnerships, and action. 

Attendees worked in groups, self-selecting the area of most relevance to their projects or interests, aligned around water, solid waste, transportation, land management, renewable energy, energy policy, and general energy efficiency.

Projects related to infrastructure upgrades and maintenance were the most represented, with an overarching theme across all project areas highlighting the need for community engagement, education, and encouraging informed behaviour change. 

Attendees were led through a 10-step process to develop a formalized project plan, culminating in the creation of a 90-day action plan.  Many projects identified a critical first step was forging strategic partnerships, with many finding willing collaborators during the post-workshop networking time and evening networking event at RMU.  

CTA intends to host two workshops per year, with a goal of cultivating a pipeline of projects that have climate benefits, reduce emissions, or increase resilience in our region. The CTA team reviews the projects to identify those that are the most aligned, and then supports project development through facilitating partnerships, identifying aligned state, federal, and local funding opportunities, and providing assistance with project scope and feasibility. 

The next Project Incubator Workshop is planned for October. Workshops are free and open to anyone located in the Truckee Tahoe region who wishes to propose climate-related projects at any stage. Join the CTA mailing list for updates on future workshops at climatetransformationalliance.org/get-involved/