April 2025
The Yampa Valley Community Foundation has made a $500,000 loan to the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC) toward purchase of a new permanent headquarters in downtown Steamboat Springs. The historic “carriage house” on the corner of 6th and Oak Streets aligns with YVSC’s current needs and longer-term vision to create a welcoming climate and resilience center to better serve its partners and community, enhancing its mission to serve as a leader, catalyst and resource for building a sustainable and resilient Yampa Valley region.
The Foundation’s Impact Investment program leverages its investment portfolio to serve the needs of the community, providing loans to nonprofit organizations at a rate of return that prioritizes community impact. This loan was the Foundation’s fourth investment since the launch of the program in 2023 but the first toward a project other than affordable housing.
“We’re proud to have made other impact loans to support affordable housing, and excited that YVSC’s building project is the first in which we have leveraged our investment portfolio to support the financing needs of a local nonprofit organization,” Tim Wohlgenant, YVCF’s Chief Executive Officer, said. “We’re pleased to bring a small piece of what we invest in Wall Street home to Main Street, or more specifically, Oak Street in this case.”
YVSC is grateful for its generous donors and its partnership with Alpine Bank lending which, together with the YVCF loan, made the purchase possible.
“The Board of Directors is thrilled to have YVSC taking this next step,” Sarah Loughran, YVSC Board Chair, said. “Establishing a climate resilience center, downtown close to key partners like the County and City, will enable us to provide cutting edge climate solutions to the community in an easily accessible location. We are very grateful to those individuals and organizations who have helped make this first step possible.”