Emergency Relief & Hardship Assistance

The Community Foundation provides emergency relief and hardship assistance to individuals and organizations in need within communities surrounding Alterra's North American destinations and the Denver Metropolitan area corporate offices.

Geographic Scope: Communities surrounding Alterra Mountain Company operations and Ikon Pass destinations in U.S. and Canada, including: Alpine Aerotech, Big Bear Mountain Resort, Blue Mountain, CMH Heli Skiing & Summer Adventures, Crystal Mountain, Deer Valley Resort, Denver Alterra Office, June Mountain, Mammoth Mountain, Palisades Tahoe, Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Ski Butlers, Snow Valley, Snowshoe, Solitude Mountain Resort, Steamboat, Stratton, Sugarbush Resort, Tremblant, Winter Park Resort

Eligible Applicants: Individuals and organizations based within Alterra communities through residency or employment

Funding Categories

Disaster Relief:

• Individuals temporarily in need of food or shelter when stranded, injured, or lost due to disaster
• Assistance with housing, childcare, or educational expenses due to disaster
• Applies to essential needs (food, clothing, housing, healthcare)
• Immediate assistance to individuals or nonprofit organizations helping affected people

Crisis Support:

• Individuals or organizations that are financially needy, deteriorating, or otherwise distressed
• Individuals temporarily unable to be self-sufficient due to sudden and severe personal or family crisis

Trauma Support:

• Individuals in need of assistance due to trauma from disaster or violent crime

Financial Aid:

• Individuals or organizations who may otherwise require government financial support

Social Assistance (Canada)

• Individuals in need due to sudden illness, death, accident, violent crime, or other emergency
• Financial hardship difficult to overcome given individual circumstances (no insurance, savings, or support network)
• Need that if unmet could have significant consequences
• Limited to individuals with no other resources from community organizations or nonprofits
• One-time support for chronic problems; recipients may reapply for additional funds

Award History: Over $1.41M distributed in first three years:

• $483,010 for medical and health care
• $462,383 for essential living expenses
• $431,500 for nonprofit support

Application Process:

1. Submit electronic application form with relevant documentation
2. Applications reviewed monthly by review committees (U.S. and Canada)
3. Board of Directors reviews committee recommendations
4. Upon approval, Foundation Director works with recipient on support details and payment process
5. Expedited review available for urgent situations

Application Deadline: Rolling - applicants can apply year-round; reviewed monthly or as necessary

Application Process

1. Access Application: Click "Apply" on the Emergency Relief & Hardship Assistance page or contact Foundation directly
2. Complete Electronic Form: Fill out the online application form completely
3. Provide Documentation: Include all relevant supporting documentation to justify request
4. Submit Details: Provide comprehensive details about your situation (amount requested should be justified with supporting documents)
5. Timeline Indication: Indicate if situation requires immediate attention
6. Submit Application: Applications can be submitted at any time throughout the year

Review Timeline

1. Submission: Application submitted anytime during the year
2. Committee Review: Review Committees (separate for U.S. and Canada) meet monthly to examine applications from previous month
3. Board Approval: Board of Directors reviews committee recommendations
4. Notification: Foundation Director notifies selected recipients of board decision
5. Payment Setup: Director works with recipient to determine support parameters and establish payment process

Key Information

Amount Requested:

• Each situation is unique
• Support amount depends on multiple criteria including:
  • Availability of other resources (insurance, family, friends, nonprofits, local support groups)
  • Severity and duration of situation
  • Foundation's capacity to respond to eligible applicants
• Provide as much detail as possible to enable faster review and more accurate recommendations
• More information provided = faster committee review and better-informed recommendations

Eligibility Criteria:

• Must be based in an Alterra community (through residency or employment)
• Situation must involve disaster, crisis, trauma, or financial hardship
• Must demonstrate need and lack of other resources

Expedited Review: Available for situations requiring immediate attention - note urgency in application