HISTORY & MISSION
Mission
The Telluride Foundation is committed to enriching the quality of life of the residents, visitors and workforce of the Telluride region. The Foundation does this by development and supporting initiatives and making direct investments that maximize benefit to all, nurture self-reliance and create meaningful change.
Values
PROMOTE INCLUSION
We support initiatives that are inclusive, universal and maximize benefit to all who are part of the greater Telluride community, regardless of residency, income, or occupation.
BUILD TO SELF-RELIANCE
We support initiatives that fuel and nurture self-reliance. Whether meeting immediate and urgent needs or making long-term investments, our efforts are designed to support a self-sustaining community.
BE A CHANGE AGENT
We believe in the importance of creating meaningful and lasting change both at the individual and community level. We continually seek out fresh ideas and novel approaches to achieve tangible, lasting change. Consistently measuring outcomes is an important element.
History
It started with a shared passion for a charming town nestled in the mountains. Ron Allred discovered Telluride in 1979 when he purchased the Telluride Ski Resort and developed it into a world-class resort. Hideo “Joe” Morita’s passion for Telluride developed years later when he purchased the ski area from Ron in 2000. Like Ron, he fell in love with the special community of Telluride defined by unparalleled beauty, a rich history, and the character of its locals. With that in mind, both wanted to preserve what makes Telluride so special.
The answer was a nonprofit community foundation to support all the unique things that define Telluride. After approaching his close friends and partners (and countless rounds of golf later), Ron secured a commitment from 13 people who each contributed $100,000 to begin a foundation. Thus, the Telluride Foundation was born and through the support of many generous donors we have been MAKING MORE POSSSIBLE ever since!
