New nonprofit dedicated to enriching quality of life, protecting open space, and investing in the communities surrounding Deer Valley East Village
(July 6, 2026) – Extell Development Company, Master Developer of Deer Valley East Village announced the formal launch of the Mountainside Resort Foundation (MRF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life of residents, workers, and visitors across Wasatch and Summit Counties. The Foundation marks Extell’s long-term commitment to go beyond the boundaries of the development itself by investing in the communities, landscapes, and institutions that make this region thrive.
The Foundation was established to serve as a permanent, community-centered institution that grows alongside Deer Valley East Village and directs resources toward issues that support the people who live and work here. From open space conservation and environmental stewardship to youth athletics, cultural programming, and regional safety initiatives, MRF is structured to address the full spectrum of what makes a community not just functional, but genuinely exceptional.
The Mountainside Resort Foundation envisions a Wasatch Back region that is thriving, collaborative, and generous, where people live, recreate, and work with access to world-class ecological, recreational, scenic, cultural, and educational opportunities.
To realize that vision, the Foundation’s mission is grounded in five core areas of investment:
- Strengthening community through private and public partnerships that address regional needs with creativity and scale
- Supporting athletic endeavors, including facility improvements and sponsorships of regional, national and global sporting events and programs for youth, professional, disabled, and veteran athletes
- Promoting and helping to procure conservation and the protection of open space and natural areas for ecological, recreational, scientific, historic, and scenic purposes
- Advancing public education and cultural programming, making arts and learning more accessible and affordable across the region
- Advancing environmental stewardship and wildfire resilience, through investment in defensible space, fire-adapted infrastructure, and regional early-detection systems that protect communities and natural landscapes across the Mountain West
The Mountainside Resort Foundation was built on the belief that a great development and a great community are inseparable. We are here to invest in the people, the land, and the shared future of everyone who calls the Wasatch Back home for the long-term.
— Chrissy Barner, President, Mountainside Resort Foundation
A SELF-SUSTAINING MODEL FOR LONG-TERM IMPACT
The Foundation’s primary funding mechanism is a community reinvestment fee tied to property transactions within Deer Valley East Village. This structure ensures that as the community grows, so does the Foundation’s capacity to serve it. Additional funding sources include voluntary donations from individuals and institutions, and targeted grant funding from regional, state, and federal programs aligned with the Foundation’s mission areas. This diversified, self-sustaining model is designed to make the MRF a durable institution that compounds its impact over decades.
CURRENT MAJOR INITIATIVE: REGIONAL WILDFIRE MITIGATION
In partnership with Extell, the Utah Division of Natural Resources, Wasatch County Fire District, and the University of Utah, the Mountainside Resort Foundation has helped launch one of the most comprehensive wildfire preparedness programs in the Mountain West. The program deploys at least 23 AlertWest-powered early detection cameras across Utah: 20 anchored by a Bureau of Land Management grant through the University of Utah, and three funded through the MRF in the Deer Valley East Village region. A $300,000 state grant secured with the MRF’s support, will facilitate the University in expanding the network further across the state of Utah. These automated cameras are a catalyst for local community wildfire protection and public safety for all who live, work, and recreate in this region.
WHAT’S AHEAD
The wildfire mitigation program is one of many initiatives the Foundation is pursuing. Upcoming priorities include additional development of public recreational trails and trailheads within the area of Deer Valley East Village, support for local workforce housing initiatives, environmental and wildlife monitoring programs, community event programming, and expanded support for youth and regional athletics. As the area evolves, the Foundation’s initiatives will continue to evolve in direct response to the region’s needs.
GET INVOLVED
The Mountainside Resort Foundation is a community institution, and it grows stronger with every partner, donor, and advocate who joins it. To learn more about partnership opportunities, grant applications, or how to support the Foundation’s mission, contact Chrissy Barner, President of Mountainside Resort Foundation at cbarner@extell.com.
About Mountainside Resort Community Foundation
The Mountainside Resort Foundation is a nonprofit organization established to enrich the quality of life of residents, workers, and visitors across Wasatch and Summit Counties. The Foundation operates in partnership with Extell Development Company and the broader Deer Valley East Village community, directing resources toward conservation, education, athletics, cultural programming, environmental and regional safety. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors and funded through a combination of community reinvestment fees, voluntary donations, and targeted grant funding.
