Inland Empire Community Foundation
Programs
General Grantmaking Initiatives
GENERAL GRANTMAKINGThrough the generosity of our donors, Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) invested more than $24 million in grants in 2022. Over $7 million of that were for scholarships and education. General Grantmaking alone represents over $18 million in grants in the Inland Empire and beyond. Funds were awarded to a broad spectrum of nonprofits in our 27,000 square miles, two-county region. IECF's grantmaking falls generally into the following categories: Advocacy ($3,271,839)Arts & Culture ($663,425)Children & Families ($531,334)Civic & Environmental Benefit ($3,659,784) Health and Human Services ($5,902,860 Other ($2,587,743)Included in our grantmaking are funds providing support to particular issues or places. These include Field of Interest Funds ($528,287) which are restricted to a specific program area or geographic area. As a sampling, funds are currently helping with ADA compliance, the cities of Perris and Idyllwild, the High Desert, victims of domestic abuse, senior pet-owners and vet care, and the treatment and care of low income children in Riverside County. IECF is proud to offer donors a way to invest long term in the issues and places they care about, and sees its geographic funds as crucial investments to strengthen all parts of the Inland Empire. Since March 2020, our Community Impact Grantmaking has focused on racial, gender, and economic equity. This means ensuring our staff and Board reflect the communities we serve and that our grantmaking builds the voice and power of our grantees to transform their communities. It also means listening to and incorporating the lived experiences of people who daily struggle to achieve safety, health, and prosperity in the Inland Empire. In doing this work, IECF will rely on data that shows where disparities exist to drive our grantmaking, programs, and partnerships. IECF is walking this journey with its Board, staff, and stakeholders to better use community philanthropy to create a fairer Inland Empire. IECF stands firmly against racism and all forms of oppression, prioritizing equity, inclusion, and diversity in our community work. In support of this commitment, our 2022 CIF grants explicitly supported groups in the IE to continue on and work towards these values and practices.CIF grants were awarded to 39 nonprofits that have: 1) Mission, goals and programming address the critical needs of individuals and communities most impacted by racial, gender and economic inequity due to their race, income level, gender, religion, immigration status, disability, age, sexual orientation or zip code; 2) Programs, services and core activities that are culturally and linguistically responsive to the needs of those served; 3) Clients, constituents and individuals most impacted by inequities are meaningfully engaged and involved in decision making to inform the organization's strategies and work; 4) A commitment to practicing and institutionalizing equity, diversity and inclusion in governance, staffing, organizational practices and collaborative relationships. IECF has been administering the S. L. Gimbel Foundation Fund, whose mission is to enhance the quality of life in memory of Susan Gimbel. Program interest areas include health, environmental protection and enhancement, education, and human dignity. IECF awarded $4,916,884 to nonprofits in partnership with the Gimbel Foundation trustees in 2022.In addition to their grantmaking program, in 2022, the S.L. Gimbel Foundation Scholarship Fund awarded $ 293,680 in financial support for low-income students. Scholarship awards are for students attending University of California, Riverside (UCR) California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) who have unmet need to be used for tuition, books, education fees, housing and other educational expenses. Low income students, undergraduate or graduate, accepted to attend the colleges above, and current students from all backgrounds regardless of age, race, religion, gender, sexual preference or national origin are eligible to apply. First generation college-going students, and/or traditionally underrepresented students in higher education are highly encouraged to apply.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$19.4MCommunity Leadership Projects
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROJECTS2022 marked a landmark celebration of our 80th Anniversary during which we honored the past and embraced the future through the below board led signature funds. The CIELO Fund @ IECFLaunched in 2022 as a Signature Fund celebrating the Foundation's 80th Anniversary. The CIELO Fund's mission is to uplift and invest in organizations, initiatives and ideas that are led by - and serve - Latinos in the Inland Empire. - Chaired and seeded by Board Member Jesse Melgar;- Promised/Raised: $500,000+;- Held an event to Celebrate and Kick Off the CIELO Fund on September 24 at the Cheech;- Grant applications due on December 5- 50 applications received;- Incredible communication outreach and narrative change work done in the news through launch and report with UCR, including a spotlight in the Sacramento Bee;FRieNDS OF VETERANS FUNDEstablished in 2022 to benefit veterans residing in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties whose needs include but are not limited to legal aid services, postmilitary education and skills-building, housing, basic needs, and physical and mental health.- Raised $90,000;- Held Kick-Off event at March Field Air Museum where Congressman Mark Takano was keynote.Fund for a Creative IE Supports arts organizations and help them connect with their communities and funding possibilities. Contributions help enable arts organizations to advocate locally and statewide, create partnerships with businesses and government to increase access to the arts for vulnerable and underserved populations, and build the capacity of cultural leadership in an equitable way.- Promised/Raised: $80,000 for private donors;- Chaired and seeded by Board Member Ann Sheffer;- Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF), Arts Connection - the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, Riverside Arts Council, and the California Desert Arts Council announced a $4.7 million grant award from the California Arts Council. Working in partnership, the organizations will administer these funds for the California Creative Corps, a new state arts program.Here for Good FundEstablished to provide annual support and community leadership on multiple issues, including advancing regional innovation and nonprofit capacity-building through regional fundraising and advocacy programs.- Michelle Decker and Randall Lewis chaired the effort;- Promised/Raised: $300,000+; - Supported Policy & Engagement Forum, 80th Sponsorship Campaign, Strategic Planning; and President's Innovation Fund.Inland Empire Black Equity Fund (BEI)IECF, IE Funders Alliance and the Black Equity Initiative of the Inland Empire joined forces in 2020 to establish the IE Black Equity Fund as a regional pooled fund to advance racial equity and combat anti-black racism, and to support long-term investments in Black-led organizations. One of the first of its kind, the fund planned to raise $5 million for Black-led organizations in the Inland Empire.- In 2022, BEI hit goal of raising $5M in promised multi-year gifts and commitments though a trust-based philanthropy model;- In 2022, IECF and BEI-IE invited nonprofits to apply for one of three tiers of IE Black Equity Fund grants that addressed "learning," "emerging, and "scaling up." These grants focused on increasing capacity and offering core support to Black-led organizations. BEI hopes to assist in ending systemic racism as well as building economic and political power for the Black community. This initial round of grants totaled $740,000. Individual grants ranged from $10,000 to $75,000.Journalism Innovation Hub+ FundEstablished in 2022 to support local and regional journalism and media and build the pipeline of talent for the sector. In these days of rampant disinformation and loss of local journalism outlets, it is essential to cultivate reliable sources of news based on fact and integrity.- Promised/Raised: $10,000 with major funders sharing high levels of interest to be realized in 2023;- Chaired and seeded by our Board President, Dr. Paulette Brown- Hinds;- Paulette created the first of its kind report for all Community Foundations to support journalism! Build Coachella Valley FundSupports the critically urgent social, economic, and environmental resilience of the Coachella Valley and surrounding communities. The fund will advance the health, housing, education, workforce development and climate/environment opportunities of the region.- Promised/Raised: $90,000;- Chaired and seeded by Board Member, Jeremy Hobbs;- Worked to frame larger valley wide strategy that is aligned with IECF's pillars process.Women's Giving FundThe Women's Giving Fund (WGF) is an inclusive opportunity for female donors to learn about women's economic security issues, focus giving on issues impacting women and children, and experience the power of collaborative philanthropy.- Promised/Raised $80,000+;- Chaired by Board Member and incoming Board Chair (2023) Nefertiti Long;- Held a very successful Women's Giving Soiree with Senator Connie Leyva as keynote! Other Community Leadership Efforts: Inland SoCal Creative CorpsIECF, serving as the fiscal sponsor and CA state administrator, received a 4.7 million grant from California Arts Council (CAC) for a new statewide arts program that targets high priority communities based on the Healthy Places Index. Arts Connection (the Arts Council of San Bernardino County), California Desert Arts Council, Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF), and Riverside Arts Council - the Inland SoCal Creative Corps, is a program that will provide funding and support Inland Empire artists, cultural practitioners, and nonprofits in new work to create awareness related to public health and pandemic recovery, water and energy conservation, disaster preparedness and recovery, civic participation, and social justice in high priority communities across the region. Inland Economic Growth and Opportunity Initiative (IEGO)In 2022, IECF continued hosting and leading the Inland Economic Growth and Opportunity Initiative, a Brookings-led planning process that has turned into a full blown regional network working to create more high quality jobs in the region. In 2022, IEGO expanded its network from 55 organizations to 70, and built a new media presence. In autumn 2022, IECF led the writing and submission of a U.S. EDA Build Back Better application focused on green technology and logistics, with projects that included the Center of Excellence in Sustainable Logistics and UC Riverside OASIS project; the Black and Brown Collective; Next Generation Workforce; Entrepreneurship and Microenterprise. While not awarded, the process set up IEGO for other applications including the California Community Economic Resilience Fund. New funding from the Kresge Foundation is helping community-based organizations engage in IEGO to understand and develop their role in workforce. California Economic Resilience Fund (CERF)Inland Empire CERF Proposal presented by the Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF), Inland Economic Growth & Opportunity (IEGO), and Inland Empire Labor Institute (IELI) is the culmination of an open, regionwide planning process that builds off the work of a multisector collaboration of partners seeking to build a more prosperous future through equity, innovation, and sustainability. With this proposal we seek to do economic development differently by elevating new voices and growing new jobs in opportunity industries such as Green Energy and Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, Sustainable Logistics, Arts/Digital Media, Cybersecurity/Information Technology and more. The proposal calls for the development of the Inland Empire High Road Transition Collaborative (HRTC) that will include an Inclusive Planning Council with three ports of entry for meaningful engagement: Subregional Tables, Committees, and Equity Councils. As the Inland Empire emerges from the pandemic and prepares for a more technological, sustainable, carbon neutral future it is imperative that we center the most important asset in the region: The People.Youth GrantmakersThe Youth Grantmakers (YG) Program was created to empower youth to address issues important to them by participating in grantmaking. Through this program, young people become active agents of change, preparing them for responsive community leadership and practical hands-on service. Made up of high school students from across the two-county region, there are three Youth Grantmakers groups: Riverside, Coachella Valley, San Bernardino. A YG program in Idyllwild is composed of middle school students.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$6.5MPolicy and Engagement Initiatives
ARPPA and POLICY & ENGAGEMENTRiverside County Nonprofit Roundtable One result from IECF's management of CARES Act funds and COVID response, was the creation of the Riverside County Nonprofit Table, in partnership with 25 nonprofits and Riverside County's Office of Housing, Homelessness, and Workforce. This new table is a model for other regions and received an allocation of $16 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for the nonprofit sector.Office of Policy and EngagementIn 2022, IECF furthered its work building up the capacity of the Inland Empire to engage on policy issues by hosting capacity building workshops with partners, organizing its first Sacramento Legislative Day and visiting leading electeds in partnership with volunteer board members, and hosting the 3rd Annual Policy Forum with over 400 attendees in person to hear from state and local elected leaders about their thoughts on philanthropy, accessing public dollars, closing equity gaps, and more. IECF's Forum also hosted sessions on big issues facing the region, in partnership with leading coalition: housing, health, inclusive economies, education, and climate and environment. IECF's Board-led Policy Committee was active in developing the summit and various local partners were instrumental in shaping the breakout discussions that will help IECF focus its resources on the most critical issues of the region. Additionally in 2022, IECF invested time in the coalition building related to a major state investment called the K-16 Initiative, and signed onto various bills consistent with IECF's policy on advocacy.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$581.1K
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