Inland Empire Community Foundation

What Inland Empire Community Foundation does

Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) is a nonprofit regional community foundation established in 1941 that serves Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California's Inland Empire, a combined metropolitan area of approximately 4.5 million residents. The foundation manages a portfolio of equity-focused "signature funds" targeting specific underserved populations, including the CIELO Fund (Latino community), M.E.C.C.A. IE Fund (Black communities), Out in the IE LGBTQ+ Empowerment Fund, Women's Giving Fund, AANHPI Fund, and FRieNDS of Veterans Fund, alongside general Community Impact Fund grantmaking. It operates programs that include direct grants to nonprofits, scholarship administration (over 30 scholarship opportunities accessed through a Common Application Portal, with $3.5 million in scholarships awarded in 2025), a $5 million revolving loan fund for nonprofits launched December 2025 in partnership with the Nonprofit Finance Fund, a $1 million Down Payment Assistance Program funded by U.S. Bank, and a Cybersecurity Awareness Fund. The foundation employs 11-50 staff across three offices in Riverside (headquarters), Palm Desert (Coachella Valley), and San Bernardino.

IECF's technology infrastructure is built on a WordPress-based public website (iegives.org) supplemented by a GrantInterface-powered scholarship application portal that allows students to access multiple scholarships through a single application. Distribution channels include the website, an email newsletter ("Philanthropy Matters"), social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), regional earned media (LA Times, Press Enterprise, Desert Sun, Black Voice News), and signature events such as the annual Policy & Philanthropy Summit, the Women's Giving Fund Spring Fling, and the Professional Advisers Dinner.

As a 501(c)(3) community foundation, IECF's economic model centers on managing donor-advised funds, scholarship funds, designated funds, and field-of-interest funds. Its revenue sources include contributions from individuals, families, businesses, and institutional donors (including a transformative $4.5 million gift from a late Palm Springs philanthropist in October 2024 and a $1 million gift from San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in October 2022), administrative fees on managed funds, and investment income. The foundation's leadership includes Michelle Decker (President & CEO), Khyati Mehta (CFO, appointed December 2024), Jesse Melgar (Board Chair and CIELO Fund Founder), and Charee Gillins (Marketing and Communications Director). It holds CFNS accreditation, GuideStar Platinum Transparency Seal, and membership in the League of California Community Foundations.

Name

Inland Empire Community Foundation

Legal name

Inland Empire Community Foundation

Website

https://iegives.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Inland Empire Community Foundation is a 1941-founded nonprofit community foundation that delivers grants, scholarships, loans, and down payment assistance to nonprofits, students, and underserved communities across Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Endowments (Universities, Foundations, Nonprofits) (FSAAAGAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Philanthropic fund management
• Grantmaking and scholarships
• Nonprofit loan fund
• Donor-advised funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Palm Desert

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Fund Management: IECF manages charitable funds including donor-advised funds, designated funds, field-of-interest funds, and scholarship funds. They receive contributions from individuals, families, businesses, and other foundations, then distribute grants and scholarships to qualified recipients in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
2. Community Impact Fund Grants: The foundation distributes grants from its Community Impact Fund to nonprofits addressing critical community needs in education, health, housing, and economic opportunity.
3. Signature Funds: Specialized funds focused on equity issues including CIELO Fund (Latino community), MECCA IE Fund (Black community), Out in the IE Fund (LGBTQ+), Women's Giving Fund, AANHPI Fund, and others that raise and deploy capital for specific populations.
4. Loan Fund Management: IECF partners with the Nonprofit Finance Fund to manage a $5 million revolving loan fund for Inland Empire nonprofits, providing affordable capital to organizations historically underserved by traditional financing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Inland Empire Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation that manages donor-advised funds, designated funds, field-of-interest funds, scholarship funds, and a portfolio of signature equity-focused funds serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It distributes capital through competitive grant cycles, over 30 student scholarship opportunities, a $5 million revolving loan fund for nonprofits, and a deferred zero-interest down payment assistance program for first-time homebuyers, while also hosting community events such as the annual Policy & Philanthropy Summit.

Product overview

Inland Empire Community Foundation operates as a regional philanthropic organization serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The foundation's offerings center on a portfolio of Signature Funds (CIELO Fund, Women's Giving Fund, M.E.C.C.A. IE Fund, AANHPI Fund, Out in the IE LGBTQ+ Fund), loan programs (IE Nonprofit Loan Fund, Down Payment Assistance Program), workforce development initiatives (Cybersecurity Awareness Fund), and a scholarship program accessible via an online portal. The foundation also hosts annual events including the Policy & Philanthropy Summit and Women's Giving Fund Spring Fling. These programs collectively address equity gaps, economic opportunity, education, housing, and community support across the Inland Empire region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CIELO Fund: Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity Fund - supports Latino-led and Latino-serving organizations
• M.E.C.C.A. IE Fund
• Women's Giving Fund
• Out in the IE LGBTQ+ Empowerment Fund
• AANHPI Fund
• Here for Good Fund
• IE Journalism Innovation Hub+Fund

Products and services

• CIELO Fund (Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity) A signature equity-focused fund of Inland Empire Community Foundation that provides grants, scholarships, and narrative-change research investments to Latino-led and Latino-serving organizations across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Since 2022 it has issued more than $1.7 million in 120+ grants and 300+ scholarships.
• Women's Giving Fund A signature collaborative giving fund that educates women about philanthropy and awards annual grants (e.g., $50,000 in 2024, $49,000 in 2025, $70,000 in 2026) to Inland Empire nonprofits addressing quality-of-life issues for women and children.
• M.E.C.C.A. IE Fund (Mobilizing and Edifying for Collective Community Advancement) Signature fund (formerly IE Black Equity Fund) advancing racial equity through grants, research, and investments in Black-led organizations across the Inland Empire, with over $6 million in assets raised since 2020.
• AANHPI Fund (Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islanders) Signature fund launched in 2024 to support Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander residents through community philanthropy, leadership development, educational investment, and capacity building in the Inland Empire.
• Out in the IE LGBTQ+ Empowerment Fund Signature fund that strengthens the LGBTQ+ community across the Inland Empire through strategic grantmaking, advocacy, research, education, and scholarships for LGBTQ+ youth.
• Here for Good Fund General operating support fund providing flexible, unrestricted grant dollars to Inland Empire nonprofits addressing ongoing community needs.
• IE Journalism Innovation Hub+Fund Fund supporting local journalism and media outlets in the Inland Empire to sustain regional news coverage and civic information.
• Build Coachella Valley Fund (BCVF) Signature fund supporting community development and quality-of-life initiatives in the Coachella Valley.
• Fund for a Creative IE Fund supporting arts, culture, and creative-sector initiatives throughout the Inland Empire region.
• FRieNDS of Veterans Fund Signature fund assisting Inland Empire veterans with navigating and accessing benefits and services across the region.
• Inland Empire Nonprofit Loan Fund A $5 million revolving loan fund offering flexible, affordable loans of $100,000 to $400,000 to Inland Empire nonprofits to manage cash flow, strengthen operations, and grow impact, in partnership with the City of Riverside, San Bernardino County, and the Nonprofit Finance Fund.
• Inland Empire Down Payment Assistance Program An assistance program providing up to $40,000 as a deferred zero-percent loan over 30 years to first-time, low- and moderate-income homebuyers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, delivered in partnership with Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services and funded by a $1 million investment from U.S. Bank.
• Inland Empire Cybersecurity Awareness Fund Initiative fund launched in partnership with Inland Economic Growth and Opportunity to expand cybersecurity education and workforce development, supporting programs like the Inland Empire Mayors Cyber Cup and creating pathways into cybersecurity careers.
• Common Scholarship Application Portal Online portal (powered by GrantInterface) enabling Inland Empire students to access more than 30 scholarship opportunities with a single application, with awards ranging from $1,000 to more than $10,000. In 2025, over $3.5 million in scholarship funds were awarded through the portal.
• Community Impact Fund General grantmaking fund of Inland Empire Community Foundation that funds nonprofits across Riverside and San Bernardino counties through multiple funding cycles per year addressing community needs in education, health, housing, and economic opportunity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1.7 million deployed through CIELO Fund since 2022 to 120+ grants and 300+ scholarships
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, strategic and minor.

• Inland Economic Growth and OpportunitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Partnership to launch Inland Empire Cybersecurity Awareness Fund to expand cybersecurity education and workforce development. Supports seventh annual Inland Empire Mayors Cyber Cup engaging 350 students from 27 schools, creating pathways into cybersecurity careers.
• Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025NFF manages the $5 million revolving loan fund established for Inland Empire nonprofits. The loans ($100,000-$400,000) help organizations expand services and navigate financial challenges. This initiative aims to increase access to capital in one of California's fastest-growing but underserved regions.
• City of RiversidecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025City of Riverside partnered with IECF to launch the $5 million IE Nonprofit Loan Fund, representing a historic investment in nonprofits through a revolving loan fund.
• San Bernardino CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025San Bernardino County partnered with IECF on the $5 million nonprofit loan fund to support nonprofits in Riverside and San Bernardino County.
• Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services (NPHS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2025NPHS partnered with IECF to implement and manage the Inland Empire Down Payment Assistance Program, providing pre-purchase counseling, community outreach, and local partnerships alongside financial assistance.
• California Arts CouncilflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 October 2022California Arts Council awarded $4.7 million through California Creative Corps program to IECF and partners for local and regional organizations to fund artists' civic engagement projects addressing health inequities and community needs across all 58 California counties.
• Inland Economic Growth and Opportunity (IEGO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEGO is a collaborative organization dedicated to fostering economic growth across the Inland Empire, spanning 4.5 million people in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. They unite community-based organizations, businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies to tackle regional economic challenges.
• Arts Connection, Riverside Arts Council, CA Desert Arts CouncilflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organizations for the $4.7 million California Creative Corps grant, working together on public art, media, and engagement projects across the Inland Empire.
• UCLA Latino Policy & Politics InstitutestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIELO Fund partnered with UCLA's Latino Policy & Politics Institute to produce research examining structural barriers facing Latino workers in the Inland Empire despite being central to the region's economy.
• KVCRstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIELO Fund continues supporting KVCR's IE Latino Voices segment which it helped co-design and launch in 2023, providing media platform for Inland Empire Latino stories and voices.
• LA Times De LosstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIELO Fund partnership with LA Times' Latino vertical DeLos to maintain special coverage of the Inland Empire, part of narrative-change efforts to elevate positive regional stories.
• IE Funders AlliancestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerIE Funders Alliance collaborates with IECF on the San Bernardino County Nonprofit Assistance Fund grant program, overseeing application and review process.
• Pi Rho Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGLG Science, Education, and Community Services Association works with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity in various events such as food drives, clothes drives, and other service-related events benefiting the community.

Scale indicators32 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: One of the largest community foundations in the United States, serving the Silicon Valley region. Operates the same donor-advised fund and grantmaking model as IECF but at significantly greater scale, with broader national and international giving reach.
• The San Francisco Foundation: Historic Bay Area community foundation with a comparable mission of advancing racial equity and supporting community-led organizations through signature funds and donor-advised giving. Operates at a much larger scale than IECF but with overlapping program design.

Regional players

• Pasadena Community Foundation: Community foundation serving Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley with donor-advised funds, scholarships, and signature initiatives. Comparable in size and operating model to IECF, with a similarly tight geographic focus in Southern California.
• Santa Barbara Foundation: Regional community foundation serving Santa Barbara County with scholarships, donor-advised funds, and equity-focused grantmaking. A peer in structure and program mix, though operating in a different coastal California market than the Inland Empire.
• Fresno Regional Foundation: Central Valley community foundation providing grants, scholarships, and donor-advised funds across the Fresno region. Comparable to IECF in mission and operating model, and serving an inland California region with similar equity and access-to-capital dynamics.
• Ventura County Community Foundation: Community foundation serving Ventura County with scholarship, grantmaking, and donor-advised fund programs. Comparable in scale and structure to IECF and operating in adjacent Southern California geography, though serving a separate county.

Direct peers

• Sacramento Region Community Foundation: Community foundation serving the Sacramento region with similar donor-advised fund, scholarship, and equity-focused signature fund offerings. Closely comparable structure and program mix to IECF, operating in a California inland/regional market with similar philanthropic dynamics.
• California Community Foundation: Los Angeles-based community foundation operating across multiple Southern California counties. It is the largest and most direct functional peer to IECF, sharing the same model of donor-advised funds, signature equity-focused initiatives, scholarships, and policy/advocacy work — but at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
• San Diego Foundation: San Diego County's primary community foundation. Directly comparable to IECF in mission, scholarship administration, signature fund structure, and regional equity focus. Comparable in headcount and program breadth, serving a similarly sized California metro region.
• Orange County Community Foundation: Orange County's leading community foundation, operating donor-advised funds, scholarships, and a portfolio of signature funds targeting specific populations. A direct peer by function, though materially larger in assets and program scope than IECF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/inlandempirecf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmVYvT78gqFRj0AuvMiIamA
• Facebookfacebook.com/inlandempirecf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inlandempirecf
• Instagraminstagram.com/inlandempirecf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Inland Empire Community Foundation