The Ontario-Montclair Schools Foundation (OMSF) is committed to being a significant change agent in the region. As the convening nonprofit coordinating Promise Scholars, the foundation’s mission revolves around helping children achieve their college and career dreams.
A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation will strengthen those efforts, helping OMSF further enhance its Promise Scholars program, which strives to ensure all students in the region have access to an education after high school.
“The grant will significantly benefit Promise Scholars by strengthening our ability to support students through expanded programming, increased resources, and more intentional academic and college-going support,” said Kim Tovar, Director of Secondary Education and Ontario-Montclair Schools Foundation. “The grant has already helped stabilize and grow our capacity, enabling us to better serve students, deepen partnerships with schools and families, and ensure more students are supported on their pathway to college and career success.”
Promise Scholars generated momentum in 2011, buoyed by the support of the superintendents of Ontario-Montclair School District, Chaffey Joint Union High School District, and the presidents of Chaffey College and CSU San Bernardino. Its comprehensive and student-centered approach to supporting academic success and college readiness immediately stood out.
In addition to offering scholarships and resources, the nonprofit strives to create meaningful experiences and ongoing guidance that can deeply enhance students on their education journey. Today, the ripple effect of all that work stretches to serve more than 20,000 K-12 students and 1,000 parents per year.
Rudy Lopez, Vice President for OMSF and Deputy Chief of Police for Ontario Police Department sees the IECF grant as a great opportunity to expand the nonprofit’s reach in 2026.
“We’re grateful that the grant will allow the foundation to keep pushing new programming and resources that directly benefit students in our community,” he said.
Dr. Hector Macias, Ex-Officio and Deputy Superintendent for OMSF, pointed out the significance of the Promise Scholars brand, noting that, “it’s empowering influence is recognized in Southern California communities as a trademark for all students to aspire and reach their dreams.”
“Our focus on early exposure to opportunities, personalized support that extends beyond high school, and strong community partnerships ensures that students from diverse backgrounds have the tools, confidence, and sustained support they need to thrive.” Tovar added.
The OMSF team also noted that today, its students have a place in college waiting for them at several partner colleges, such as: Chaffey College, CSU San Bernardino, University of La Verne, Cal Poly Pomona, CSU Bakersfield, University of Redlands, Fresno Pacific, Biola University, California Baptist University, Florida A&M University, and Azusa Pacific.
Some key projects that recently stood out for their impact include the significant increase in scholarship awards and amounts for seniors, providing greater financial support and recognition as they transition to college.
“The introduction of Baldy View ROP field trips for eighth-grade students has also been meaningful recently because it’s a way to expose them to career and technical education pathways early, helping them explore future career opportunities,” Tovar added. “We’ve also expanded community outreach initiatives, creating more opportunities for students and families to engage with our programs, and strengthened our social media presence to better connect with and inform the community about our work and successes.”
Looking ahead in 2026, Tovar et al want the community to know that Promise Scholars remains deeply committed to expanding equitable opportunities for all students.
“One key initiative we are excited about is our continued focus on ensuring that every student has the guidance, resources, and support they need to achieve their full potential,” Tovar said. “We are dedicated to growing our impact, strengthening community partnerships, and creating lasting pathways to success for the students we serve.”
This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, January, 2026.
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