Women’s Giving Fund Awards $70,000 to Nonprofits Serving Women Across the Inland Empire

Nefertiti Long, WGF Chair

Sunny skies and bright smiles adorned the desert on Sunday, March 22, as the 2026 Women’s Giving Fund annual Spring Fling made its debut at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas.

Nonprofit leaders, community members, and donors gathered for brunch in celebration of women’s leadership and to fund organizations doing impactful work across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Against a backdrop of spring florals and shared purpose, four women-serving nonprofits received grants totaling $55,000, and three inspiring regional leaders were named Women of Achievement (WOA). The WOA awards included $5,000 each to be given to their women-serving charities of choice.

The 2026 Grants

2026 Grantee Representatives: LtoR: Deana Alsdorf of Foothill Family Shelter, Angelina Coe of Shelter From the Storm, Nefertiti Long (WGF Chair), Adriane Lamar Snider, NORA, Pat Bel of House of Ruth

Each of the four 2026 grantees works on the front lines of crisis: housing instability, domestic violence, sexual assault, and the precarious stretch between vulnerability and stability.

• NORA (formerly Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center) received $15,000 to support outreach services that educate communities and assist survivors of sexual abuse.
• House of Ruth received $15,000 to continue its work preventing domestic violence and providing safety for women and families affected by abuse.
• Shelter from the Storm received $15,000 to sustain daily operations, including safety services, counseling, and community outreach.
• Foothill Family Shelter received $10,000 to strengthen its Housing Program and Community Help Desk, which connects families to resources as they work toward stable housing.

With these awards, the Women’s Giving Fund has now distributed $320,000 since 2018, supporting both direct services and research aimed at improving outcomes for women and families across the region.

Women of Achievement

2026 Women of Achievement: Candice Shirk (L); Sabrina Gonzalez (R); not shown: Vivian Shaw

The Spring Fling committee also took time to recognize three women leaders who have spent their careers building a platform the next generation gets to stand on and grow from. Each honoree received $5,000 for a charity of their choice serving women in the region.

Vivian Shaw, retired chairperson of the RIMS AVID Scholarship Foundation, was named Community Leader.
Candice Shirk, director of Miss Candice’s Dance Center, received the Business Leader award.
Sabrina Gonzalez, executive director of the Civil Rights Institute of Inland California, was named Nonprofit Leader.

The Need Behind the Numbers

The funding arrives at a moment when the data tells a sobering story. A 2025 report commissioned by the Women’s Giving Fund, titled Thriving in the Inland Empire: Women and Well-Being through the Lens of Vital Conditions, found that many women across the region are managing without much margin. Financial stress, unstable resources, and emotional strain tend to cluster and compound, making it harder for women and families to gain footing. The report makes a clear case for sustained investment in the conditions that allow women to build stable, self-determined, successful lives.

Nefertiti Long, Immediate Past Board Chair of IECF and Chair of the Women’s Giving Fund, reflected on what the morning meant.

“We were so thrilled to bring our annual event to the desert this year,” she said. “Expanding awareness of the fund and growing resources for women in this community is essential to our mission. This year, we proudly announced four grantees and honored three remarkable leaders whose vision, strength, and dedication continue to strengthen our communities in extraordinary ways.”

About the Women’s Giving Fund

The Women’s Giving Fund launched in 2017, founded by a group of professional women who wanted to create an opportunity for female donors to learn about women’s economic security and give collectively toward issues affecting women and children. At its core, the fund reflects what’s possible when women decide to invest in their region together.

To learn more or make a gift, visit iegives.org/womensgivingfund.

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