LtoR: Andrea Hecht and Emily Cheley; Margaret Keung; Analisa Holoubek
The Build Coachella Valley Fund (BCVF), an IECF Signature Fund, has awarded three mini-grants to local organizations that are helping children and young people learn, grow, and succeed.
Established in 2023, the Build Coachella Valley Fund supports the region’s social, environmental, and economic well-being by investing in organizations that improve quality of life throughout the Coachella Valley.
Under the guidance of its Leadership Committee, the fund invests in projects that strengthen the Coachella Valley by responding to priorities identified by local leaders. Committee members Karen Cheney, Jack Fitzsimmons, Walter Gendell, and Vicki Willock work alongside IECF to direct the fund’s grantmaking and long-term vision.
For each grant cycle, the Leadership Committee selects one of the seven Vital Conditions for Well-Being as the fund’s focus area. “When BCVF was first launched in 2023, it supported food insecurity,” said Michael Hinkle, IECF’s charitable giving officer for the Coachella Valley. “Every two years, the leadership committee picks a different vital condition to champion, and we support organizations that are doing something around those conditions, like education, food insecurity, and housing. All the things that people need to thrive. That’s behind the work we are doing.”
This summer, the committee selected three organizations whose work reflects the fund’s current focus on education and lifelong learning:
- Codex Creation Committee, which empowers communities through free educational programming and health initiatives.
- Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs, which provides a safe place for children and teens to learn, play, and build relationships with caring mentors.
- Tools for Tomorrow, which offers free after-school arts literacy programs that include creative writing, visual arts, music appreciation, and theatre for children ages 7 through 11.
BCVF Leadership Committee Members with Tools for Tomorrow staff; LtoR: Walter Gendel, Andrea Hecht, Emily Cheley, Jack Fitzsimmons, Karen Cheney
Although each organization serves a different population, together they expand opportunities for young people across the Coachella Valley.
“The emergence of the Build Coachella Valley Fund has established a critical source of support for local nonprofits that provide important services and direct impact for local residents,” said Tizoc DeAztlan, Executive Director of Codex Creation Committee.
The committee also recognized the importance of summer programming, when many families are looking for safe, enriching activities for their children while school is out.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Inland Empire Community Foundation for its investment in our Triple Play Summer Program, which helps local youth stay active, build healthy habits, strengthen friendships, and develop the confidence they need to succeed,” said Margaret Keung, Executive Director of Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs.
Andrea Hecht, Executive Director of Tools for Tomorrow, added, “We’re proud to give children ‘tools for tomorrow’ that will help them grow, thrive, and succeed. IECF’s support has the power to transform lives today and for generations to come.”
In November of 2026, the BCVF Leadership Committee will gather with the grantees to learn how the funding supported their work and to begin shaping the fund’s next round of investments.
The Build Coachella Valley Fund welcomes contributions from individuals, families, and businesses who want to invest in and strengthen the Coachella Valley. At IECF, we believe the future of a thriving Inland Empire will be built through partnerships with residents and nonprofits, businesses, the government, and philanthropy. We invite you to join us!
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