Photo of Prado Dam/Prado Basin with various Inland Empire communities upstream, and the snow capped peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains in the background. Prado Dam also sits near the confluence of three county lines adjoining – Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange.
IECF is proud to announce the establishment of the Arrowhead Environmental Stewardship Fund, a new donor-advised fund created through a partnership with Primo Brands to support local nonprofits working on water and land conservation across our region.
More than two-thirds of the Inland Empire’s water comes from outside our region. The California State Water Project, a 700-mile network of aqueducts that moves water from Northern California to the south, and the Colorado River, both under increasing pressure from drought and competing demands across seven states, supply most of what residents here depend on. The Santa Ana River Watershed is one of the IE’s only significant local water sources in a region that imports most of what it uses. Protecting it is of primary importance.
That’s the context behind the Arrowhead Environmental Stewardship Fund, established through a partnership with Primo Brands, maker of Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water. As noted in a March 2026 press release, The fund will provide grants to local nonprofits working to conserve, restore, and strengthen the Santa Ana River Watershed, which spans more than 2,800 square miles across San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties. Priority areas include water scarcity, watershed resilience, habitat restoration, and wildfire fuel reduction.
The fund launches with $250,000 in initial funding, with the intention to invest $1 million over four years. Grants will be awarded through an advisory committee that includes IECF representatives, scientific experts, community stakeholders, and Primo Brands.
“At Primo Brands, stewardship of natural resources is fundamental to our mission,” said Charles Fogg, Chief Sustainability Officer at Primo Brands. “Our regionally sourced water is the proud origin of our brands and the lifeblood of the communities we serve. We are excited to provide financial backing to help empower local non-profit groups doing incredible work in the communities where we live, work and play.”
IECF Staff with Primo Brands Team Members, LtoR: Paula Myles, Brie Griset Smith, Tam Pham, Trey Mixon, Celia Cudiamat
IECF’s involvement is part of a broader initiative by Primo Brands that includes a parallel fund for the San Jacinto Watershed in the Houston region, managed by Greater Houston Community Foundation. Together, the two watersheds cover more than 8,000 square miles and serve more than 12 million residents.
“We are proud to work alongside Primo Brands as they launch this donor-advised fund dedicated to protecting the Santa Ana River Watershed,” said Brie Griset Smith, CSPG, Chief Development Officer at IECF. “Corporate partnerships like this one address the regional challenges our communities face, from water scarcity to wildfire resilience, in ways that grant funding alone rarely can. By directing their investment toward a thriving natural world, Primo Brands is putting local nonprofits in a stronger position to do the habitat restoration and watershed conservation work our region needs.”
“A thriving natural world is a vital condition for healthy, resilient communities, and that includes protecting the watersheds and forests the Inland Empire depends on,” added David Hernandez, Regional Forest and Fire Coordinator at IECF. “From wildfire recovery to water quality, this fund will support the local work that makes our region stronger. We’re glad to steward it alongside Primo Brands.”
Grant applications for the Arrowhead Environmental Stewardship Fund will be announced later this year. Nonprofits interested in applying can visit iegives.org/nonprofits/overview or email grant-info@iegives.org.
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