Grantee Spotlight: Animal Samaritans expands thanks to Community Foundation grant
Animal Samaritans has actively promoted the healing power of animal-human connections, creating curricula that offer animal companionship as a form of treatment. One of the intrepid Coachella Valley nonprofit’s specialties is bringing trained animals to hospitals,...
Where Youth Voices Lead, Education Equity Follows
In the Inland Empire, young people are stepping forward with clear ideas about the schools and communities they want to see. Through a year of hosting “Freedom Dreaming Sessions” and learning from students and educators at our Education Equity Summit, we understand...
Grantee Spotlight: Nonprofit start-up ‘Chinampas’ sprouts compelling mental health initiative
A recent grant from Inland Empire Community via The CIELO Fund for Latino Empowerment is helping one local start-up offer a multigenerational approach to, as its founders put it, “honor the past, live in the present, and shape the future.” And all by using creativity...
One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Three big picture pointers
“So what does it mean for charitable planning, really?” That’s a question our team has been fielding from attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors ever since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act became law on July 4, 2025. It’s an understandable question, not only because...
Tongue twister: OBBBA, IRAs, QCDs, and FAQs
If your head is spinning, it’s for a good reason! Let’s face it–the rules for using IRAs to give to charity were complicated before the OBBBA got thrown into the mix. Let’s address five frequently asked questions we’ve been hearing from attorneys, CPAs, and financial...
Floor to Ceiling: Four Factors Shaping Corporate Giving
At IECF, we work with business leaders and business owners to structure charitable giving plans that achieve the company’s goals for its employees and the community. In many cases, corporate giving strategies include donating to local charities, whether directly or...
Lean on us: Five reasons to call IECF
In an economic and legislative environment full of unpredictability, we encourage you to tap the knowledgeable team at IECF–perhaps even more than you have in the past. If you’ve already established a donor-advised or other type of fund at IECF, you’re familiar with...
Philanthropy is for everyone: Three tips for young adults
“Philanthropy” may sound like something reserved for wealthy, “mature” adults, but that’s not at all the case. At IECF, we work with individuals of every generation, from young adults to retirees and everyone in between. Young adults in particular are getting involved...
Tax deduction? What tax deduction?
Despite–or perhaps in light of–the recent whirlwind of commentary about new federal laws and the implications for the charitable deduction and charitable giving, it is really important keep in mind that for most individuals, the decision to give is driven by deeply...
Beth Higbee Establishes Funds to Honor Her Parents
Beth Higbee wanted to do something to honor her parents, Mary Ellen and Thomas R. Brigante, Claremont-based psychologists who lived their lives to the fullest and inspired many others. “My parents focused on bringing health and happiness to people,” says Higbee, a...
