NEW! Free Pre-Summit Event: 

Zócalo heads to Riverside for the Inland Empire Community Foundation’s 2026 Policy & Philanthropy Summit to host a free pre-summit conversation with health workforce manager Vicky Bocanegra, higher education and workforce policy leader Su Jin Jez, and Growing Inland Achievement president and CEO Ashish Vaidya on how best to prepare California’s students for the big, bright world ahead.

Registration is required and is separate from the Policy & Philanthropy Summit registration. 

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The arts, in particular.

Thanks to a recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation through the CIELO Fund, Galan Cultural Center is making new strides to offer something unique to Inland Empire residents.

“The grant allows us to expand our programming and other initiatives,” said Goretty Ornelas, director of the center. “Especially our Safe to Be in Action project, which helps us deliver messages to the Latino community, especially to those in need.”

Safe to Be in Action (Seguridad en Acción) is a free bilingual, theater-based program designed to teach families about various topics and issues—from bullying and boundaries to domestic violence and immigrant rights.

It’s an eclectic mix, overall, and the results have proven to be positive.

“The grant truly helps us open doors and create dialogue between parents and our youth,” Ornelas added. “The theatrical performances are about five to 10 minutes long, and they touch on a variety of topics, even something like digital safety.

“The funding helps us to pay for theater professionals, artists, and actors, and the staff that will help us put this together,” he added.

Galan Cultural Center has long been making strides in terms of community connection.

Programs offered are diverse. There’s Ballet Folklorico for all ages, and Folklorico Pequeñitos, for instance, which features traditional folkloric dance classes for children ages 2 to 5, stands out.

Ballet, jazz, and hip hop are also offered for various age groups.

Meanwhile, La Care Programs offer a broad mix of opportunities for the community to learn everything from healthy cooking and Zumba to participating in circuit training and other cardio activities. Health is a significant focus here.

Singing and other theatrical programs have been woven into this creative mix.

Elsewhere, a variety of events keep the nonprofit’s calendar full throughout the year. Collectively, all this reflects the dedication Galan has maintained since it officially became a nonprofit in 2021.

“We’ve actually been in the community for 30 years, before becoming a nonprofit,” Ornelas noted. “Our mission has been always to give the community access to the performing arts at a low cost or even free whenever funding is available.”

He says the organization has been expanding its programming since reaching nonprofit status, noting how having access to theater has become a great tool to educate the community and keep people informed.

“We encourage our community to participate in even more programming,” Ornelas said. “Whether that’s in areas around language or culture.”

He was quick to point out that there are always volunteer opportunities.

“We’re grateful for the volunteers we’ve had—students and college students—and we’re especially interested in volunteers for the Safe to Be in Action program,” he said. “Some of the positions we have aren’t completely volunteer because they will get paid, and we see that people put in a lot of time.

“We encourage the community to volunteer,” he added.

Learn more at galanculturalcenter.org.

This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, July 2026.

Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy. Sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

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You’ve certainly heard that well-known quote. But have you thought about it in the context of your charitable giving? It’s common to create a charitable giving plan during a particular season of life. Perhaps you established a donor-advised fund after selling a business, included charitable gifts in your estate plan when your children were young, or began supporting favorite causes after retirement.

Over time, however, your life changes—and so does the community around you. Families grow, financial circumstances shift, priorities evolve, and our community faces new challenges. Organizations you care about may expand their missions or collaborate with other nonprofits tackling similar needs. Just as financial and estate plans benefit from periodic review, your charitable plan deserves an occasional checkup as well.

If it has been a few years since you’ve revisited your charitable goals, consider reaching out to the IECF team. We’d be happy to serve as a sounding board as you ask yourself a few questions. Examples include:

Are the causes I support today the same causes I cared about ten years ago?

Many donors find that their interests evolve over time. You may have become passionate about education, environmental conservation, healthcare, animal welfare, faith-based initiatives, or other causes that were not top priorities years ago.

Does my charitable plan still reflect my family’s values?

Children and grandchildren often develop interests and perspectives of their own. Many families discover that charitable giving provides a meaningful opportunity to discuss values, generosity, and community impact across generations. The result is that families want to adjust their charitable priorities to reflect the interests of the family’s next generation. 

Have I reviewed my retirement account beneficiary designations recently?

Perhaps you’ve already worked with your advisors to update beneficiary designations of your retirement plans. Even so, it’s a good idea to take a look at those documents every few years to be sure nothing is missing. And if you’ve not yet named your fund at IECF or another charity as a beneficiary of IRAs and other retirement accounts, it’s worth exploring because of the potentially meaningful tax benefits of these arrangements. Be sure to ask your tax advisor about whether this technique could be a fit for you, and reach out to the IECF team to help set your intentions in motion.

Do I know how local needs have changed?

Communities are constantly evolving and ours is no exception. While many longstanding needs remain, new challenges and opportunities often emerge over time. New opportunities to make a difference pop up every year, and learning about them can inspire you to get involved. IECF is a valuable resource to provide not only the big picture of what’s going on in our region but also specific examples of how nonprofits are meeting the most pressing community needs. 

Am I making this as easy on myself as possible?

You want to experience the joy of giving—not add administrative layers! Many donors appreciate opportunities to simplify their philanthropy. Whether through a donor-advised fund, another type of fund at IECF, or a combination of funds designed to achieve different goals, the right structure can make giving more organized and enjoyable.

Remember that updating your charitable plan does not necessarily require major changes. Sometimes a simple conversation with the IECF team is enough to confirm that everything remains on track. Other times, donors discover opportunities to strengthen their impact, engage family members, or support causes in new ways.

IECF is always happy to help you review your charitable goals and explore ways to ensure that your philanthropy continues to reflect your values, your family, and your hopes for the future. We look forward to our next conversation!  

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at the community foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

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In many of these conversations, parents and grandparents ask how they can get teens involved. “The teenage years can be tricky,” they tell us. “But we also know this is an important time to begin conversations about philanthropy.” And that’s certainly true! Teens are old enough to understand community challenges, form opinions about issues they care about, and make thoughtful decisions about how they want to help. 

For parents, it’s likely worth exploring the research behind the benefits of getting teens involved in the community. In particular, a landmark study published eight years ago (and still relevant) in the Journal of Adolescence found that altruistic behaviors—such as learning about and assisting strangers—not only appeal to adolescents, but actively raise their self-esteem and feelings of self-worth.

No matter how compelling the strategy may be, however, getting teens involved is often easier said than done. The team at IECF is happy to help. Here are ten suggestions for simple ways to start the process.

1. Ask what they care about

Many adults begin by talking about charities they support. Instead, start by asking your teen what issues matter to them. They may be passionate about animals, the environment, education, healthcare, mental health, or helping neighbors in need. Listening first can create a stronger foundation for future conversations and ultimately deeper community engagement.

2. Volunteer together

Giving involves more than writing checks. Spending even just an hour volunteering as a family can help teens see firsthand how nonprofit organizations serve the community and why charitable support matters. 

3. Let them help make giving decisions

If your family uses a donor-advised fund at IECF, consider inviting teens to recommend a portion of the annual grants to nonprofit organizations they believe in. Even small decisions can help them gain confidence and feel invested in the family’s philanthropy. Some families even choose to establish a donor-advised fund for a child or grandchild when they reach adulthood, using cash or appreciated assets to help launch a lifetime of charitable giving.

4. Visit local nonprofits

Many nonprofit organizations welcome visitors and offer tours or informational meetings. Seeing an organization’s work in action often leaves a lasting impression and helps young people understand the impact of charitable giving. Again, this does not need to take a lot of time. Even a 20-minute visit can be eye-opening. The IECF team is happy to offer suggestions and make connections.

5. Encourage teens to research charities

Ask your teen to identify a cause they care about and jump online to learn more about organizations addressing that issue. This can help develop critical thinking skills and introduce concepts such as nonprofit missions, effectiveness, and community impact. Feel free to ask the IECF team to suggest websites, books, and other educational resources if your teen wants to learn more. 

6. Talk about family values

Charitable giving often reflects deeply held beliefs and priorities. Sharing stories about why your family supports certain causes can help teens understand that philanthropy is about more than money—it’s about making a difference. For example, if your family has supported a particular nonprofit for many years because of a personal connection, take the time to explain to your teen the history and original connection. 

7. Help them give their own money

Whether it is a portion of an allowance, earnings from a summer job, or birthday money, encouraging teens to make their own charitable gifts can be a powerful learning experience. It always feels more “real” to spend your own money, and charitable giving is no exception. 

8. Introduce teens to community leaders

This suggestion surprises many parents and grandparents who wish they would have thought of it sooner! Think of all the people you know who are making a difference every day in the community, whether working at a nonprofit, serving in a civic leadership position, or leading philanthropy efforts for a business. These conversations can inspire teens by showing them how individuals—real people—can create meaningful change.

9. Invite teens to community foundation events

Many events hosted by IECF may be well-suited for your teen to attend, especially when our team is presenting information about community needs or celebrating a community milestone. The next time you plan to attend an IECF event, consider asking our team whether it might be appropriate to bring a teenage child or grandchild. We are also happy to suggest upcoming events that may be especially engaging for young people.

10. Focus on progress, not perfection

To state the obvious, there is no single right way to raise charitable children and grandchildren! The goal is not to create experts overnight. Instead, focus on creating opportunities for curiosity, learning, and participation. Small—even very small—experiences can help teens build lifelong habits of generosity and civic engagement.

One of the greatest gifts you can give the next generation is an understanding that they have the power to make a difference. IECF would be delighted to help!

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at the community foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Charitable giving: Ten ways teens can get involved appeared first on IECF.

Over time, many donors discover that they want something more. They want to learn about local needs, connect with nonprofits making a difference in their community, involve family members in giving decisions, and work with people who understand the place they call home. For these donors, transferring a donor-advised fund from a national charitable sponsor or a commercial provider to IECF can be a natural next step.

The good news is that moving a donor-advised fund is often easier than people expect. Here is a simple guide to the process.

Step 1: Start a conversation with IECF

The first step is simply to reach out. The IECF team can learn about your charitable interests, answer questions, and explain how a donor-advised fund at IECF can support your goals.

Many donors are surprised to learn that IECF offers not only the convenience of a donor-advised fund, but also local knowledge, philanthropic expertise, and a long-term commitment to strengthening the community.

Step 2: Map out a fund that reflects your values

One of the most enjoyable parts of the process is designing a fund that reflects your family’s charitable vision. You can choose a fund name, such as the Smith Family Fund or Smith Family Foundation, designate fund advisors, and discuss how future generations might become involved. Many donors use this opportunity to create a structure that encourages family conversations about generosity and community impact, tapping into IECF’s resources and expertise.

Step 3: Establish your new donor-advised fund

IECF will provide a simple fund agreement that outlines how the fund will operate and who may recommend grants to nonprofit organizations. The process is typically straightforward, and the IECF team will guide you through each step.

Step 4: Recommend a grant to make the transfer from your current donor-advised fund

Once your new fund is established at IECF, you can contact your current donor-advised fund provider and recommend a grant to IECF for the benefit of your newly created fund. In many cases, this can be completed online and requires only a few minutes.

Step 5: Confirm the details

To help ensure a smooth transfer, be sure to use the exact name of your new fund and any instructions provided by IECF. Our team will gladly help coordinate the details and answer any questions that arise along the way.

Step 6: Decide how much to transfer

Some donors transfer the entire balance of an existing donor-advised fund at once. Others prefer to transfer a portion first and move additional assets later. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. The right decision depends on your charitable goals, giving plans, and personal preferences. Some donors even choose to maintain their existing donor-advised fund at a commercial provider while also establishing a separate locally-focused donor-advised fund or other charitable fund at IECF.

Step 7: Put your philanthropy to work in the community

After the transfer is complete, you can begin recommending grants from your IECF donor-advised fund. Our team is always here as a sounding board and resource if you have questions! You may already support several favorite local nonprofits, and our team is happy to discuss both these organizations and new organizations that might have caught your attention. Many donors find that this deeper connection to the local community—and to professionals who understand it—becomes one of the most rewarding aspects of their giving.

The upshot here is that any donor-advised fund can help you organize and simplify your charitable giving. By moving your fund to IECF, you also gain a local partner committed to helping you make a lasting difference close to home. If you’d like to explore whether a transfer makes sense for you, the IECF team would be delighted to start the conversation!

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at the community foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

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Indeed, recent headlines are a reminder that initial public offerings can create significant charitable planning opportunities. For example, CNBC’s article on SpaceX millionaires and wealth management, The Wall Street Journal’s “Tech’s Next IPO Wave Promises a Charitable Windfall,” and Business Insider’s coverage of newly wealthy SpaceX employees all point to the same theme: Liquidity events can quickly turn founders, executives, early employees, and investors into high-net-worth charitable clients. 

Of course, for attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, the key is to bring up the topic of charitable planning as early as possible—ideally before shares are sold and before clients make irrevocable tax, investment, or estate planning decisions.

You may be curious about how IPOs and charitable planning might come together for your clients and how IECF can help! Consider three scenarios for inspiration: 

Scenario 1: Founder or executive with highly appreciated stock

A founder or executive approaching an IPO may be holding shares with very low basis and significant expected appreciation. Depending on timing, restrictions, and tax rules, contributing a portion of appreciated shares to a fund at IECF may help your client support charitable goals while potentially reducing exposure to capital gains tax. A donor-advised fund, field-of-interest fund, or designated fund, for example, can allow the client to create a long-term charitable strategy while maintaining flexibility after the IPO dust settles.

Scenario 2: Employee with a sudden wealth event

As recent SpaceX coverage illustrates, IPOs can create thousands of newly wealthy employees who may never have needed sophisticated charitable planning before. These clients may be juggling concentrated stock positions, tax liabilities, estate planning needs, and family conversations about wealth. A donor-advised fund at IECF can provide a simple, organized way to set aside charitable dollars in a high-income year and then recommend grants over time as the client becomes more intentional about giving. This strategy is called “bunching.”

Scenario 3: Investor or family seeking legacy and multigenerational community impact

Some clients who benefit from IPO activity may already have significant wealth and want to use the liquidity event to formalize a philanthropic legacy. These clients may be good candidates for multiple charitable funds, such as a donor-advised fund for flexible family grantmaking, a scholarship fund to support education, and an unrestricted or field-of-interest fund to address changing community needs over time. IECF can work alongside you and your client’s full advisory team to align tax planning, family goals, and charitable impact.

Finally, and importantly, what’s the common thread across all three scenarios? Timing. Once an IPO, sale, or lock-up expiration is underway, some planning options may be limited. Advisors who ask charitable questions and loop in the team at IECF early can help clients turn a major financial event into meaningful support for the causes they care about.

Please reach out to our team to discuss clients’ charitable opportunities related to IPOs, appreciated stock, business interests, other complex assets—and anything else related to philanthropy. IECF is here for you! It is our honor to be your first call on matters of charitable giving. 

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at IECF is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you help your clients build their charitable plans and pursue their philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post IPOs and charitable clients: Three scenarios for impact appeared first on IECF.

Tackling the details is important. Effective charitable planning also requires something broader, and that’s context. That’s why the team at IECF is committed to keeping you up to date on research and trends that affect philanthropy and related strategies at a macro level. Indeed, charitable planning does not occur in a vacuum; it exists within a rapidly evolving nonprofit sector and a dynamic legislative and regulatory environment.

In that spirit, we’re sharing three important trends and updates:

Philanthropy—including your clients’ gifts—supports a larger and more complex nonprofit sector than ever before. 

Charitable giving is going strong! In 2025, Americans contributed an estimated $617 billion to support causes ranging from local nonprofits and places of worship to educational institutions and animal welfare organizations. This fell just short of the record set during a pandemic-related surge in philanthropy, but nevertheless, 2025 represents one of the highest levels of charitable giving ever recorded.

Consistent with that trend, in its recent report, The U.S. Tax-Exempt Sector Explained: The Growing Role of Nonprofits in America, the Bipartisan Policy Center highlights the significant growth of the nonprofit sector over the past several decades. Nonprofits today provide essential services, strengthen communities, advance education and healthcare, and address needs that government and the private sector often cannot meet on their own. This signals an important reminder to advisors that charitable planning is not simply a tax exercise. Helping your clients support charitable organizations can have meaningful implications for communities and local economies well beyond the specific charitable organizations themselves.

Charitable planning tools continue to evolve. 

PG Calc’s recent article, The State of Play: Navigating the Current Landscape of QCD Legislation and DAF Regulations, provides a helpful review of ongoing discussions in Washington surrounding Qualified Charitable Distributions and donor-advised funds. These tools continue to offer valuable planning opportunities for many clients, and the article serves as a reminder that charitable planning strategies are shaped by legislation, regulation, and public policy discussions. Advisors who stay informed about potential changes are often better positioned to help clients adapt as the charitable planning landscape evolves.

Clients increasingly expect charitable planning to be integrated into broader financial and estate planning conversations. 

Philanthropy is becoming more sophisticated, more visible, and more interconnected with wealth transfer, retirement planning, tax planning, and legacy goals. A recent article in Financial Advisor Magazine highlighted once again the importance of philanthropy to high net worth families, which in turn means that advisors who work with these clients must be familiar with donor-advised funds and other charitable planning tools. Clients often look to their trusted advisors not only for technical expertise, but also for perspective on how charitable giving fits into their overall financial picture. 

The bottom line is that context matters! By working with the community foundation to stay informed about trends affecting nonprofits, charitable incentives, and philanthropic planning, you can better serve your charitable clients and help them achieve both their financial and estate planning goals and their goals for community impact.

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at IECF is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you help your clients build their charitable plans and pursue their philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Backdrop required: Informing your work with charitable clients appeared first on IECF.

What’s going on here?

Business succession planning is becoming increasingly important as a growing share of American wealth is tied to privately held companies. According to the National Center for the Middle Market at The Ohio State University, approximately 200,000 U.S. companies generate annual revenues between $10 million and $1 billion. At the same time, a recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted the growing ranks of wealthy Americans whose fortunes were built through private business ownership and equity growth. For many of these business owners, a succession event may represent the largest liquidity event of their lifetime. And for attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, these trends point to a growing need for thoughtful planning around business transitions, wealth transfer, and charitable legacy strategies.

What is most important for advisors to know?

The single most important takeaway is that charitable planning should be part of the succession conversation as early as possible. Whether a client is preparing to sell a closely held business, transfer ownership to family members, explore an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), or simply begin thinking about life after the company, charitable planning deserves a seat at the table early in the process. Too often, philanthropy enters the conversation only after a transaction is in the works or already complete. By then, some of the most effective planning windows may be closed. By asking the right questions early, you can help your clients support meaningful causes, potentially reduce taxes, involve family members in giving, and create a lasting charitable legacy.

What questions should I ask my clients? 

Here are four “must ask” questions and why they are important, plus a word of caution.

Have you thought about including charitable giving in your business succession plan?

Many business owners have most of their wealth tied up in their companies. When a sale or ownership transition occurs, the resulting tax consequences can be significant. In some situations, contributing a portion of closely held business interests to charity before a transaction may allow a client to support charitable goals while potentially reducing capital gains tax exposure. Again, timing is key. Once letters of intent are signed or a transaction becomes binding, certain charitable planning opportunities may no longer be available. That’s why advisors should raise charitable planning discussions long before the deal reaches the finish line.

Remember that charitable planning is not limited to third-party sales. Clients considering ESOPs, family transfers, recapitalizations, redemptions, or other succession strategies may also benefit from exploring charitable opportunities.

Are there causes or organizations that helped shape your business, your employees, or your family’s values?

Business succession often prompts reflection. Many owners begin thinking not only about what they have built, but also about the communities, schools, nonprofits, and organizations that contributed to their success. This conversation can help clients identify charitable priorities that might otherwise be left unexplored. It also creates an opportunity to discuss how a business transition could become a catalyst for meaningful community impact rather than simply a financial event.

Would you like your children or grandchildren to be involved in charitable decisions after the transition?

For many families, succession planning is about more than transferring wealth. It is also about passing along values. A donor-advised fund at IECF can provide a flexible way for family members to participate in charitable decisions over time. Rather than making all charitable decisions immediately after a sale, a family can establish a fund, potentially involve multiple generations in recommending grants, and create a structure that supports ongoing conversations about philanthropy and community impact.

Are you interested in creating a charitable fund that can support multiple organizations over time?

Many business owners want to make a significant charitable commitment during a liquidity event but are not yet ready to determine exactly which organizations should receive support. A donor-advised fund can help bridge that gap. Clients can contribute assets during a high-income year, potentially receive a charitable deduction if eligible, and then recommend grants to charitable organizations over time. This flexibility allows clients to separate the timing of a charitable contribution from the timing of individual grant decisions.

A word of caution

Some clients may initially assume that a private foundation is the best vehicle for implementing their charitable goals alongside a business exit or succession plan. However, private foundations can be subject to complex rules governing self-dealing, excess business holdings, required distributions, investments, and other activities, not to mention the unfavorable tax deductibility rules for gifts of closely held stock to a private foundation as compared with a donor-advised fund. For many business owners, a donor-advised fund can provide a simpler alternative with significantly less administrative burden and, in many cases, more favorable tax treatment.

IECF is happy to work alongside you and your clients to explore charitable planning opportunities. Please reach out anytime you encounter a pending business succession situation—or preferably a potential business succession situation!

Please reach out to our Charitable Giving Team anytime. Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy – sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The team at IECF is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you help your clients build their charitable plans and pursue their philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

The post Business succession planning: Four questions and one word of caution appeared first on IECF.

Thanks to a recent grant from the Elissa Hepner Donor Advised Fund through Inland Empire Community Foundation, Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic has been able to offset expenses that go into producing exceptional productions.

“We specialize in presenting the very best orchestras from around the world here,” said Lee Mills, executive director of Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic. “And that’s quite an expensive endeavor that our ticket sales don’t cover. I would say they cover about 60 percent of the direct expenses related to concerts. And once you add the administrative and the education work we do, our ticket sales only cover about half of what we need to get through the year.”

The other half of that funding comes from donations from the Philharmonic’s patrons, and from foundations like IECF, Mills added. To that end, grants and donations are very critical to the organization being able to fill its mission here in Coachella Valley.

The Philharmonic has a long history of memorable concerts and performances, in fact. Renowned guest artists through the years include: pianists Piotr Anderszewski of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra (in 2008) and Alain Lefèvre of Pacific Symphony (2020); narrator Cate Blanchett of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (in 2026); and violinist Joshua Bell of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (in 2026).

Acclaimed conductors—from Petr Altrichter of Prague Symphony Orchestra (2005) to Boguslaw Dawidow of the Polish Baltic Frédéric Chopin Philharmonic (2016) have graced the stage at the McCallum Theatre.

Since its inception in 1974, Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic has been committed to enhancing the cultural life of the Coachella Valley with world-class presentations of orchestras and exceptional classical music performances. The nonprofit also supports initiatives that educate the future generations of musicians and audiences.

“Thanks to the generosity of our patrons, we have been moving more into the second part of our mission,” Mills said. “The first part is that we present excellent classical music in the Valley. The next part of our mission is supporting music education to help bring music into the lives of different people.

“I’m very happy to say that last September, we hired, for the first time, an education coordinator,” he added. “That means we have a staff position responsible for education programs. In the past, we’ve only ever given scholarships, essentially, to students to go to summer camps or to go to music school, for university. But we’ve now started drastically expanding.”

During the past year, the organization has reached more than 500 students in the Coachella Valley by bringing these musicians from standout orchestras into the schools. Offering master classes and performances for the students has been a big hit.

Other noteworthy milestones include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

“We had a quartet that went out to Indio High School and played at the performing arts there for more than 200 students,” Mills said. “There was also the Academy of St. Martin, which comes from the UK—they sent a string quartet out to two different schools here in the Palm Springs Unified School District. It was highly impactful to have students experience the performance, hearing classical music at this level for the first time.”

Mills says next year, the organization will further expand these programs. The London Symphony Orchestra will be performing a field trip concert at the McCallum Theater in February 2027.

“We’re hoping to accommodate more than 2,000 students, from third to fifth grades, introducing them to the orchestra,” he added. “And the London Symphony Orchestra will be sending some of their staff out here in October to do professional development sessions with local area schoolteachers, giving them tools and resources and practices to help bring music education into their classroom, which we think is so important, especially because a lot of these elementary schools don’t have dedicated music teachers.

“Being able to give general education teachers tools and resources to be able to bring music into their classroom is very important to us,” he added.

Learn more at psphil.org.

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, July 2026.

Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy. Sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

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Círculo Azteca’s Executive Director, Founder, and Cultural Bearer, Gabriela Yaocihuatl Armenta, said that the recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation through the CIELO Fund helped the organization kickstart its work for 2026 and beyond.

“Given that we are known as both a cultural center and a community space, we were able to focus on keeping the doors open for the community and other local community groups and organizations that maybe don’t have a space,” she said. “These groups can come and share our resources.”

Yaocihuatl Armenta Launched the organization more than 15 years ago. Its roots stem back to 1942 in Salamanca, Guanajuato, Mexico. For nearly 20 years now, the nonprofit has participated in ceremonies and cultural events that span the spectrum from museums, city-hosted events, and nonprofit outings to intertribal gatherings throughout region.

“We’re always looking for ways to partner and to uplift the community and other organizations,” Yaocihuatl Armenta added, noting that as a traditional ceremonial group and Indigenous culture center, the nonprofit strives to always preserve and promote Mexican heritage through a variety of ancestral ceremonial practices.

In that way, anybody who is eager to learn about the native customs of the Anahuac people, including traditions rooted in natural medicine, are welcome at the center.

“I share my Indigenous culture and traditions, and that’s very much a part of who I am,” Yaocihuatl Armenta stressed. “For me, it’s not a hobby. It’s a way of life. And on many levels, it’s about creating safe spaces for the community and for individuals who want to connect with their roots and cultural traditions. There’s a lot of resilience in the work that we do, and of course, we live in a time where we need a lot of that.

“We need a space where people can come together and learn and uplift each other,” she added.

Ceremonial “danzas,” Indigenous talking circles, and other practices, which have been passed down through generations, filter into the mix here. This allows participants an opportunity to explore their identity, perhaps bring balance into their daily routines, and create meaningful connections within community.

The gatherings have grown over the years, in fact. The community events have offered spaces for locals to participate and learn—everything from understanding a new language and pondering the deeper meaning of the cultural poetry and meaning within the songs to exploring the medicinal effects of everyday herbs.

Being part of a ceremonial circle also creates a rare opportunity to embrace a new structure, discipline, and responsibility.

Another standout within the organization, beyond its diverse mix of resources and events, is a scholarship fund.

“We open up our scholarship fund once a year and direct it towards high school seniors and undergrads,” Yaocihuatl Armenta said. “Anybody can apply that falls under those guidelines. They don’t have to be registered with any tribe or group. In that way, students can utilize it the best way that they want to.”

The scholarship is fueled from fundraising efforts, whether it’s through the organization’s small bookstore or even yard sales and basic donations. Two scholarships were distributed this year.

It may take a village, however, to effectively maintain culture and tradition. And that’s where volunteers and allies come in.

“We always welcome volunteers,” Yaocihuatl Armenta said. “And it’s not just the volunteers that can come in and help with all the heavy lifting. It’s very hands-on training. We always look for folks who are interested in leadership roles and facilitator roles, and anybody who’s interested in learning.”

Learn more at azteccirclecitlaltonac.org.

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, 2026.

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