Inland Empire Black Equity Fund

The IE Black Equity Fund at IECF was created in 2020 with the mission and goal of advancing racial equity and supporting long-term investments in Black-led organizations in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. One of the first of its kind, the Fund set a goal to raise $5 million for Black-led organizations in the Inland Empire, and in three years, has exceeded its goal. Leading the effort is the Black Equity Initiative of the Inland Empire (BEI-IE), which, along with the BEI-IE Advisory Committee, has raised more than $6 million to sustain this effort over the past three years. Several foundations, companies, universities, organizations, and individuals have supported the IE Black Equity Fund directly. View photos from the Fund’s third-anniversary event in November 2023 here.

With unprecedented response, a collaborative of local stakeholders – statewide, regional and local funders as well as private donors and corporate philanthropy — are working in partnership with leaders of the Black Equity Initiative to advance their priority issues.

Funds will be used to advance the mission of Black-led and empowering organizations in the Inland Empire through core support, program and project support, and capacity building, all driven by the leadership and voice of the members of the Black Equity Initiative.

Research

To better understand the issues affecting the Inland Empire’s Black community which comprises 7.3% of the region’s population, and identify where funding might carry the most impact, the IE Black Equity Fund partnered with Mapping Black California to publish the “Black Equity Fund Report.

 

Why Support the IE Black Equity Fund?

  • Support Black-led and serving nonprofit organizations doing impactful work throughout the Inland Empire
  • Learn and support a better understanding of the issues impacting the Black community in the region through original research
  • Combine your gift with others to enhance impact
  • Network with other Blacks who are philanthropically-minded and living their passion

Grantmaking

At its core, the IE Black Equity Fund was launched to invest in Black-led and Black serving organizations and strengthen Black nonprofit infrastructure in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. To advance this goal, the Fund made two rounds of grant awards to 71 Black-led and serving organizations throughout the region totaling $1.767 million in funding.

The funding gave organizations, whether at the beginning of this work or scaling up existing equity programs, the opportunity to grow their capacity to advance racial equity in the Inland region. Technical assistance grants were also given to organizations seeking support with grant writing.

 

2023 Grantees:

African American Health Coalition

Akoma Unity Center

Black Voice Foundation

Brothers of the Desert

Community Health Action Network

I Am Love Movement

Millionaire Minds Kids

Morretta Community Development Foundation

Palm Springs Black History Committee

San Bernardino Fatherhood

SCORE; Sickle Cell Disease Foundation

Hamilton Essentials Foundation

With Open Arms

Curls, Coils, Crowns

Youth Action Project

Magdalena’s Daughters

IE Rebound

Youth Mentoring Action Network

IE Rebound

African American Concerned Churches

Time for Change

 IE Black Worker Center

 Community NOW

The Empowerment Center

Nehemiah Charitable Fund

CEEM

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Starting Over, Inc.

Clay Counseling

Sigma Beta Xi

Victor Valley Family Resource Center

Hazel’s Hands Inc              

Women Achieving Success (Dba Families Achieving Success)        

The LOVE Program          

Game Changers: Beyond the Classroom 

  1. Whitfield Legacy Foundation

Opulent Boss Beauties    

Evelyn E. Perkins (EEP) Foundation          

Never Stop Grinding Impact         

Growing Outreach Growing Opportunities            

African Soul International            

Little Seeds Matter         

  FORCES             

  Emerging Beauty, Inc. 

  Refocus-On-U 

  Sankofa Birthworkers Collective of the Inland Empire    

  The Black Collective     

  Children’s Resources, Inc.          

  First Community Capital, Inc.   

  Advancing Steps            

  Love Notes Alliance      

  Inland Empire Resource Center

  Game Changers (formerly known as Institute to Develop Equity, Advocacy and Leadership (iDEAL) 

  Oxfords and amies        

  Lamps of Light Project 

  Allie’s Allys       

  Feed My Flock Ministries           

  Leslys cpr         

  Great Encouragement Movement          

  Express Workforce Foundation

  Empowering Success Now        

  The FIATM GROUP INC.             

  Natlie A. Cole-Reagins (NACR) Foundation           

  THE CAN MAN

  St. Timothy Community Church              

  Building Resilient Communities               

  Diversity Uplifts, Inc.    

  The Heart Matters Foster Family Agency            

  S & L Foster Family Agency       

  Blueprints and Pathways           

  Inland Valley Alumnae Chapter – Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.            

To learn more about the IE Black Equity Fund, download the PDF.

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