News & Events

Inland Empire Community Foundation is committed to delivering clear, helpful information about the work we do to create a thriving Inland Empire region. As a vital link between the Foundation and the press, IECF welcomes requests from the media related to philanthropy, emerging issues, Foundation programs and the Foundation itself. Please also explore our blog for the latest IECF news and upcoming events.

Press Releases

Inland Empire Community Foundation often releases information to the media regarding our charitable funds, donors, grantmaking, and community leadership.

Please view press releases below.

The Community Foundation Receives $1 Million Gift in Honor of Former City Treasurer of Lake Elsinore

In The News

Press throughout the region covers Inland Empire Community Foundation charitable funds, grantmaking, and community leadership.

View recent news coverage about IECF.

2023

IE Latino Voices is a weekly five-minute segment funded by the CIELO Fund. The program features Latino-led and serving organizations sharing stories of how they impact our community. KVCR, Weekly

Inland Empire Latino organizations receive thousands in grant money from CIELO Fund, KABC7, February 7, 2023

Local Latino-led organizations awarded CIELO grant, KESQ-TV, February 6, 2023

$280,000 in grants given to ‘inspiring’ groups helping Inland Empire Latino community, Press Enterprise, February 4, 2023

CIELO Fund at IECF announces inaugural grants for organizations throughout Inland Empire, City News Group, February, 1, 2023

CIELO Fund’s first round of grants announced, KVCR-FM, February 1, 2023

CIELO Fund at IECF announces $280,000 in inaugural grants for Latino-led and serving organizations, IECN, February 1, 2023

2022

Stories of giving are important. The Community Foundation wants to us help bring them back, Desert Sun, December 19, 2022

Database helps Inland Empire residents pick nonprofit groups to support, Press Enterprise, December 9, 2022

New online resource helps philanthropists find charities, causes, Desert Sun, December 9, 2022

Making impressions: IECF targets specific needs by designating “signature funds,” Palm Springs Life, November 2, 2022

$4.7 million coming to Inland Empire to support artists, arts programs, San Bernardino Sun, October 29, 2022

Local collective receives $4.7 million to support artists, programming, Desert Sun, October 28, 2022

CIELO Fund launched to support Latinos in the Inland Empire, Spectrum News 1, October 12, 2022

Al Punto, Univision, October 9, 2022

Local charity seeks to uplift Latino Community in the Inland Empire through scholarships, NBC Los Angeles, October 7, 2022

Apoyan con fondos a hispanas en los condados de San Bernardino y Riverside, Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, October 6, 2022

Local organizations working to increase Latino and Hispanic registration, voter turnout, KESQ-TV, October 5, 2022

Concrete evidence, Palm Springs Life, October 5, 2022

CIELO Fund created to help Latino-focused organizations in the Inland Empire, Press Enterprise, October 1, 2022

CIELO Fund launches with $300,000 to invest in Latino-led and serving organizations, Desert Sun, September 30, 2022

Con ambicion, se lanza el Fundo Cielo, La Opinion, September 26, 2022

Fund is established to uplift and invest in Latino-led organizations in Inland Empire, Fontana Herald News, September 25, 2022

Let’s do more than celebrate the Latino community. Let’s invest in it, Southern California News Group, September 23, 2022

Latinos now the majority in the Inland Empire and a new fund aims to boost investments, KABC 7, September 23, 2022

Boys & Girls Club receives substantial grants, Record Gazette, September 23, 2022

How to help victims of the Fairview fire near Hemet, Press Enterprise, September 7, 2022

Inland Empire Community Foundation celebrates 80 years of growing regional philanthropy, Desert Sun, August 12, 2022

Inland Empire Community Foundation celebrates 80 years, PE, SB Sun, Inland Valle Daily News, August 12, 2022

IECF Partners with Amazon for Earth Day, City News Group, April 26, 2022

Amazon, IECF support local groups in honor of Earth Day, Press Enterprise, April 23, 2022

Amazon teams with IECF to support environmental education, Desert Sun, April, 22, 2022

Family Resource Center is All in for the Needy, Precinct Reporter, April 21, 2022

New fund aims to raise money for local arts, Desert Sun, March 25, 2022

Fight to End Systemic Racism Getting Financial Boost in Inland Empire, NBC Los Angeles, February 3, 2022

Senior Financial Assistance Program, City News Group, January 20, 2022

IE Black Equity Fund announces $740,000 for 16 nonprofits, City News Group, January, 19, 2022

2021

Women’s Giving Fund donates $20,000 to Inland groups that help women, children, Southern California News Group, August 25, 2021

Philanthropist to celebrate 65th birthday with party benefitting charities, Desert Sun, August 13, 2021

IECF Launches New Office of Policy & Engagement to Focus on Regional Priorities Together, IECN, August 3, 2021

Inland Empire Community Foundation announces new office focusing on public policy, Southern California News Group, July 30, 2021

IECF Launches New Office of Policy & Engagement to Focus on Regional Priorities Together, IE Business Journal, July 26, 2021

Youth Grantmakers program lets students support Inland Empire nonprofit organizations, Press Enterprise, June 25, 2021

The James Irvine Foundation invests $2.7 million in the first phase of Just San Bernardino Collaborative Project, IECN, March 15, 2022

$2.7 million grant will help Just San Bernardino launch economic inclusion plan, San Bernardino Sun, March 12, 2022

Despite COVID-19, charitable donations increased in 2020, Desert Sun, March 5, 2021

Scholarships available for Inland Empire college-bound students, Southern California News Group, February 26, 2021

College-bound students encouraged to apply for IECF scholarships, Desert Sun, February 26, 2021

CSUSB alumna named IECF’s first African American board chair, Inside CSUSB, February 17, 2021

IEHP Plan Provides $50K Sponsorship to IE Black Equity Fund, IECN, February 15, 2021

County awards $3.4 million in COVID-relief grants to 216 nonprofits, Redlands Community News, February 11, 2021

San Bernardino County awards $3.4 million in COVID relief grants to 216 nonprofits, IECN, February 8, 2021

Movers & Shakers: Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds, Nefertiti Long, Kathy Johnson, Jeremy Hobbs and Ann Sheffer, Desert Sun, February 6, 2021

216 Nonprofits Split $3.4 Million from San Bernardino County, Southern California Newsgroup, February 5, 2022

Inland Empire Community Foundation Names First African American Board Chair, Inland Valley News, January 29, 2021

Chaffey College Superintendent/President Henry Shannon named Educator of the Year, Fontana Herald News, January 26, 2021

2020

Inland Empire’s Black Equity Initiative Launches First Regional Black Equity Fund, Black Voice News, July 15, 2020

$5 million coming for Black-led organizations in the Inland Empire with new initiative, Press Enterprise, July 14, 2020

Inland Empire Community Foundation has a history of helping in the region, Press Enterprise, April 11, 2020

Inland Empire Community Foundation reaching out to groups affected by coronavirus, Press Enterprise, April 2, 2020

Cash assistance coming to Coachella Valley to families hit hardest coronavirus pandemic closures, Desert Sun, March 28, 2020

Inland Empire Community Foundation collecting money to help with coronavirus impact, San Bernardino Sun, March 17, 2020

Coronavirus: How to help others in the Coachella Valley, Desert Sun, March 16, 2020

IECF opens new fund to support local residents affected by COVID-19 crisis, Inland Empire Community News, March 16, 2020

Events

IECF’s 3rd Annual Policy & Engagement Forum to Offer In-person Collaboration

Established in 2021, IECF’s Office of Policy & Engagement works to address inequities in the Inland Empire by creating greater policy capacity in the region. Through partnership with community-based organizations and collaboration with local changemakers, we’re amplifying the IE’s voice and influence on policymakers and the region’s major institutions.

Grassroots to grasstops: IECF’s 3rd Annual Policy Forum will provide an exciting opportunity to gather in person with local, regional and state leaders, innovators, and groundbreakers around five policy priority areas that are key to the Inland Empire’s resilience and success:

Education Equity
Inclusive Economic Development
Housing
Health
Climate and Environment

The 2023 Policy & Engagement Forum will be held at the Riverside Convention Center on August 9th and 10th. Special early bird rates are available through June 30th. General pricing begins July 1.

Your ticket includes:

Access to both days of the conference, including plenary and breakout sessions
Breakfast and lunch on both days
Access to co-hosted happy hours
Networking opportunities

Join us as we learn about exciting policy efforts underway! Together, we’ll boldly reimagine how we capture public and private resources that will empower long-lasting and substantial changes for the benefit of our communities.

For more information, contact Julian Cuevas, Director of Policy & Governmental Affairs at jcuevas@iegives.org

Sign up for our monthly eNewsletter! You’ll receive regular updates on the good work we’re doing in the IE through the power of philanthropy.

MAILING LIST

Professional Advisors Council (PAC) Meeting is May 23, 2023

We are pleased to welcome Mary “Kit” Mac Nee, CFP®, CRPC®, QPFC®, as our guest speaker.

Topic: Secure Act 1.0 and 2.0 – The Details That Matter
Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Time: 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

This will be a virtual event.

Kit will provide an overview of Secure Act 1.0 and 2.0 to help you effectively advise your clients about their retirement planning, savings and charitable giving.

She’ll answer questions your clients may ask, such as:

What do I need to change in my plans?
What can a business owner take advantage of to lower expenses?
What can I do with the $1M IRA I don’t need from my mother?
What does my grandchild who didn’t use their 529 Plan do?

If you haven’t reviewed the new Secure Act 2.0 legislation, here are just a few changes:

Increases the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) age for IRA withdrawals
Adjusts for inflation the $100K annual limit on direct gifts to qualified charities from your clients’ IRAs starting in 2024 (IRA Rollover)
Allows for a one-time gift of up to $50K from an IRA to fund a life-income gift, such as a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) or Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)

You’ll leave the meeting with great information to help you better serve your clients’ planning needs.

About our presenter:

Kit Mac Nee joined Morgan Stanley as a Financial Advisor in 2013. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Kit was with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management for nearly nine years. She served as Director of Gift Planning for The Community Foundation (now IECF) on her way to becoming a Certified Financial Planner™.

Kit is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management earned the Certified Specialist in Planned Giving ® from California State University Long Beach, American Institute of Philanthropy in 2001, became a Certified Financial Planner™ and Accredited Estate Planner® in 2013, and became a Qualified Plan Financial Consultant® in 2022.
For more information, please contact Jose A. Marquez, CSPG, Director of Planned Giving, at jmarquez@iegives.org.

Register today!

Thank you to our sponsor, Manufacturers Bank.