From The Center’s Palm Springs McDonald Wright Building and The Center Coachella to the Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic and the Community Food Bank, strategic initiatives set in place make a significant difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the region.  

Recent funding from Inland Empire Community Foundation’s (IECF) grant through the FitzDell Gifting Fund will allow the nonprofit to further these advances. 

“The impact we are having across the Coachella Valley only happens because of the generosity of our community,” said Mike Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert (The Center). “The FitzDell Gifting Fund has been an exceptional partner in this important, and lifesaving work.” 

Holding strong to its key values—integrity, equity, and joy—The Center finds itself moving deeper into 2025 with even greater focus and drive. 

“The current social and political climate has made it increasingly more challenging for LGBTQ+ people, which is evidenced in the rise of new clients in our Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic,” Thompson said. “With limited resources already available in the Coachella Valley, its important The Center continues to build and expand its services to meet the mental health needs of our community into the future.” 

With so many shifting political puzzle pieces these days, maintaining funding for nonprofits has become a hot topic; however, Thompson feels The Center may get through 2025 with grace. 

“While many organizations are concerned about the loss of programs funded by federal grants, The Center does not share this same concern,” he said. “Fortunately, our programs and services have been built upon, and continue to be funded by, the generosity of individual philanthropy, such as the grant we received through IECF.”

In addition to the Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic, the Community Food Bank, and other valued programs, The Center’s Gender Expansive and Family Support program also stands out. 

Gender expansive and family support programs and services include access to key resources, education, and opportunities for community building and engagement. These services are provided to trans or gender-expansive-headed families and families with gender expansive youth or adults. This includes adults considering parenthood.   

To that end, The Center offers bi-weekly parent support groups, monthly youth meetups, and individual support services.  

It’s but one of the vital and impactful programs The Center offers. Meanwhile, Thompson is quick to note The Center’s exceptional team of volunteers who contribute in various roles across the organization. He encourages individuals to visit the organization’s website to learn more about volunteer opportunities.  

Learn more at thecentercv.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, April 2025.

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The post Grantee Spotlight: FitzDell Gifting Fund empowers the LGBTQ+ Community Center of the Desert (The Center) appeared first on IECF.

This beloved nonprofit, which relies on philanthropic support to operate, has served the region for more than 50 years.

“We are a 100 percent non-profit zoo and botanical garden,” said Jeff Petrovic, Chief Development Officer of The Living Desert. “We don’t get any ongoing city funding so every dollar we receive from our supporters regardless of where it comes from is important to our success and our mission.”

The recent grant is made possible through a donor advised fund (DAF) at IECF—a popular choice among donors who value the ability to recommend grants to the charities and causes they care about most.

“If it weren’t for those donor-advised funds being held at the Inland Empire Community Foundation, I don’t know if we would see these dollars,” Petrovic added. “DAFs make it so easy for donors to give to their favorite nonprofits.”

To be sure, The Living Desert is one of the region’s standout organizations. It represents the desert environments of North America, Australia, and Africa, and features more than 150 species, 1,200 protected acres, and many miles of hiking trails.

As an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo and botanical garden, The Living Desert is a frequently visited haven for both locals and visitors.

“We have 80 different projects happening in 12 countries around the world,” Petrovic said. “Which is pretty spectacular. People are always so pleasantly surprised when they find out we’re an international conservation organization.”

He makes note of the state reptile, the desert tortoise, which is now a protected species.

“We have a headstart program for the desert tortoise because they’re threatened right now.  The raven population is out of control—really because of humans,” he said. “Ravens have an endless food supply when we don’t cover our trash cans, or we don’t cover our dumpsters.”

“All that extra food that we throw away become part of the ravens’ endless food supply,” he added. “So, their population has increased dramatically.”

Ravens also love to consume baby tortoises.

“When tortoises are very small, their shells are easily breakable by the ravens,” Petrovic said. “Unfortunately, that becomes one less tortoise that we have in the wild. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, along with the San Diego Zoo, have a partnership where we go out and harvest tortoise eggs from the wild, bring them here to the Living Desert, incubate them, help them to hatch, and then we grow them to a certain size.”

The result keeps these animals in the perfect environment at the perfect temperature, and perfectly fed to help them grow quickly and get to a specific size.

Meanwhile, the organization flourishes with a variety of offerings, such as the newly opened Bighorn Cafe and the Oasis Splash Pad. The café seats 150 people. The new splash pad allows guests to visit in the warmer months, and even in cooler months, providing opportunities to enjoy yet another fun activity while visiting the grounds.

Oasis Splash Pad is included in the price of the zoo entrance.

In the meantime, the organization’s mindful outreach is considerable. It includes international field conservation efforts, local habitat restoration, and on-site initiatives.

Community engagement is a big part of the picture, as The Living Desert looks at why some species are struggling and works with the community to help turn things around.

Providing social science training to conservationists around the world is another key part of their work.

The Living Desert also collaborates with youth, community leaders, and local businesses, which fosters a more holistic approach that enhances human and wildlife co-existence.

Petrovic praises the community’s support. This comes through membership, donations, zoo adoptions, volunteering, and even the nonprofit’s Adopt a Train program. That program supports the center’s G-scale model train exhibit, which provides a stellar miniature view of the Coachella Valley’s historic past, featuring real plants and climate zones.

Adopting a train supports the project’s maintenance and upgrades, making this creative arm a unique gift for guests and train enthusiasts.

All of these elements enliven the overall successful enterprise. Petrovic also points out that by connecting guests to individual animals in immersive habitats, The Living Desert can create conservation advocates for nature and wildlife.

Learn more at www.livingdesert.org

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, May 2025.

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 post Grantee Spotlight: The Living Desert – the IE’s international wildlife conservation organization appeared first on IECF.