Foundation Relations are the Focus of IECC’s Fruitful Funder’s Forum
The forum enabled non-profit organizations to build relationships with local and forward-thinking state-wide funders.
San Bernardino, CA – The Inland Empire Community Collaborative (IECC) successfully hosted its 2024 Funder’s Forum, “Building Foundation Relationships,” at the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California on March 19, 2024. The event brought together nonprofit leaders, funders, and community stakeholders for a day of insightful discussions and networking opportunities.
The Funder’s Forum aimed to provide an interactive learning session on the cultivation of relationships with foundations, offering attendees the opportunity to engage with funders and gain valuable insights into the grant application process. Participants had the chance to learn directly from funders who support initiatives in Riverside County, gaining knowledge on various topics including philanthropic structures, research strategies for identifying potential funders, effective approaches to building relationships, common mistakes in grant applications, and post-grant strategies.
The event featured a distinguished panel of funders, including Cecilia Arias from Riverside Kaiser Permanente, Greg Bradbard from the Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) Foundation, Denisha Shackelford from Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF), Marisol Inzunza from California Wellness Foundation, Margarita Luna from The California Endowment, Nicole Pritchard from The James Irvine Foundation, and Patricia Watkins from Weingart Foundation.
In addition to panel discussions and networking opportunities, attendees had the chance to explore the Civil Rights Institute’s exhibit, “Working Coachella: Images of the farmworker community of the Coachella Valley,” led by Executive Director Sabrina Gonzalez.
The IECC Funder’s Forum was made possible through the generous support of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in allocating regional American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to establish the Riverside County Technical Assistance Fund. This fund was established to continue the County’s efforts to strengthen, expand, and support the local nonprofit sector to amplify their philanthropic roles which have played a critical role in the pandemic response.
IECC thanks the Regional Access Plan Foundation (RAP), The Riverside County Nonprofit Roundtable, and NPO Centric for selecting IECC to provide programs and services that uplift and support nonprofit impact and sustainability. Lastly, IECC is thankful to the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California for providing the space to host the event and allow guests to learn about the history of civil rights in the region.
For more information about the Inland Empire Community Collaborative and future events, visit www.ieccnonprofit.org.
