IEHP Foundation, a newly established public charity by Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), is committed to improving health and wellness for all residents throughout the IE.  

To better understand the region’s needs, the Foundation has organized a series of community lunches to hear directly from the nonprofit and community leaders about the challenges and opportunities facing their communities. These events create a unique opportunity and safe space for Foundation board members and nonprofit leaders to have candid and earnest conversations on how the Foundation can be the most impactful with its investment throughout the region. 

The Foundation hosted the first set of lunches from October through November in the High Desert, Coachella Valley, West End, San Bernardino and Riverside subregions with nearly 50 different nonprofit organizations. The Foundation will host an additional five lunches in early 2024.

The invited nonprofits included the Foundation’s microgrant grantees, nonprofits recommended by board members, and well-respected organizations with a strong reputation in their communities. 

Throughout the first round of lunches, common themes emerged, including:

• High need for capacity building of nonprofits
• Nonprofits need assistance with professional services such as IT, accounting, billing, etc.
• Professional development of current and upcoming leaders  
• More availability of unrestricted and general operating grants
• Improved relationships with local municipalities and local, county and state governments

Additionally, there is an intense desire and hunger for nonprofits and community-based organizations (CBOs) to partner and work more collaboratively to better serve their communities together. 

IEHP Foundation is committed to building its grantmaking and other strategies around the community, anchoring community voice in everything it strives to do. By engaging directly with CBO and nonprofit leaders, the Foundation aims to implement the feedback and input into its strategic plan. 

If an organization or community leader is interested in engaging with the Foundation, please contact us at hello@iehpfoundation.org.