IEHP Foundation has recently awarded $465,000 in grants to 28 nonprofit organizations and collaboratives across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, strengthening capacity, driving systems change, and improving access to vital services for vulnerable Inland Empire communities.

The Responsive Grant program reflects IEHP Foundation’s commitment to direct investment in community-based organizations, driving improved health outcomes for youth and families. Through an invite-only process, grantees received one-year awards ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to support initiatives aligned with the Foundation’s mission and goals.

The 2025 grant recipients address social drivers of health, including access to health care, safe housing, economic opportunity, education, and transportation. Funded projects expand mental and physical health services, increase access to healthy food, strengthen the workforce, and advance advocacy and education to improve health and wellness across the region.

“IEHP Foundation is committed to responsive grantmaking that strengthens our nonprofit partners and advances our mission,” said Greg Bradbard, CEO of IEHP Foundation. “By investing in local leadership and infrastructure, we empower organizations to better serve their communities and drive lasting, positive change.”

Funding was distributed in three cycles—Spring, Summer, and Fall 2025—supporting a wide range of projects.

Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire (NHSIE) will use its grant to expand financial and homeownership education for low-income residents and develop affordable housing in San Bernardino, supporting clients in building financial skills and achieving first-time homeownership.

The responsive grants help nonprofits grow their services and reach more people by supporting essential business infrastructure. Samaritan Counseling Center received a grant to set up a new Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to make operations smoother, improve compliance, and enhance client care. This gives the mental health provider the tools needed to manage data securely, coordinate services, and meet regulatory standards. In the end, it strengthens their ability to serve the community.

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools will use its grant to purchase industrial refrigeration units for school food pantry programs that help families facing food insecurity. This will increase their ability to provide fresh, healthy food to more students and their families throughout the county.

Other awards supported collaborative efforts, including the Inland Empire Funders Alliance’s strategic planning, the Community Health Association Inland Southern Region’s Know Your Medi-Cal IE campaign and the RAP Foundation’s Palo Verde Valley Mental Health Project to improve the psychological, emotional, physical and social well-being of residents in Palo Verde Valley.

“IEHP Foundation’s collaborative grant with the RAP Foundation resulted in critical funding for three nonprofits serving the Palo Verde Valley,” said Leticia De Lara RAP Foundation CEO. “This significant investment demonstrates our shared commitment to improve behavioral health care for everyone, especially those living in remote, underserved regions of Riverside County.”

In total, these organizations serve over 55,000 people annually across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, including many rural and underserved communities.

The grants directly support IEHPF’s goals to strengthen organizations and drive systems change:

• 75% of grantees are expanding or improving services for families and children with poor health outcomes.
• 32% are increasing financial resources through improved fundraising and technology.
• 36% are enhancing leadership skills and collaborative practices.

Efforts to change systems include policy advocacy, developing the healthcare workforce, and improving health outcomes in underserved communities.

Sara Omari, Grants& Strategy Manager at IEHP Foundation, states that responsive grants create flexible pathways for nonprofits to engage with the Foundation. “It’s not just about funding programs, but about investing in the lived experience of those closest to the community,” said Omari. “We trust that nonprofits know their needs best, and our role is to support them in the ways they define as most impactful.”

2025 Responsive Grant Recipients

• Community Solutions, Inc. – Barstow MAP Program Training Initiative
• Desert Sanctuary – Outreach Data Security
• Family Promise of Riverside – Donor Campaign Match
• Growing Outreach Growing Opportunities – Case Management & Life Skills Service Expansion
• Olive Crest – Preventative Care Hosting Program
• University of California, Riverside – Unidas Por Salud: Engaging Community Members in Healthcare Pipeline and Educational Programs
• Regional Access Project Foundation – Blythe/Palo Verde Valley Mental Health (Regional Collaborative)
• 2020 Vision Youth – CHW Services and Pop Ups
• Autism Society Inland Empire – Strengthening Autism Care and Workforce Capacity in the Inland Empire
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire – Work-Based Mentorship in Healthcare with IEHP
• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Redlands – Riverside – Healthy Foundations: Feeding Bodies, Growing Minds, and Creating Safe Spaces
• Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County – Healthy Bites on Wheels
• IE Rebound – Website Development and Capacity Building
• Inland SoCal Housing Collective – IE Regional Housing Blueprint
• Making Hope Happen Foundation – Uplift San Bernardino Accountable Community for Health (ACH)
• Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire – Financial and Homeownership Education and Advising Program
• SBX Youth and Family Services – HOPE through Youth
• Inland Empire Funders Alliance – Strategic Sustainability Planning (Regional Collaborative)
• Carol’s Kitchen – Community Health Hub
• Citrus Counseling Services – Mental Health Workforce Development
• Inland Counties Legal Services Inc. – Building Organizational Strength to Help Provide Legal Access for Improved Community Health
• Michelle’s Place Cancer Resource Center – Capacity Building
• Riverside Unified School District Foundation – Building Long-Term Financial Security
• Samaritan Counseling Center – New Electronic Health Record System
• San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools – The Market
• Mission Hope – Increasing Capacity at Hope Food Pantry
• TruEvolution, Inc. – Expanding Behavioral Health Access and Capacity
• Community Health Association Inland Southern Region – Know Your Medi-Cal IE (Regional Collaborative)

To learn more about IEHP Foundation, funding initiatives, and the Responsive Grant process, click here.