Empowering the IE: CIELO Fund marks two years of impact

On October 5th, the Palm Springs Convention Center hosted a celebration marking the second anniversary of the CIELO Fund, a signature initiative of the Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) dedicated to serving the region's Latino community. Since its establishment in 2022, the Fund has successfully raised over $2 million, channeling resources into grants for Latino-led nonprofits, scholarships, research initiatives focused on the community, and media partnerships that elevate the voices and narratives of Latinos. 

“The Inland Empire does not have the same level of philanthropic resources as other parts of the state and especially coastal communities, and we thought it was very important to use the passion of our board and our nonprofits to create funds that serve the different parts of our community,” explained Michelle Decker President and CEO of the IECF. 

Since its launch, the Fund has awarded $650,000 to 56 grassroots organizations and $232,000 in scholarships to Latino students. These initiatives have sparked hope and progress across the region, creating a new pathway toward a more equitable future. 

“I joined the Inland Empire Community Foundation Board in 2021, and as part of the conversations we had about what our region needs as it's changing […] one of the questions we kept asking ourselves is, how do we build a vision for an inclusive philanthropic model that centers around the Latino community? And from those conversations early on […] I decided to launch this CIELO Fund,” said Jesse Melgar, IECF Vice Chair and Founding Chair of the CIELO Fund. 

Melgar emphasized the importance of the Fund, citing the Inland Empire's dynamic growth. "We wanted to launch it because we think the Inland Empire is a growing region," he explained, highlighting the significant rise in the Latino population, noting that Latinos currently comprise 52% of the region's population.

Projections by USC suggest that this percentage will increase dramatically, reaching 74% by 2060. Melgar stressed that these demographic increases present both opportunities and responsibilities for the region, particularly in ensuring that the growing Latino community is supported for long-term success.

Education as a leading flag 

One of the main targets of the CIELO Fund is education. Recognizing that only 6% of Latinos in the Inland Empire hold a bachelor’s degree, despite making up 52% of its population according to a2022 research by the Center for Social Innovation in partnership with IECF and the Cielo Found. 

“For the last two years, every single scholarship application that we received through the CIELO Fund was awarded,” said Melgar. Acknowledging that it was possible thanks to the support of the S.L. Gimbel Foundation, which provided seed funding. 

 A key feature of the CIELO Fund's scholarships is the commitment that recipients make to the region. When awarded a scholarship, students sign a pledge to stay in the Inland Empire after graduation, emphasizing the importance of using their education to strengthen their local community. This symbolic commitment encourages graduates to contribute their talents and to help build the IE. By fostering this sense of responsibility, the CIELO Fund aims to cultivate a thriving community that benefits from the skills and knowledge of its local talent. 

For Steven Serrano, a native of the Inland Empire and a resident of Moreno Valley, being one of the scholarship recipients is a pivotal achievement. As a current student at Cal State San Bernardino, he is completing a master’s degree in public administration and will graduate in December. Over the course of the two-year program, Serrano has relied entirely on grants and scholarships to fund his education. 

The CIELO Fun scholarship provided the crucial final payment for his last two semesters. This accomplishment has not only brought him a sense of closure but also the pride of graduating debt-free, making this milestone even more meaningful. 

As a first-generation college student from a low-to-middle-income background, Serrano understands Latinos' challenges and is committed to creating opportunities and fostering positive change. He serves as a Community Relations Specialist at the Inland Regional Center, where he works to support individuals with developmental disabilities—including autism—throughout the region. 

The impact of Latino-led nonprofits

“This CIELO Fund has been a blessing for our region. In the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley region, there has not been much allotment of funds, and this has happened throughout our history,” said Luz Gallegos, Executive Director of TODEC Legal Center, a non-profit with locations in Perris, Coachella, and Victorville. 

For her, the Found has brought much-needed resources to local organizations, many of which were born out of these communities and have operated for years with volunteer efforts. These groups understand the struggles firsthand, and the lack of resources has long been felt. The CIELO Fund answers that decades-old need by providing advocacy and support to grassroots organizations working to improve their communities, like the one she is leading, which has more than forty years of serving Latinos in the IE.

She explains that thanks to the Fund, emerging regional nonprofits now have enhanced opportunities to thrive, empowering them to tackle the challenges faced by the communities they serve effectively. 

Huerta del Valle is a nonprofit with locations in Ontario and Jurupa Valley. It plays a pivotal role in educating Latino communities about the impact of gardening and the importance of access to fresh, healthy food. “They're using their funds to do different workshops on planting your own crops and community gardens,” said Melgar.  These efforts inspire families to grow their produce and foster a deeper connection to sustainable living. 

Another grantee, Centro del Inmigrante in Riverside, supports immigrants navigating the complex naturalization process, providing essential guidance and resources to help them achieve citizenship. 

Additionally, theUC Riverside Chicano Latino Alumni Association connects Latino students with nonprofit organizations. Through internships, these students contribute their skills to the organization, gaining valuable experience and helping to strengthen the region’s nonprofit infrastructure. 

Empowering through research 

A vital aspect of the CIELO Fund’s mission has been expanding its understanding of the challenges the Latino community faces in the region. Partnering with UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy and the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, the Fund generated a polling brief that sheds light on how Latinos in theInland Empire experience accessing basic resources. The polling focused on twelve needs, including affordable housing, jobs, childcare and eldercare, and affordable energy. 

The report found that 79% of the Latinos surveyed consider it difficult to find “suitable housing at a price they can afford.”  70% find it difficult to access healthy food at affordable prices, and 61% “agree that it is difficult for people to find good jobs when they need or want them.” 

“Eldercare [and] childcare, really surprisingly emerge for us as an issue that is hurting a lot of folks financially,” said Melgar. Close to two-thirds of the surveyed agree that finding affordable care in their community is challenging, with 65% citing difficulty with childcare and 63% with eldercare.

Melgar emphasizes that in the Inland Empire, many first-generation families—often the children of immigrants—bear the dual responsibility of raising their own children while also caring for aging parents. This unique demographic reality has made eldercare and childcare vital issues. 

“It's really important that all of [the] work is informed by data and research,” said Melgar. This commitment to informed decision-making drives the Fund's focus in its upcoming grant cycle, where they will prioritize support for nonprofit organizations tackling those pressing community needs. 

Helping local government 

“The data that they've been able to compile and all the research that they do help us as policymakers […] to make sure that we know what the residents want to see […], what is affecting them on a daily basis so that we create programs, and allocate funding accordingly. We're not just prioritizing other things that we might think are priorities [but] actually responding based on what the residents have as priorities,” said Ulises Cabrera, Moreno Valley Mayor.  

For Cabrera, with many gaps and areas in the community needing urgent attention, the research being conducted plays a fundamental role in identifying these issues. 

This data collection makes the job of city leaders easier by equipping them with the necessary information to address specific challenges and create meaningful change for their communities. 

Looking ahead, the CIELO Fund is driven to nurture a more profound culture of giving within the Latino community. With its energy and vision, the Fund is on course to create lasting change by supporting the Inland Empire’s Latino population through impactful grants, insightful research, and powerful storytelling. These efforts empower the community today and lay the groundwork for a more just and vibrant future for all.