The Inland Empire Community Foundation, through its Women’s Giving Fund, has announced awards totaling $70,000 to four nonprofits, delivering a powerful boost to organizations that play a vital role in advancing and empowering women across the region. The total also includes $5,000 grants to each of the charities selected by this year’s three Women of Achievement honorees, further amplifying the impact of their leadership and service.
With this year’s awards, IECF’s annual WGF grants have now distributed a total of $320,000, supporting both nonprofit programs and research focused on improving outcomes for women and families in the region.
The grants funding will boost nonprofits serving women in crisis.
The 2026 grantees and their funded projects are:
NORA, formerly Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center. The resources, totalling $15,000, will support the nonprofit’s outreach services, which educate and protect survivors of sexual abuse.
House of Ruth, which will use its $15,000 to continue efforts of preventing domestic violence and ensuring safety for women and families affected by abuse.
Shelter from the Storm also received $15,000, which will contribute to its daily operations of providing safety, counselling and outreach.
Foothill Family Shelter received $10,000 and will use the resources to bolster its Housing Program and Community Help Desk.
The grant awards were presented at the WGF Spring Fling on March 22, which made its debut in the Coachella Valley at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa. More than 150 guests attended the annual brunch, where nonprofit organizations, community leaders and donors celebrated women championing the region.
Three honorees were also recognized at the event as 2026 Women of Achievement: Vivian Shaw, retired chair RIMS Scholarship Foundation; Candice Shirk, director of Miss Candice’s Dance Center; and Sabrina Gonzales, executive director of Civil Rights Institute Inland Southern California.
The honorees each received $5,000 for the charity of their choice that serves women in the Inland Empire.
“We were so thrilled to bring our annual event to the desert this year,” said Nefertiti Long, immediate past board chair of IECF and chair of the IECF Women’s Giving Fund. “Elevating awareness of the fund and expanding resources for women in this community is essential to our mission.
“This year, we proudly announced four grantees and honored three remarkable leaders whose vision, strength and dedication continue to strengthen our communities in extraordinary ways,” she said.
To be sure, the grants’ impact will generate a positive ripple effect throughout the community.
According to a 2025 report commissioned by WGF titled “Thriving in the Inland Empire: Women and Well-Being Through the Lens of Vital Conditions,” most women in the region are struggling. The report reveals that many women are getting by but are uncertain about the future.
Additional research indicates that women struggling with financial difficulties are more likely to experience such things as financial stress, unstable resources and emotional strain, underscoring the need for policies and investments that enhance the vital conditions for well-being in the region.
The Women’s Giving Fund emerged in 2017 thanks to a diverse group of professional women whose goal was to create an inclusive opportunity for female donors to learn about women’s economic security issues with a strong focus on giving for issues impacting women and children.
Experiencing the power of collaborative philanthropy was key.
For more information or to donate to the Women’s Giving Fund, visit iegives.org/womensgivingfund.
The Inland Empire Community Foundation works to strengthen Inland Southern California through philanthropy. Visit iegives.org.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Women’s Giving Fund invests in women across region
Reporting by Greg Archer, Inland Empire Community Foundation / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
