Where Giving has Grown for Over 80 Years
The Inland Empire Community Foundation
In 1941, Charles Brouse established The Community Foundation to provide scholarships for local students attending Riverside City College. Eighty years later, it’s easy to imagine that Charles would be proud – and perhaps astounded – at the extraordinary commitment our communities have made to his vision of philanthropy. Today, the Inland Empire Community Foundation invests and administers more than $120 million in charitable assets entrusted to us by generous donors for the benefit of students, families, and the pressing needs of our times.
We are a Foundation of and for the community. 2022 marked a landmark celebration of our 80th Anniversary during which we honored the past and embraced the future. Together, we’re walking into the next 80 years emboldened by the history of our accomplishments. True to Charles Brouse’s vision, we will combine our passions and resources to make the Inland Empire even better than we found it.
Signature Funds in Celebration of IECF’s 80th Anniversary
Local civic leader and banker Charles Brouse establishes the Riverside Distribution Committee, the precursor to The Community Foundation.
During this time, the Foundation’s primary focus was on providing scholarships to needy and deserving students to attend Riverside Community College and the University of California, Riverside.
Scholarship recipients of the Brouse Scholarship Program.
UCR lounge named after founder Charles Brouse.The Foundation receives its first gift from a private foundation, the Johnson Foundation, to benefit several causes important to the Johnson family.
The first, full-time Executive Director is hired to oversee the work of the Foundation and to enhance philanthropy and giving in the region.
The Foundation serves larger geographic area and adopts The Community Foundation name with the tag line “Serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties”.
Mrs. Fouke-Wortz gives the Foundation $4 million, the largest gift to date.
The Youth Grantmakers program launches in Riverside to cultivate young philanthropists.
TCF opens an office in Palm Springs to increase its presence in the Coachella Valley.
The Foundation welcomes new President and CEO, R. Michelle Decker.
The Foundation receives $2.4 million from the CA Census to fund and mobilize local organizations in hard-to-count communities in the Inland Empire.
The Foundation receives $1 million gift from City of Lake Elsinore to establish the Carl Graves Endowment Scholarship Fund, benefiting graduating seniors in the district.
IECF selects Julian Cuevas as new Director of Policy & Governmental Affairs.
The IE Black Equity Initiative establishes the IE Black Equity Fund to benefit and empower black-serving organizations in the Inland Empire.
IECF names first African American Board Chair, Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds.
