CIELO Fund Grant Opportunity

IECF is pleased to announce a request for proposals for the third round of grants from the CIELO Fund!

The CIELO Fund supports organizations, initiatives, and innovations that are led by–and serve–Latinos in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The CIELO Fund also invests in the next generation of leaders through the CIELO Fund Scholarship Program, commissions original research, and works on efforts that promote positive narratives for Latinos in the IE. We are excited to open applications to apply for the CIELO Fund’s third annual call for grant applications for 2025.

Latinos are now the majority of the Inland Empire, making up 51.5% of the population, and are expected to be 74% of the region’s population by 2060. With this growth comes increased opportunity but also areas where disparities persist. The CIELO Fund has commissioned three reports (UCR, USC, Latinos LEAD) and a 2024 UC Berkeley poll of Latino residents which inform our grantmaking priorities.

The poll results show growing need for residents accessing: affordable housing, healthy food, childcare and eldercare, good jobs, reliable energy, quality education & job training, transportation, cell and internet service, safe communities, immigration support, and clean water. Only organizations with operating budgets of $500k or less will be prioritized this grant cycle.

Project and Grant Scope

The project and grant scope is limited to the Inland Empire, and all funded activities will be limited to Riverside County and San Bernardino County only, with special consideration given to those organizations headquartered, founded, and anchored in the region. Only organizations with operating budgets of $500k or less will be prioritized this grant cycle. Organizations that demonstrate a commitment to impactful, innovative solutions to the issue areas below will be prioritized for funding by the grant committee:

• Affordable Housing
• Healthy Food
• Childcare and Eldercare
• Good Jobs and Reliable Energy
• Quality Education & Job Training
• Transportation
• Cell and Internet Service
• Safe Communities
• Support for Immigrants
• Clean Water

Grants awarded are for general operating costs and may support efforts that enable an organization to effectively carry out its mission by strengthening organizational capacity and infrastructure while advancing one of the CIELO Fund’s key areas of focus.  

The maximum request and award is $15,000 for one year.  Requests over this amount will be disqualified. Please note that not all awards will be $15,000 – many may be smaller. 

Timeline 

January 15 – Grant opportunity announced
February 5 – Technical assistance workshop- Register Here
February 27 – Applications due
March 2025 – Decisions released

Eligibility

• Nonprofit, public benefit organizations with evidence of tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and not classified as a private foundation.
• Organizations with fiscal sponsors are also eligible to apply.
• Organizations that operate so that they do not discriminate in the hiring of staff or in providing services on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability.
• Organizations with operating budgets of $500,000k or less.
• For media and narrative grants, consideration will be given to media outlets and projects.

Grantmaking Objectives

• Seek local, regional, and state policy solutions;
• Address a high need impacting Latinos;
• Provide flexible, unrestricted support to carefully selected nonprofits that demonstrate the interest and ability to strengthen their organizational effectiveness and capacity.
• Support nonprofits providing quality, essential services in the areas of leadership development & capacity building, economic mobility, educational equity, health equity, housing security, environmental equity & climate change, racial equity and inclusion
• Support small budget sizes, levels of capacity, and infrastructure.
• Benefit a large number of disadvantaged, vulnerable, marginalized, and/or underserved people.
• Shape and promote positive narratives about Latinos in the Inland Empire and beyond.

One Year General Operating Support Grants 

Grants awarded are for general operating costs and may support efforts that enable an organization to effectively carry out its mission by strengthening organizational capacity and infrastructure while advancing one of the CIELO Fund’s key areas of focus.  The maximum request and award is $15,000 for one year.  Requests over this amount will be disqualified. Please note that not all awards will be $15,000 – many may be smaller. 

Application Review 

Grants are awarded on a competitive basis.  Applications will be screened for eligibility and completeness by Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) staff.  The CIELO Fund Grantmaking Committee will evaluate eligible applications and make grant recommendations to the IECF Board of Directors for final approval. While we hope to support as many grants as possible, funding in our second round is limited.

Notification of Results 

Applicants will be notified of the results in March 2025.

Spanish Translation of Guidelines and Application available upon request.

Contact us:

For more information, contact Celia Cudiamat, Chief Impact Officer, at ccudiamat@iegives.org. To reach staff with general questions and inquiries about the Fund, email us at CIELO@iegives.org.