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IEHP Foundation

Annual Giving
$7.6M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.1M
Decision Time
2mo

IEHP Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7.6 million (2024)
  • Total Assets: $160.3 million
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $130,000
  • Geographic Focus: San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California (Inland Empire)
  • Application Method: Mixed (competitive RFAs 2-3 times/year + invite-only responsive grants)

Contact Details

Website: https://iehpfoundation.org
Email: grants@iehpfoundation.org
Phone: Not publicly listed
Address: 9500 Cleveland Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Overview

IEHP Foundation was established in 2021 as a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit by Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), a managed health care plan serving San Bernardino and Riverside counties. With total assets of $160.3 million and annual grant distributions of approximately $7.6 million, the Foundation focuses on addressing social determinants of health—the 60-80% of nonclinical factors that affect a person's health. The Foundation's mission centers on providing resources and support to strengthen local leaders and nonprofit organizations that make Inland Empire families healthier, with an explicit commitment to health equity and trust-based philanthropy. In 2024, the Foundation launched its inaugural Champions for Vibrant Health Leadership Network, investing $4.6 million over two years in 40 organizations. The Foundation has received recognition for its innovative capacity-building approach and commitment to unrestricted funding that empowers community-based organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Champions for Vibrant Health Leadership Network

  • $50,000 over two years (organizations with annual budgets under $1 million)
  • $130,000 over two years (organizations with annual budgets over $1 million)
  • Includes leadership development programming and peer networking
  • 40 organizations selected in inaugural 2024 cohort

Collaborative Capacity Building Grants

  • $5,000 for general operating expenses
  • Includes comprehensive 10-course educational program
  • Cohort model (30 organizations per county cohort)
  • Focuses on strengthening business operations and infrastructure

Storytelling for Advocacy & Fundraising Cohort

  • $1,500 grant plus training at no cost
  • 8-course training series
  • For organizations with budgets above $300,000
  • Application-based, competitive

Responsive Grants (Invite-Only)

  • $5,000 - $25,000
  • Annual funding for general operations or specific projects
  • For established organizations ($250,000+ budget, 3+ years in operation)

Event Sponsorships (Invite-Only)

  • $1,000 - $10,000

Microgrants

  • $5,000 - $15,000
  • Unrestricted general operating support
  • Previously awarded to 33 nonprofits (2023)

Priority Areas

Priority Populations:

  • Families with children (ages 0-18)
  • Low-income communities
  • Rural communities
  • Communities with Health Place Index scores below 25 (furthest from health equity)

Priority Vital Conditions:

  1. Basic Needs - Food access, nutrition, addiction prevention, mental health services, and physical health spaces

  2. Meaningful Work & Wealth - Education and career pathways to living-wage healthcare or social service positions; healthcare workforce development

  3. Humane Housing - Affordable housing, safe living conditions, and pathways to homeownership

Strategic Focus Areas:

  • Strengthening nonprofit capacity (service quality/reach, financial resources, leadership development)
  • Systems change (policy advocacy, healthcare workforce development, population health outcomes)
  • Public policy and advocacy
  • Coalition building and collaboration

What They Don't Fund

  • Capital campaigns, building projects, or endowment campaigns
  • Fundraising events
  • Biomedical research
  • Political campaigns or lobbying activities
  • Organizations requiring religious membership for service recipients or staff

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Chair: Karen Scott - Executive Director, First 5 San Bernardino

Vice Chair: Regina Weatherspoon-Bell - Founder, DVL Project

Secretary: Josh Candelaria - Principal, Viewpoint Advocacy

Treasurer: Stephen Bennett - Co-Founder, Caravanserai Project

Board Members:

  • Conrado Bárzaga, MD - Vice-President and Chief Academic Officer, Innercare
  • Andrea Cuellar - Senior Program Manager, Share Our Strength
  • Paul Earle - Chief Executive Officer, Shiloh Medical Center
  • Edward Juhn, MD, MBA, MPH - Chief Quality Officer, Inland Empire Health Plan
  • Geoffrey Leung, MD - Public Health Physician, Riverside University Health System
  • Jarrod McNaughton, MBA, FACHE - CEO, IEHP

Executive Leadership

Greg Bradbard, Chief Executive Officer - Appointed January 2024, brings over 25 years of nonprofit executive leadership experience. Bradbard has stated: "We are investing not only in the mission of these organizations but also leadership for the future of the region" and "Investing in our local nonprofits is more important than ever to ensure local organizations can address the critical needs that lead to improved community health."

Board Chair Stephen Bennett noted: "Nonprofit leaders don't have the luxury to take time away to attend a leadership retreat or map out succession planning – they are too busy running their organizations" - reflecting the Foundation's understanding of nonprofit sector challenges and their capacity-building focus.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IEHP Foundation uses two distinct pathways for grant distribution:

1. Competitive Request for Application (RFA) Process

The Foundation releases competitive grant opportunities approximately 2-3 times per calendar year. These are open to any nonprofit organization meeting the specific eligibility criteria outlined in each RFA. Organizations should regularly check the Foundation's grants page (https://iehpfoundation.org/grants/) for current opportunities.

Current/Recent RFA Example: Storytelling for Advocacy & Fundraising Cohort

  • Application period: September 30 - November 3
  • Notification: December 8
  • Program runs: January - April

2. Invite-Only Process (Responsive Grants & Sponsorships)

For responsive grants ($5,000-$25,000) and sponsorships, the Foundation uses an invitation-only approach "to reduce the burden on applicants and ensure efforts are strongly aligned with their priorities and focus areas."

Eligibility for Invite-Only Grants:

  • Annual operating budget of $250,000 or greater
  • In operation for more than 3 years
  • Address social drivers of health in San Bernardino or Riverside counties

How to Express Interest: Organizations meeting these criteria can email grants@iehpfoundation.org with:

  • Contact name and job title
  • Organization name, website, and EIN
  • Brief description of program, project, or idea

Note: Fundraising events will not be considered.

Decision Timeline

Based on recent grant cycles:

  • Storytelling Cohort: Applications due November 3; notifications by December 8 (approximately 5 weeks)
  • Champions Leadership Network: Applications closed July 15; final round invitations in October (approximately 3 months)

Typical timeframe from submission to decision appears to range from 5 weeks to 3 months depending on the grant program complexity.

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. However, the Foundation's recent grant awards provide some context:

  • Champions Leadership Network: 40 organizations selected from applicant pool (exact number of applicants not disclosed)
  • Collaborative Capacity Building Grant: 59 organizations awarded across two cohorts (30 in San Bernardino County, approximately 30 in Riverside County)

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation does not publicly specify reapplication restrictions or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants. Given their trust-based philanthropy approach and emphasis on relationship-building, organizations are encouraged to maintain communication with the Foundation even if initially unsuccessful.

Application Success Factors

Trust-Based Philanthropy Approach

IEHP Foundation explicitly practices trust-based philanthropy, which influences what they value in applicants:

  • Unrestricted Funding Philosophy: The Foundation's microgrants program was designed to "practice trust-based philanthropy" by providing unrestricted funds that nonprofits can use for ongoing projects, new initiatives, or general administration
  • Capacity Building Focus: The Foundation prioritizes strengthening organizational infrastructure, not just funding programs
  • Community Expertise: The Foundation values nonprofit leaders as "trusted messengers to the communities they serve"

What IEHP Foundation Values

Leadership Development: Greg Bradbard emphasized, "We are investing not only in the mission of these organizations but also leadership for the future of the region." Organizations demonstrating commitment to developing their leadership capacity align well with Foundation priorities.

Serving Priority Populations: Organizations must serve families with children (ages 0-18) from low-income communities, rural areas, or communities with Health Place Index scores below 25.

Alignment with Vital Conditions: Strongest applications clearly connect their work to one or more of the three priority areas: Basic Needs, Meaningful Work & Wealth, or Humane Housing.

Systems Change Potential: Beyond direct service, the Foundation values organizations engaged in policy advocacy, coalition work, and efforts that address root causes of health inequity.

Geographic Focus: Must operate in and serve communities within San Bernardino or Riverside counties.

Community-Informed Grantmaking

The Foundation developed its priorities through "community listening sessions with hundreds of nonprofit leaders and an in-depth landscape analysis," indicating they value organizations deeply connected to community needs and feedback.

Recent Funded Organizations

The Foundation has funded organizations across diverse sectors including:

  • CCS Education and Wellness Center
  • Hope through Housing Foundation
  • Civil Rights Institute Inland Southern California
  • Organizations working on food access, housing, healthcare workforce development, and youth services

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Build relationships before applying: For responsive grants, reaching out via email to express interest is encouraged even before formal invitations, demonstrating their openness to building relationships with aligned organizations

  • Emphasize capacity and leadership: This Foundation uniquely prioritizes organizational strength and leadership development, not just programmatic outcomes—applications should highlight how funding will strengthen the organization itself

  • Focus on families with children: Serving children ages 0-18 and their families is a non-negotiable requirement for most grant programs

  • Connect to health equity: Frame your work in terms of social determinants of health and health equity, using language like "vital conditions" and "Vibrant Health"

  • Consider cohort programs first: Many of the Foundation's competitive opportunities include capacity-building training along with funding, providing maximum value for smaller organizations

  • Geographic specificity matters: Be explicit about which communities in San Bernardino and/or Riverside counties you serve, particularly if they are low-income, rural, or have low Health Place Index scores

  • Demonstrate systems-change thinking: While direct services are valued, show how your work contributes to broader policy change, coalition building, or addressing root causes

  • Unrestricted funding available: The Foundation's commitment to trust-based philanthropy means they offer general operating support—don't feel you must propose a restricted project

References

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