Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation Opens Mission Support Funding Applications

El Centro, CA. July 6, 2021. The Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation (IVWF) announces the start of its grant application cycle of Mission Support funding (unrestricted, core operating support) for eligible nonprofits serving Imperial County, and serving those with the greatest social and health inequities.

Mission Support funding ranges from $5,000 to $25,000 per recipient, totaling $200,000 in 2021. Apply here. 

The Mission Support program is based on the belief that partnering with those closest to our constituents, and providing core operating support for effective organizations, will best further IVWF’s mission for the most under-resourced in the Valley.

“We recognize the importance and value of focusing on the quality of life for the residents of the Imperial County and want to support the work that many organizations are doing to address the health and wellness challenges that the people of Imperial County are disproportionately facing,” said Roque Barros, Executive Director, IVWF.  By prioritizing its Mission Support funding in communities with the greatest social and health inequities, further exposed by COVID-19, Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation (IVWF) aims to support the following:

• Food insecurity and healthy eating
• Active living and physical activity
• Mental health
• Emotional health
• Safe and healthy living neighborhoods
• Social health
• Programs that focus on the awareness and prevention of asthma, prenatal care, diabetes, and obesity
• Health and wellness programs that benefit children, disadvantaged students, farm workers, homeless, LGBTQ, low-income families, seniors and veterans

Application Guidelines

This Mission Support application is for nonprofit organizations serving primarily Imperial County. Preference will be given to organizations based in Imperial County.

To qualify for IVWF’s 2021 Imperial Valley Mission Support, organizations must:

• be a 501(c)(3) or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor;
• serve regions in Imperial County, and
• be aligned with IVWF’s mission of advancing health and wellness for the most vulnerable in Imperial County, who often experience inequities in health and social outcomes.

Priority will be given to organizations that:

• are focused on communities with the greatest health and social inequities, further exposed by COVID-19, and whose efforts are led or informed by the communities;
• have an explicit commitment to equity (in all its forms);
• can demonstrate/describe evidence of measurable results, and
• are working upstream to address social determinants of health and/or systems change focused on reducing social/health inequities.

“Supporting and partnering with effective organizations is vital to our mission. Through our Mission Support program, IVWF aims to provide funding to organizations that advance health and wellness of under-resourced populations in our community, and demonstrate the ability and leadership to deliver high quality outcomes,” stated Jose Landeros, Chairman, Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation. “We look forward to supporting the social and health impact achieved by this year’s Mission Support grantees.”

2021 Imperial Valley Mission Support Application Schedule
Open: July 6, 2021 (8:00am PST)
Close: August 2, 2021 (5:00pm PST)
Decisions: August 2021
Apply here

##########About Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation. Recognizing a need for more local funding to support promising health initiatives, a group of Imperial Valley civic leaders joined forces to create the Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation (IVWF). IVWF is a tax-exempt public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code formed to advance the health and wellness of vulnerable populations in Imperial County. The San Diego-based Alliance Healthcare Foundation, nationally recognized for its innovative health and wellness initiatives, has offered a $7.5 million matching grant to endow IVWF and has provided other direct funding to support start-up operations and initial grant making. Wholly independent from Alliance Healthcare Foundation and locally governed by its own board of trustees, the new Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation is raising an additional $17.5 million through a national capital campaign to create a $25 million endowment that will fund local programs and activities in perpetuity. Visit www.ivwf.org.

IVWF Board of Trustees (7/1/2021)

• Jose Landeros, Chairman of the Board; Vice President, David H. West Insurance
• Alex Cardenas, Vice Chairman; Executive Director, CASA Imperial County
• Tim Kelley, Secretary; President & CEO, Imperial Valley Economic Development Corp
• James Garcia, Owner/Broker, Capital Realty
• Sara Griffen, Executive Director, Imperial Valley Food Bank
• Yurii Camacho, English High School Teacher, Holtville Unified School District
• Jazmyn Horton, Candidate for Masters in Social Work, San Diego State University-Imperial Valley
• Matthew Jaime, R.D., Clinical Dietician, El Centro Regional Medical Center
• Stephen Jaime, Clinical Nurse Specialist of Diabetes Education, El Centro Regional Medical Center
• Antonio Romayor, Jr., Chief Technology Officer, El Centro Elementary School District
• Roque Barros, Executive Director, Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation

AHF Media contact:
Karen Winston, Communications Director, Alliance Healthcare Foundation
P 858-348-6472 E karen.winston@alliancehf.org