Desert Community Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The Desert Community Foundation supports education, arts and culture, human services and youth in Southern California.

FUNDING AREAS: Education, arts and culture, human services, youth

IP TAKE: DCF does not share publicly share its grantmaking process or application forms on its website, so local nonprofits should contact the executive director to inquire about how to get involved with the foundation. It’s a difficult nut to crack, but open to communication.

PROFILE: Established in 1999, the Desert Community Foundation (DCF) is a community foundation based in Palm Desert, California. DCF exclusively serves the Coachella Valley. Its mission is to support “a healthy and educated Coachella Valley,” and it is “dedicated to the promise of creating a strong and prosperous future for the region.” This funder maintains a simple webpage to provide information for donors rather than grantseekers, thus limiting information about priorities and opportunities. It is also unclear how many donor-advised funds are managed by the foundation and how much of its giving stems from these funds. However, according to its website, in its 24 years of operation, this funder has supported local organizations with over $24 million in grants and about $1.6 million in scholarships. Grantmaking supports community organizations in the areas of education, health, mental health, housing, the environment and arts and culture.

Grants for Education

The Desert Community Foundation awards scholarships and grants to support education in the Coachella Valley. Education appears to be the foundation’s largest giving area, but he foundation does not name specific priorities for giving in these areas. Annually, over 200 scholarships are awarded, mostly for the pursuit of higher education. Grants represent a smaller portion of giving. Recipients include the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Desert, the Newport Harbor Education Foundation, Verbum Dei High School and Xavier College.

Grants for Public Health and Mental Health

A portion of the Desert Foundation’s giving supports health and mental health services for residents of the Coachella Valley. Some of the foundation’s grantees in these areas appear to be faith-based organizations. Grantees include the Heart of Jesus Retreat Center, the Hoag Hospital Foundation, Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine and the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage.

Grants for Housing, Homelessness and Community Development

Organizations working with homeless and vulnerable people represent a significant portion of this funder’s giving each year. Grantees include the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, Martha’s Village and Kitchen, Shelter from the Storm of Palm Desert and the Salvation Army.

Grants for Environmental Causes, Animals and Wildlife

Environmental causes and animals are a smaller area of giving for the Desert Community Foundation, and grants appear to support some of the same organizations year after year. Beneficiaries include the Desert Protection Society and the Best Friends Animal Society.

Grants for Arts and Culture

Tax filings suggest that this funder maintains a commitment to supporting arts organizations in the communities it serves, although it does not name specific priorities here. Grantees include the Coachella Valley Historical Museum, the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the McCallum Theatre and the San Diego Film Foundation.

Important Grant Details

The Desert Community Foundation’s grants range from about $10,000 to $156,000.

  • This community foundation maintains a relatively low profile and does not articulate grant opportunities or specific areas of interest.

  • Grantmaking has decreased somewhat in recent years, but many community organizations continue to receive funding.

  • The foundation’s largest area of giving appears to be education, followed by human services for those in need.

  • For additional information about past giving, see the foundation’s recent tax filings.

  • This funder does not appear to accept unsolicited requests for funding, but the executive director, Mary Panesar, may be contact via email at mpanesar@desertfoundation.org.

Direct general inquiries to the foundation via email at mpanesar@desertfoundation.org or telephone at 760-674-9080.

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