The Inland Empire Nonprofit Sector: A Growing Region Faces the Challenges of Capacity

While many people know the work of individual nonprofits, it can be difficult to understand the sector as a whole. This report connects the dots in the Inland Empire. It is intended to build public awareness about the region's nonprofit sector and provide information to help civic, nonprofit and philanthropic leaders strategize and take action to strengthen it. California's Inland Empire is a geographically vast region with a diverse and growing population. As the size and nature of this two-county region change, the infrastructure of its nonprofit sector is not keeping pace. This report describes the characteristics of the Inland Empire's nonprofit sector, the work it does, the ways it has changed between 2000 and 2005, the challenges it faces today and recommendations for strengthening its future. The Inland Empire's Riverside and San Bernardino counties and their subregions have distinct identities and resources, but they share many issues due to similarities in geography, population growth and the location of nonprofits relative to need. These persistent issues can serve as the basis for concerted action