Left to right: Cathy Paredes, Bank of America Market Executive for the Inland Empire; Vikita Poindexter, GRID IE Board President; Kailin Scott-Peoples, CEO and Executive Director NHSIE; Bansree Parikh, President of Bank of America Inland Empire, and Lisa Sims, Community Relations Manager at Bank of America Inland Empire.
Bank of America has announced that GRID Alternatives Inland Empire (GRID IE) and Neighborhood Housing Services Inland Empire (NHSIE) have been selected as its 2024 Neighborhood Builders. The bank’s signature Neighborhood Builders® program continues to be one of the nation’s most significant philanthropic investments into nonprofit leadership development while providing unique multiyear flexible grant funding annually to high-impact nonprofits in nearly 100 communities nationwide.
Both nonprofits are each awarded a $200,000 grant over two years, comprehensive leadership training for each organization’s executive director and an emerging leader, and access to a national network of nonprofit peers. Since the program’s inception in 2004, 33 nonprofits have been selected as Neighborhood Builders in the Inland Empire, with the bank investing more than $6.6 million in philanthropic capital into these local nonprofits.
“Our region’s nonprofits provide meaningful and lasting solutions to local challenges that advance economic mobility. Through our Neighborhood Builders program, we invest significant philanthropic capital and thought leadership resources into two high-impact local organizations annually. This year, we’re excited to include GRID IE and NHSIE as Neighborhood Builders," said Bansree Parikh, president of Bank of America Inland Empire. “Countless individuals, families, and neighborhoods have felt the profound impact these 33 local Neighborhood Builder nonprofits have had over the years.”
2024 recipient GRID IE will apply its Neighborhood Builders grant to expand community engagement on mitigating and adapting to climate adaptation in unincorporated areas of eastern Riverside County, invest in continuing education for green technology certification for staff, trainees, and interns, and increase the number of local residential solar system installations. Since 2011, GRID IE has installed no-cost solar panel systems on 4,069 homes across the Inland Empire, providing moderate-income families with savings on their electric bills and helping prevent greenhouse gas emissions.
Bank of America staff, GRID IE Staff, and Solar Futures students stand in front of a training solar system being installed at the Clean Tech Training Center at GRID IE's facility in Riverside, California.
"The flexible funds that come with being a Neighborhood Builder will help communities throughout the Inland Empire to better address climate change. GRID IE collaborates and strategizes with leaders at the intersection of housing, workforce, and transportation. This added financial resources and leadership training strengthen GRID IE’s ability to develop shared priorities, deploy capital, and deepen our impact- making our communities more adapted to climate change and the direct beneficiaries of the renewable energy transition,” said Jaime Alonso, Executive Director, GRID Alternatives Inland Empire.
This year’s other Neighborhood Builder awardee, NHSIE, will use the Neighborhood Builders grant to help reach its goal of assisting 5,000 Inland Empire residents to achieve financial and housing stability through programs such as its Neighborhood Dreams Outreach Initiative, new community development and an outreach effort to engage local communities like San Bernardino, Perris, and Adelanto. The Neighborhood Dreams Outreach Initiative will include innovative real estate development projects, strategic education opportunities, and financial resources to meet the residents' basic needs. Over its 40 years, NHSIE has provided an estimated financial investment of over $1 billion in home sales and down payment assistance through the service of over 10,000 residents in the Inland Empire.
“This award comes at a crucial time when many Inland Empire families struggle to find stable, affordable housing and simply need that extra support to achieve their dreams of homeownership,” said Kailin Scott Peoples, CEO and Executive Director, NHSIE. “With this grant, we'll be able to launch our Neighborhood Dreams Outreach Initiative and implement our innovative lease-to-own pilot program in San Bernardino that helps build generational wealth and stronger communities. We envision helping 5,000 residents achieve housing stability and true financial independence.”
Past Inland Empire Neighborhood Builders include Academy of Grassroots Organizations, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Desert, Boys and Girls Club of Coachella Valley, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Redlands-Riverside, CASA San Bernardino, Catholic Charities of San Bernardino & Riverside Counties, Child Development Center at Fairplex, Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, Community Health Systems, Desert AIDS Project, El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center, Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Family Assistance Program, FIND Food Bank, Foothill Family Shelter, Galilee Center, Habitat for Humanity Riverside, Lift to Rise, Making Hope Happen Foundation, Martha’s Village and Kitchen, Mary’s Mercy Center, Michelle’s Place, Mustard Seed Tutorial Center, Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services, Oak Grove Institute Foundation, OneFuture Coachella Valley, OPARC, Path of Life Ministries, Promise Scholars, TODEC Legal Center, and Vista Guidance Center.
The Neighborhood Builders invitation-only program is highly competitive, and honorees are selected by a committee comprised of community leaders and past awardees. Nationwide, since 2004, Bank of America has invested over $300 million in nearly 1,800 nonprofits and helped more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills through the Neighborhood Builders program.