Desert Community Foundation
Desert Community Foundation is a Form 990 public charity based in Palm Desert, California, serving the Coachella Valley. It describes itself as a philanthropic hub for local donors, nonprofits, and scholarship committees, and says it has served the valley since 1999.
Desert Community Foundation at a glance
In short: Desert Community Foundation gave $948K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), mostly in California. 56% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $947,735
- +41.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- -18.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $35,101
- +72.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $59,827,007
- +18.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (15 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Desert Community Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 75105 Merle Drive 300, Palm Desert, CA 92211
Phone: (760) 674-9080
Website: https://desertfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Desert Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Volleyball Newport Beach Inc ($150K). Together the top 10 received $697K.
Grant Size Distribution
121 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 106 grants of 121 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it serves Coachella Valley communities including Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Thousand Palms, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Bermuda Dunes, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Coachella, Thermal, Mecca, and Oasis. In 2025, 97% of reported grant dollars went to recipients in California and 3% to recipients in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Desert Community Foundation open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 27 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $19K first-time, $28K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $207K (2023) to $948K (2025). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $948K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Volleyball Newport Beach Inc Newport Beach, CA | General Support | $150,000 |
| Galilee Center Mecca, CA | General Support | $114,109 |
| Hoag Charity Sports Irvine, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Newport Beach Independent Laguna Beach, CA | General Support | $75,000 |
| Voices for Children San Diego, CA | General Support | $57,178 |
| Animal Samaritans Thousand Palms, CA | General Support | $54,853 |
| Eisenhower Health Foundation Rancho Mirage, CA | General Support | $52,635 |
| Martha's Village and Kitchen Indio, CA | General Support | $34,044 |
| Csusb Philanthropic Foundation San Bernardino, CA | General Support | $30,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Coachella Palm Desert, CA | General Support | $29,211 |
Ready to take the next step with Desert Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $59,827,007 | $12,604,976 | $5,995,765 | $947,735 | 27 | $2,017,190 |
| 2024 | $50,379,669 | $12,638,234 | $4,651,034 | $672,231 | 33 | $1,192,358 |
| 2023 | $42,394,865 | $10,535,887 | $4,826,770 | $206,654 | 11 | $639,213 |
| 2022 | $36,474,868 | $5,648,643 | $2,877,791 | $386,493 | 15 | $3,720,485 |
| 2021 | $33,702,911 | $11,418,957 | $4,789,415 | $399,094 | 35 | $2,074,335 |
| 2020 | $27,032,497 | $6,795,292 | $5,402,603 | $799,203 | 28 | $1,062,716 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is “to encourage and facilitate charitable giving in our desert communities.” It also describes its aim as contributing to a healthy, educated, and prosperous Coachella Valley.
Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own stated missions span different kinds of work. For example, Galilee Center says it provides food, clothing, and other basic needs to disadvantaged people; Voices for Children says it provides court-appointed special advocates for abused children; and Hidden Harvest describes itself as a produce-rescue organization that hires low-income farm workers to glean produce. These are the grantees’ missions, not stated program areas of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $947,735. Grants ranged from $5,010 to $150,000, with a median of $25,000. The listed grants were for general support.
The largest reported awards included $150,000 to Volleyball Newport Beach Inc., $114,109 to Galilee Center, $100,000 to Hoag Charity Sports, $75,000 to Newport Beach Independent, and $57,178 to Voices for Children. Other recipients included Animal Samaritans ($54,853), Eisenhower Health Foundation ($52,635), Martha’s Village and Kitchen ($34,044), CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation ($30,000), Boys & Girls Club of Coachella ($29,211), Hidden Harvest ($26,433), and Palm Springs Art Museum ($26,000).
The foundation offers donor-advised funds through which donors can recommend grants to charities. It also offers scholarship funds, including country club, private, and corporate funds. The website describes a Trusted Advisors Program for people starting a charitable fund or foundation with at least $500,000 and using their own investment advisor. The available information does not specify an application process for organizations seeking direct grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dorothy Hamilton as a board member and officer, and Sandra M. Comrie, Ricardo Loretta, Rosalin Schiller, Dan Kirby, Edward Tauber, Steve Birdwell, and Greg Sanders as board members. Jack Shakely is listed as board member emeritus. The foundation’s website identifies Manuel Arrendondo as chairman and Mary Panesar as executive director.
Desert Community Foundation is led by Mary C. Panesar, Executive Director & Secretary on every filing since 2020; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary C. Panesar
Executive Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$83K (2020) → $133K (2025)
Manuel Arredondo
Chairman & Officer
Board Member → Chairman & Officer, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Kirby
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy Hamilton
Board Member & Officer
Board Member → Board Member & Officer, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edward Tauber
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jack Shakely
Board Member Emeritus
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ricardo Loretta
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rosalin Schiller
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra M. Comrie
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Birdwell
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Sanders
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Gonzalez
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Bahneman
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Richard R. Oliphant (2020–2024) — Chairman & Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $133K, to Mary C Panesar (Executive Director & Secre).
Frequently asked questions about Desert Community Foundation
How much does Desert Community Foundation give each year?
Desert Community Foundation gave $948K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $672K across 33 grants.
What is Desert Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Desert Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $35,101, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Desert Community Foundation that year got $34K on average.
Where does Desert Community Foundation give grants?
Desert Community Foundation gives mostly in California: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Palm Springs, CA (5 grants), Palm Desert, CA (4 grants), Los Angeles, CA (3 grants) and Indio, CA (2 grants).
Does Desert Community Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Desert Community Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Desert Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Desert Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Volleyball Newport Beach Inc ($150,000), Galilee Center ($114,109) and Hoag Charity Sports ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Desert Community Foundation?
Desert Community Foundation reported $59.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $12.6M.
What does Desert Community Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “to encourage and facilitate charitable giving in our desert communities.” It also describes its aim as contributing to a healthy, educated, and prosperous Coachella Valley. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Desert Community Foundation?
Desert Community Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check desertfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Desert Community Foundation's EIN?
Desert Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4725924. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
Live grants for the work Desert Community Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Desert Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Desert Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/desert-community-foundation-morg_476781c530674805948d266524aaaebc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954725924_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Desert Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/desert-community-foundation-morg_476781c530674805948d266524aaaebc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Desert Community Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Desert Community Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?