Under the Grants In Aid Funding Program, the Indian Wells Grants-in-Aid Committee makes recommendations to the City Council regarding the distribution of public funds to worthy charities and organizations throughout the valley.

Committee Members

• Arlene Lucchesi, Resident Member
• Dan Miller, Resident Member
• Kathleen Felci, Resident Member
• Susan Paresky, Resident Member
• Tyler Shigenaga, Resident Member
• Donna Griffith, Council Member

Adopted by the Council, Resolution No. 2017-04 establishing the amount of community assistance funding is a maximum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the prior year’s General Fund’s Net Change in Fund Balance using year end estimates established during the last quarter of each fiscal year, not to exceed $160,000 during each budget year.

Grants-in-Aid Funding Information

The City of Indian Wells' Grants-in-Aid program gives tax-exempt, non-profit organizations under Section 501(c)(3) with at least 5 years in business the opportunity to apply for funding to assist with community assistance and services provided to the Coachella Valley.

• Fiscal Year 2024-2025 GIA Application
  • Please note that you need only submit ONE copy of the completed application this year.
  • IRS Verification Letters (also known as Affirmation Letters) are documents with the current date affirming the current exemption status of your organization. These can be requested by calling IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities Customer Account Services at 877-829-5500 (toll-free number) or completing an IRS Form 4506-B and emailing it to tege-eo-my.eo.request@irs.gov. It can take the IRS up to 60 days to process your request so be sure to file as soon as possible to meet the application requirements and deadlines.
    • Note: Applications with no IRS Verification Letter or letters older than 5 years will be disqualified from consideration for funding.
      
      
• Guidelines for Grants-in-Aid
• Application & Funding Timeline
• Fiscal Year 2024-25 GIA Year-End Report

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Homelessness Assistance Funding Information 

Under SB341 (adopted by the State of California in October 2013), the Indian Wells Housing Authority can allocate up to $250,000 per fiscal year to support organizations addressing homelessness in the Valley in addition to the $160,000 General Fund allocation distributed by the Grants-in-Aid Committee.  Applicants for homelessness assistance funding must ensure that their applications demonstrate a clear nexus between their requested funding and how the program or purchase specifically addresses homelessness in the Coachella Valley. It is strongly recommended that applicants review the language of SB341 to ensure their funding request qualifies under the law.  The Housing Authority takes recommendations from the Grants-in-Aid Committee regarding the distribution of these funds the same as the City Council relies on the Committee for recommendations related to Grants-in-Aid.

Read SB341 §34176.1(a)(2) HERE (Scroll to Page 7).

Organizations whose efforts (and financial need) specifically address homelessness in the Valley are encouraged to apply for funding through the Housing Authority’s Homeless Assistance Program. The application and funding timeline for homelessness funding is the same as Grants-in-Aid with one exception: applicants for homelessness assistance funding must ensure that there is a clear nexus between their requested funding and how the program or purchase specifically addresses homelessness in the Coachella Valley.

• Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Homeless Services Funding Application
• Fiscal Year 2024-25 Homelessness Services Funding Year-End Report

PLEASE NOTE: Organizations can only apply to and receive funding from one of these programs, Grants-in-Aid or Homeless Services, not both. Please apply only for the funding opportunity which best aligns with your organization’s efforts and financial need. 

Applications can be emailed to Catherine Manning at cmanning@indianwells.com or delivered in hard copy to City Hall.