In November, the Latino Policy and Politics Institute (LPPI) partnered with the Inland Empire Community Foundation‘s Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity (CIELO) Fund to host two virtual Latino Data Hub (LDH) Action Lab workshops. The goal was to equip 22 leaders from grassroots and advocacy organizations in California’s Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino counties) with the tools and knowledge to leverage data in their work for their communities.  

The workshops were part of a broader initiative to support CIELO Fund grantees, who are working to advance opportunities for Latino communities across the bi-county region. Launched in 2022, the CIELO Fund invests in Latino-led and Latino-serving organizations, strengthening the nonprofit infrastructure that powers systemic change in the Inland Empire.  

“Reliable data is often inaccessible, yet it’s critical to addressing community needs,” said Mariah Bonilla, project coordinator for the LDH. “We created this tool to democratize data access and ensure that everyone, regardless of their expertise, can use data to make informed decisions for their communities.”  

In the first workshop, Bonilla and Jie Zong, senior research analysts at LPPI, introduced participants to the LDH—a pioneering digital platform providing disaggregated data from the U.S. Census Bureau on issues ranging from housing and education to employment and immigrant rights. Participants received hands-on guidance on using the Hub to identify disparities and bolster their community-driven solutions.  

The second workshop focused on integrating data into strategic fundraising efforts. Laura Fuentes, Senior Director in UCLA’s Office of Foundation Relations and Corporate Philanthropy, guided participants through navigating the foundation landscape, engaging funders, and effectively framing organizational missions.  

Jesse Melgar, founder of the CIELO Fund and senior advisor for strategy and public affairs at the UC Possibility Lab, underscored the role of storytelling in advocacy. Sharing findings from the ¡Aquí Estamos! report, Melgar highlighted how data can strengthen narratives and elevate the visibility of inequities impacting Latino communities.  

Throughout the workshop, participants applied these insights in real time. With the guidance of Dr. Rodrigo Dominguez Villegas, director of research at LPPI, participants used data from the Latino Data Hub to craft fundraising pitches that demonstrated their organizations’ impact and highlighted the systemic challenges they aim to address.  

The workshops mark a significant step in bridging the gap between data accessibility and community advocacy, ensuring leaders across the Inland Empire are equipped to tackle inequities with evidence-driven strategies. As these organizations continue to grow, LPPI and the CIELO Fund remain committed to empowering their work through ongoing support and partnership.  

These workshops are part of an event series sponsored by The California Endowment to build the civic, political, and economic power of Latinos to ensure their well-being and inclusion in policy making.