Baja California Disaster Relief Fund In an effort to respond more effectively to community- based needs arising from natural disasters (e.g. earthquakes, flooding, fires, chemical spills, cold weather storms, hurricanes, etc.) that impact communities throughout the Baja California peninsula, International Community Foundation established the Baja California Disaster Relief Fund. Through this fund International Community Foundation provides grants to locally based non-profits leading disaster relief efforts. Recent International Community Foundation support has included food aid for flood victims in Los Cabos and support for home re-construction following a fire that uprooted hundreds of families in Tijuana.

Border Environmental Fund (BEF) was established to proactively address Baja California’s border-specific environmental and human health problems including air and water pollution, degradation of natural habitat, scarcity of water, water and sewage issues, and occupational health hazards. Through the BEF, International Community Foundation supports grassroots environmental organizations working on innovative and targeted projects and initiatives that will improve environmental awareness and the quality of life among residents of the border region of Baja California. In 2002, International Community Foundation issued $60,000 in grants to non-profit organizations addressing and working to solve border related issues in Tijuana, Mexicali, Tecate, Rosarito and Ensenada. International Community Foundation is planning to expand its grantmaking in this area for 2003.

Border Health Fund to support the work of border area nonprofits in Baja California addressing the critical health challenges in the San Diego-Baja California border region.

Friends of China Fund Friends of China Fund Established to support education, the environment and poverty alleviation in China.

International Children’s Fund Children are our future. For this reason, International Community Foundation has a particular interest in supporting children's issues and causes. Our International Children's Fund provides support to Baja California-based non-profits working to improve the lives of children and families. The projects International Community Foundation has funded vary widely from vaccinating infants to operational support for orphanages and after-school programs, from community centers to children's theater groups with a message against violence.

International Water Emergency Relief Fund to provide immediate relief to communities and victims of natural disasters in need of safe drinking water and health and sanitation systems in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America

UN Disaster Relief Fund to provide humanitarian relief assistance in collaboration with the United Nations and its affiliated agencies to communities impacted by natural disasters around the world.

Sea of Cortez Fund The Sea of Cortez is a unique natural wonder. Dubbed by “Galapagos of North America” the region is has a rich marine and terrestrial biodiversity with many species found nowhere else on earth. Unfortunately, the Sea of Cortez faces many threats due to unplanned development, over-fishing, pollution, and poaching of sea turtles and other rare species. As population and development pressures have increased along the Baja California peninsula, the International Community Foundation has responded by creating the Sea of Cortez Fund to permit donors to make contributions of any amount to support marine conservation and coastal habitat protection throughout this ecologically fragile region. The Sea of Cortez Fund aims to strengthen the effectiveness of conservation organizations, which are collaborating with local communities. Currently, there are over 26 Mexican non-profits committed to addressing a wide range of conservation and environmental issues facing the Sea of Cortez. Despite the complex challenges facing the area, most local conservation groups are only a few years old, relying on limited financial resources and volunteers to carry out their protection, recovery, research, and outreach programs.

Sustainable Communities Fund Relative to other regions of the interior of Mexico (e.g. Oaxaca, Chiapas, Hidalgo, Guerrero), the Baja California peninsula is viewed as the land of opportunity with a diversified economic base and jobs in manufacturing/assembly, agriculture, fisheries, and tourism, as well as being within close proximity to one of America’s largest consumer markets, Southern California. As a result, Baja California’s communities ranging from Tijuana, Rosarito, Ensenada, Tecate and Mexicali in the north, and La Paz and Los Cabos to the south, have been subjected to unprecedented levels of migration resulting in unplanned growth, urban sprawl, the destruction of sensitive habitats. These communities also face growing pressures on an ever-dwindling supply of clean drinking water. Sadly, in the of case of Tijuana over 50% of the new immigrant population ends up in squatter settlements without access to basic utilities such as potable water, sewage treatment, telecommunications, or electrical hook-ups. Additionally, municipal officials throughout the peninsula are overwhelmed by the growing educational needs of migrants, many of whom come to the Baja California with limited schooling and, in the case of indigenous migrants, speak little or no Spanish. Accordingly, contrary to conventional wisdom, for many migrants to Baja California, the cycle of poverty is only perpetuated. In an effort to better respond to these growing needs, the “Sustainable Communities Fund” was established at International Community Foundation to support the foundation’s programmatic work to promote livable communities throughout the Baja California Peninsula.