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Greetings from the Regional Access Project! I hope you are enjoying the Fall season after the Tempest brought a sudden end to a long summer. Our desert landscape is starting to emerge from the prolonged heat, so enjoy the beginning of the kind of weather that makes this desert popular.
While on the subject of enjoying the desert scene, I can’t help but mention RAP’s hugely successful NPO Desert Fast Pitch Grand Finale held on October 1. The event accomplished our goal of bringing attention to the important services provided by our nonprofit partners. It is gratifying to see the positive response to the event from so many attendees.
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The RAP team consists of the RAP Board of Directors and staff, but to produce NPO Desert Fast Pitch the team expands to include some other key players: our sponsors and coaches.
RAP is greatly appreciative of this year’s sponsors who underwrote much of the event’s cost, making it affordable for people to attend in order to demonstrate their support of our nonprofit community.
| As for this year’s coaches: Greg Charleston, Mary Guinane, Cindy Burreson, and Karrie Schaaf led by RAP’s Director of Strategic Development, Stephanie Minor, they once again accomplished great results in working with the 11 participants, six of whom advanced to the Fast Pitch competition finale. Amongst the great pitches, there were some crowd-pleasing home runs. | Pictured above are coaches, staff, and 11 participants. | The success of this year’s NPO Desert Fast Pitch was a team effort. However, the responsibility for orchestrating the team was given to Taly Fanini, NPO Centric Director. Taly, “thank you” for taking this event to the next level and shining the spotlight on nonprofits brighter than ever before. | |
On a separate topic, the RAP Board of Directors adopted the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Impact Report in September. I am proud of the accomplishments achieved by our Grants, NPO Centric, and Coachella Valley Healthy Living programs. Access the Impact Report here and learn about how RAP is creating a significant positive impact for our community.
Last, but definitely not least, the 21-member RAP Board of Directors has a vacancy. If you are interested in addressing gaps in Health, Mental Health and Juvenile Intervention and volunteering between 4-10 hours a month, you may submit an application by November 16. Feel free to contact Mireya Reyes at mreyes@rapfoundation.org if you have any questions.
For now and always, enjoy life and make a difference!
Lety De Lara
Chief Executive Officer
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Office Space Available
By Mireya Reyes, Administrative Director
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If your organization is looking for an affordable, collaborative, and mission-driven workspace, this could be a great opportunity. We have a recently renovated private suite, offices, and cubicles which are now available.
Nonprofit tenant organizations have the opportunity to be located in Palm Desert, the center of the Coachella Valley, with easy access to the I-10 Freeway. Tenants get below market rate rent, access to meeting rooms, and, best of all, proximity to other nonprofits in the same building. Making collaboration, connection, and shared impact easier and more effective.
Check out the space by clicking here.
Interested in learning more?
Contact Mireya Reyes at mreyes@rapfoundation.org.
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A Community Comes Together to Support Nonprofit Excellence
By Taly Fantini, NPO Centric Director
| Pictured above: Lety De Lara, Tamara Canedo, and RAP Board Chair Aurora Wilson. | |
It was an evening to remember as nonprofit leaders, funders, corporate and community leaders, supporters, and media gathered to celebrate the impressive NPO Desert Fast Pitch 2026 contestants.
NPO Centric and the Regional Access Project Foundation (RAP) celebrated the conclusion of its NPO Desert Fast Pitch 2026 program at the Grand Finale event on October 1 at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Rancho Mirage.
The training and coaching sessions for the "Shark Tank"-style competition for the 11 participating contestants focused on storytelling, fundraising, marketing, leadership, and presentation skills. The training culminated at the semi-final event, where they competed for the final six spots at the Grand Finale. The six finalists chosen to take part in the NPO Desert Fast Pitch 2026 Grand Finale and to present their brilliant pitches were:
| | Pictured above: Kara Robinson, Tamara Canedo, and Erin Hyland. | After her win at the Grand Finale, Tamara Canedo exclaimed, “The children the world has overlooked won. Through the discipline, courage, and spirit of karate-do and para-karate, foster children, survivors of abuse, and individuals with disabilities went from unseen to celebrated, from underestimated to believed in. That first-place trophy belongs to every child who has ever been made to feel like they weren’t enough.” | |
Beyond the thrilling pitches and wins, the highlight was a stellar keynote by the evening's inspirational speaker, J.R. Martinez. His words enthralled the audience, and his fierce, motivating story moved the entire room. He, too, felt inspired by the contestants: “I had something in common with every single one of them,” shared Martinez. “We’ve felt the same emotions as we’ve navigated our own individual adversity. I felt right at home that night, which is the definition of a powerful community.”
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“NPO Desert Fast Pitch isn’t just about awarding funding to one organization. It’s about saying to the entire nonprofit sector: We see you. We value you. We’re committed to investing in your leadership, your capacity, and your missions,” explained Taly Fantini, NPO Centric Director. "Over 400 community members attended the event to show support for our nonprofits and the 11 contestants who went through the program. That's an incredible testament to the work accomplished by these nonprofit leaders."
We are incredibly grateful for the commitment, work, and tenacity of the 11 participants who took part in this year’s NPO Desert Fast Pitch program:
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Congratulations to all our 2026 participants and winners! Your hard work and dedication are the essence of NPO Desert Fast Pitch.
NPO Desert Fast Pitch 2026 was a true celebration of the local nonprofits' commitment to the community and a showcase of people's dedication to the organizations working to create meaningful change. Many thanks to our corporate partners for making this year’s campaign possible.
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City of Coachella Approves Smoke-Free Ordinance
Ashlee Huesca-Arellano,
CV Healthy Living Program Manager
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On October 14, 2026, the City of Coachella approved the second reading of Ordinance No. 1233, adding Chapter 8.65, “Smoke-Free Areas,” to the Coachella Municipal Code. This is an important milestone in supporting healthier and safer public spaces for the community.
A highlight of this effort was the involvement of students from Coachella Valley High School’s Public Safety and Health Academies. By participating in the City Council process, students demonstrated the importance of youth voices in local decision-making and showed how community advocacy can help create meaningful change.
This achievement reflects the collaboration of RAP Foundation, RUHS Public Health Tobacco Control Project, Blue Zones Coachella, community coalition members, Coachella residents, and local youth. Their collective efforts helped bring attention to the importance of stronger smoke-free protections.
The ordinance is expected to take effect on November 14, 2026, provided there are no appeals and all applicable requirements are met. This accomplishment is a great example of how community partnerships and youth leadership can work together to support public health and create positive change in Coachella.
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Great Nonprofit Boards Aren't Found.
They're Built.
By Stephanie Minor, Director of Strategic Development
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Finding great board members is hard enough. Getting them engaged, keeping them motivated, and making sure they actually follow through? That's a whole different challenge.
But here's the good news. A strong, effective board doesn't happen by accident. And it doesn't require a board full of wealthy, well-connected people. It takes the right people, clear expectations, meaningful opportunities to contribute, and a culture where board members feel valued and want to stay.
In this FREE webinar, you'll learn how to:
- Find and recruit board members who are the right fit for your nonprofit
- Set new board members up for success from day one
- Turn disengaged board members into active, enthusiastic contributors
- Build accountability without creating unnecessary conflict
- Keep great board members committed and excited about serving
And we're not just giving you ideas. You'll receive over 20 ready-to-use tools and templates to help you put what you learn into action.
Whether you're recruiting new board members or trying to breathe new life into your current board, you'll walk away with practical strategies to build a board that does more than attend meetings. You'll build a board that takes ownership, follows through, and helps your nonprofit thrive.
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Grants Update
By Melissa Robles, Grants Manager
| Pictured above: Marie Rosales, Adam Lackie, RAP board member Anyse Smith, and Melissa Robles. | | |
On October 7, 2026, RAP board members and staff attended the Joslyn Center VIP Open House, where they were introduced to the organization’s new Executive Director, John Brennan.
The Joslyn Center has been providing services since 1981 to seniors in Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Desert and surrounding Coachella Valley communities. Its 27,000 square-foot facility is the largest senior center in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The center offers a wide range of programs and services designed to promote the health, wellness, and overall well-being of older adults. These include fitness and yoga classes, pickleball and tennis programs, health education, haircut and facial services, a free community food bank every Friday, and free bilingual mental health counseling.
The Joslyn Center is a grantee of the RAP Foundation, which supports its efforts to provide valuable mental health services and resources to the senior community.
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Introducing Christyanne San Juan, NPO Centric Program Manager
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"I grew up in the Coachella Valley and went to Palm Desert High School,” says Christyanne. “That means I’ve been a desert girl all my life.”
With that background, the new program manager needs little introduction to the Valley and the challenges its people face.
Christyanne began her post-high school education at College of the Desert, where she double-majored in Journalism and Liberal Arts. She parlayed that education into a B.A. in Literary Journalism at UC Irvine.
So. What then?
“I’ve worn a lot of hats. I worked as a journalist for a Korean-American streetwear brand, managed a content team at a marketing agency and spent two years as an e-commerce merchandiser and marketing specialist at a packaging company.”
She credits that diverse background with proficiency in writing, strategy and marketing, all of which are applicable to her new role at RAP.
But the best part? Her role model growing up.
“This might sound silly, but Barbie. She could be anything—a doctor, an astronaut, a teacher, a president. Growing up, I loved that she showed me there was no limit to what I could do.”
Excited by the NPO Desert Fast Pitch competition, she looks forward to being active in the nonprofit community.
Outside of work, Christyanne volunteers at the Palm Springs Air Museum, spending time with her cat Ume, and hunting for cool collectibles at thrift stores.
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