The Inland Empire region in Southern California encompasses San Bernardino and Riverside counties and is a vibrant, diverse region that is navigating both rapid growth and health and economic disparities. The area is home to over 4 million people and is expected to reach 5.6 million by 2048, making it one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation. As the region charts its course for the future, nearly 100 community organizations have come together to form the Inland Empire Vital Conditions Network—a collaborative working to foster collective well-being. At the core of this effort is a shared commitment to the Vital Conditions for Well-Being.
IP3 has partnered with the Inland Empire Community Foundation to create an online hub—a Community Commons Space where the network can convene, learn, connect with regional partners and resources, and engage with regional data. This hub represents a step forward for the emerging network. It provides a dedicated space where individuals and organizations share and discover resources and deepen their understanding of the region’s unique strengths and needs through data dashboards powered by IP3 ASSESS.
Bringing Vision to Life: IP3’s Role in Building the Network Hub
IP3 has created an online space that fosters shared learning through common language and data. For an emerging network like the Inland Empire Vital Conditions Network, an online hub helps members align around shared goals and establish a foundation for collaboration and on-the-ground efforts to improve community well-being. More than a website, the hub reflects the network’s efforts to come together to support equitable well-being and gives voice to diverse perspectives and shared aspirations that define the Inland Empire.
"We all know that what's required to advance thriving in the Inland Empire is immensely larger than what any one institution or sector can accomplish working alone, yet when we do come out of our "silos"to "work together" it is often still done within the sectors in which we work (education, healthcare, government, etc.). Just one of the benefits of using the Vital Conditions Framework is that it naturally fosters the cross-sector integration that we need to move the needle on well-being in our region." - Damien O'Farrell, Chief Executive Officer, Parkview Legacy Foundation
Organizing Around the Vital Conditions
The Seven Vital Conditions for Well-Being is a practical framework for conceptualizing holistic well-being and the community conditions that give rise to it. While each member organization brings its own influence and assets to shared goals, the network is using this framework to align around a shared vision. The actionable and asset-based framing of the seven vital conditions makes it easy for members to see how their work contributes to the region's overall well-being. Over the years, the region has tried to convene and work together across sectors. Network members report that this framework finally provided the shared language and central aspiration of all people and places thriving, no exceptions, needed for collective action and transformative change.
A Region to Watch
The Inland Empire Vital Conditions Network illustrates how regional collaboration addresses complex challenges and advances community well-being. The Network and its Community Commons Space demonstrate the potential of collective action supported by accessible online tools and shared frameworks to create the conditions where everyone can thrive.
Watch the Thriving Together Momentum webinar to learn more about how the Inland Empire Vital Conditions Network is taking shape in the region and providing a model for other communities around the nation.
If you're interested in learning more about the vital conditions framework, accessing data for your community with IP3 ASSESS, and/or creating a Community Commons Space, please reach out to our IP3 team!