About Us, Our Mission and Vision for the Future

About Us
Beginnings: The Empowerment Zone (EZ)
Desert Alliance for Community Empowerment (DACE), was incorporated in 1999, to manage the Desert Communities Empowerment Zone(D.C.E.Z.) located in California’s Eastern Riverside County. D.C.E.Z was born from the Urban and Rural Empowerment Zone Initiative (E.Z.) of 1997 and is one of only nine rural Empowerment Zones in the United States. The EZ was created as a vehicle through which social and economic development for America’s distressed urban and rural communities could be addressed by affording depressed areas with concrete opportunities for growth, revitalization and lasting self-sufficiency.

Geographic Gateway
The home of the DCEZ; the Eastern Coachella Valley is the gateway to one of the most productive Agribusiness Centers in the State of California and one of the largest agricultural centers in the country (supported by an estimated 40,000 farm workers), the DCEZ encompasses eight communities and four tribal reservations, within a 744 net square mile area; Colorado River Basin, Desert Center, Mecca, Mesa Verde, Oasis, North Shore, Ripley, Thermal; Torres-Martinez Band of Cahuilla Indians, 29 Palms Band of Mission Indians, Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, and the Augustine Band of Mission Indians.  Though anchored in the West by the City of Coachella and by the City of Blythe to the East, most of the zone is open desert; dotted with communities suffering from pervasive poverty and lack of opportunities, much as many of today’s urban ghettos.

Community Focus
DACE has become a key player in its zonal communities and partnering organizations by focusing its energy to support the local communities in finding solutions for their needs. The priority of D.A.C.E. is to create economically viable communities from areas suffering from pervasive poverty, unemployment and general distress. However, its actual mandate is much broader—to expand the supply of affordable housing, economic development, community development, and provide access to affordable healthcare and childcare—and in the long-term empowering the community with self-sufficiency.DACE Strategic Focus AreasHousing - increase the amount of and opportunities for residents to achieve homeownership of affordable housing.

Community Development - provide assistance through development of projects and programs of a global community benefit which promote better infrastructure and public facilities.
Health and Human Services - improve access to affordable, available, and accessible health and human services through the development of Community Clinics, education, and advocacy.
Education - support organizations and individual in the effort to achieve higher academic achievement which supports self-sufficiency and economic stability
Economic Development - to provide investment in economic centers which creates jobs, business development, entrepreneurial advancement, and fosters micro-enterprise opportunities of existing and new business ventures.
Capacity Building - catalyzing greater grassroots participation in civic, economic, social, and political issues by fostering understanding through leadership and advocacy.

Funding History
Federal funding for Round II zones has been obtained primarily through USDA’s discretionary appropriations. 

In FY 2002, President Bush proposed and Congress appropriated $15 million for Round II rural EZ’s. 

In FY 2003, USDA again advocated $15 million for the program, but OMB rescinded the request and the Administration requested no funding. 

Congress ultimately provided FY 2003 funding at the FY 2002 level.  In FY 2004, the Administration again proposed no funding, and Congress provided $12.667 million -- $11.67 million for the five Round II zones (and twenty Enterprise Communities) and $1 million for the two Round III zones. 

For FY 2005, the Administration again requested no funding for Round II zones, citing un-obligated balances in the program which in reality were due to Agency implementation not Program inactivity.  In the case of the Desert Communities EZ, all Year 6 funds are spent and Year 7 funding is being obligated and spent on projects.  Congress ultimately appropriated $12.5 million for the program. 

From FY 2000-FY2005, the DCEZ has received approximately $12.6 in Federal funding from USDA and leveraged over $120 million in other funding.Completion of the 10 year funding commitment for Round II Rural EZ/EC’s is especially critical because of the difficulty in attracting capital investment to rural, economically distressed areas.   Progress of the critical capital projects identified within the DCEZ communities is in line with the typical 3-5 year development span-conception through construction.  

Continued Federal funding is essential to meet the goals outlined in their strategic plans and attract the necessary non-federal investment required, making the Rural Empowerment Zone initiative successful.

Implementation and Action
Within each of the strategic focus areas, DACE has invested the funds of the DCEZ to purchase land and facilities; Corporate capacity and staffing; community leadership training and education; provide financial assistance to community partners; pre-development and planning of projects for public benefit; and business development activities.  DACE has seeded and benchmarked more than 162 community benefit projects within the various communities we serve that have resulted in upholding the principles of the Empowerment Zone by:

• Insuring sustainable growth
• Creating economic opportunity
• Achieving a strategic vision for change
• Capitalizing on the strength of collaboration through community partnerships

Our Mission
Our mission is to provide residents and their communities with the means, resources and opportunities to achieve a quality lifestyle that is self-sufficient and sustainable.

Desert Alliance for Community Empowerment (D.A.C.E.) a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization was formed in 1999. DACE implements the mission of the empowerment zone (EZ)
by focusing it's energy to support, and find solutions for the needs of it's zonal communities
and partnering organizations.

Initially the DCEZ was only one of ten (10) federally designated Rural Empowerment Zones in the nation. It is the only one designated in the thirteen (13) western states of the United States.

It encompasses nearly four thousand two hundred (4,200) square miles located within eastern Riverside County, California.

Through our strategic planning and community involvement process,
DACE has identified 6 strategic areas from which all projects and programs stem.
They are:
Capacity Building, Community Development, Economic Development, Education, Health and Human Services, and Housing which is provided through our sister organization
RANCHO Housing Alliance, Inc.

Vision Statement
We vision a region with vibrant and sustainable communities where all residents have the opportunity to achieve an enhanced quality of life and self-sufficiency through innovative and collaborative community-based public and private partnerships.

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