This year, San Diego Foundation hit an important milestone in SDF history – since 1975, SDF and its fundholders have granted $2 billion to nonprofits in San Diego and beyond.
To put this achievement in perspective, SDF hit $1 billion in grantmaking in 2016 – or 41 years. In just eight years, SDF and its fundholders have granted another billion to nonprofits making our world a better place.
What did that grantmaking success sound like this past year? Pomp and circumstance. A child’s laughter. And the roar of waves crashing in the ocean.
Supporting Future Leaders through Education
This summer, SDF awarded a record $4.9 million in scholarships to more than 1,200 deserving local college students.
Many of these students – about 74% – the first in their families to attend college. And a scholarship will help them get there – research shows that students who receive scholarships are 20% less likely to incur student debt. For every $1,000 a student receives in grants or scholarships, they are 5% more likely to continue their education.
For first-generation college students like Domanick Castro, receiving a scholarship from SDF means he can pursue his dreams and support his family.
“A lot of people in my community think that ‘oh, my family isn’t the most well off – how am I supposed to continue my education?’” Domanick explained. “With these scholarships, it breaks down those barriers so students can realize they can do it, too.”
SDF also continued to partner with San Diego Unified School District on Level Up SD, a summer learning program for K through 8 students in the district. In 2024, $8 million in grant funding was awarded to 49 nonprofits to provide 10,000 student opportunities for academic and social enrichment this summer.
“Every student deserves a meaningful summer that includes access to camps, and academic and enrichment programs. Whether it’s learning to play guitar, visiting a museum or participating in a sports camp, Level Up offers many students opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach due to cost or transportation needs,” Superintendent Dr. Lamont Jackson said.
“We are grateful for our partnership with nearly 50 community organizations that provide these experiences to our students so they can thrive during the summer and throughout the school year,” he shared.
Providing Stability for Children and Families
According to the San Diego Economic Equity Report, more than 86,000 children live in poverty in San Diego. Thanks to SDF and its fundholders, nonprofit partners are providing more support to children and families furthest from opportunity.
Alongside the Dr. Seuss Foundation, SDF awarded $1.3 million in grants to support nonprofits working with young children, ages 0 – 5, and their families. From early literacy to mental health support, SDF Early Childhood Initiative partners are helping families find the stability they need so our youngest San Diegans can thrive.
SDF also partnered with the San Diego Women’s Foundation to award grants to support access to mental health resources among young people and their families.
Together, the two organizations awarded $875,000 to 18 nonprofits, including Just in Time for Foster Youth, Mending Matters, Union of Pan Asian Communities, among others. Through investments in access to mental health resources, families receive the support they need to manage the trauma that is caused by living in poverty or experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
“I feel like access to mental health supports for youth is not just important but that it’s vital,” says Kay, a local high school student involved with Mending Matters, a nonprofit that provides access to mental health resources.
“I feel like if we don’t have the support to ensure that we’re okay mentally and emotionally, we’re not going to be okay in all the other aspects of our lives. I feel like mental health supports are essential in ensuring that we’re not just surviving, but that we’re thriving.”
Protecting the Environment
In our region, protecting and preserving the environment, building climate-resilient communities and future environmental champions, and providing green workforce training is a team effort.
In May, SDF awarded $629,000 in grants to 20 local nonprofits expanding equitable access to the outdoors for children, families and residents of San Diego County.
“Access to the outdoors is critical for personal well-being,” said Pamela Gray Payton, SDF VP, Chief Impact & Partnerships Officer. “But not everyone has easy access to safe outdoor spaces. SDF and its partners enable more people to enjoy the health benefits of the outdoors and become environmental stewards in our region.”
As part of the Binational Resilience Initiative, a partnership with the International Community Foundation that places geographic focus on the Cali-Baja coastline from Oceanside in North San Diego County to Ensenada in Baja California, $740,000 in grants were awarded to U.S.- and Mexico-based nonprofits to support climate resilience projects in the Cali-Baja region.
Working alongside San Diego Community Power, a nonprofit community choice energy aggregator agency, and CalPine, a San Diego Community Power business partner, SDF granted $1.2 million to local clean energy and green workforce development projects in San Diego County.
