To support your efforts, San Diego Foundation (SDF) shares valuable monthly information about upcoming workshops, events, fundraising opportunities and resources with your organization.

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SDF Career Opportunities

The SDF team is committed to advancing racial and social justice, fostering equity of opportunity, and building resilient communities. We help our donors transform lives across our region by delivering world-class philanthropy and offering best-in-class services. SDF is rated a Top Workplace by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

San Diego Foundation is currently seeking applicants for the following:

  • Director of Accounting
  • Director, Donor Services
  • Director, People, Culture & Diversity
  • Lead Fellow, Community Impact Fellows Initiative
  • Regional Affiliates Specialist

Upcoming Events & Development Opportunities

  • Nonprofit Learning Lab is a national nonprofit that trains leaders in the nonprofit sector and offers daily online nonprofit training on various subjects.
  • Nonprofit Solutions provides effective, impactful and relevant professional development. In-person and virtual (live and interactive) workshops are both available.
  • Nonprofit Ready offers hundreds of free professional development resources, including courses and certificates on fundraising, grant writing, starting a nonprofit, finance, engagement, marketing, and human resources.

Other Funding Opportunities

  • The Nordson Foundation is accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations. The Nordson Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that cultivate educational curriculum and experiences that foster self-sufficiency, job readiness and goals to aspire to higher education. Deadline: August 15, 2023.
  • The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is accepting proposals to improve populations of focal seabirds through actions that increase survival and reproduction. Deadline: August 23, 2023, by 8:59 PM PST.
  • The Carol and Kent L. Landsberg Foundation is now accepting grant applications from organizations that are at least 3 years old and have total assets less than $500,000, excluding property. They prefer to support small organizations that do not receive public funding. Application packets may be requested til August 15, 2023.  Deadline: August 28, 2023.
  • Las Patronas is accepting applications for their Fall Grant Cycle. This grant cycle Funds both Major Grants (> $20,000) and Minor Grants (≤ $20,000). Las Patronas exclusively funds capital items for nonprofit organizations located in San Diego County. Deadline: September 1, 2023.
  • Umpqua Bank is accepting applications for their 2023 Community Grants program. They invest in nonprofit organizations, communities, and leaders to support direct-service programming that incorporates a diversity, equity and inclusion focus. Deadline: September 1, 2023.
  • The Sundt Foundation is accepting grant applications and considers a broad range of social issues but gives special focus to under-served children and teens, domestic violence victims and military veterans and their families. Deadline: September 15, 2023.
  • Parks California has launched its fourth year of Route to Parks grant cycle. In partnership with California State Parks, Route to Parks was designed to help ensure that all communities, including people who have been historically marginalized, have an opportunity to visit and enjoy State Parks. Application Deadline: 5:00 p.m. PST on September 22, 2023.
  • The Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation (CICF) is accepting formal grant applications. CICF makes grants to organizations that are located or operate in U.S. communities where the cruise industry maintains vessel operations, employs significant numbers of individuals, purchases products and services from strategic business partners; and that carry out programs and activities that confer significant local community benefits. Deadline: CICF grant applications are accepted throughout the calendar year. Grant submissions will be reviewed quarterly for final selection. The full review process may take up to six months.
  • Cigna Foundation is accepting Letters of Inquiry for their Healthier Kids for our Future: Mental Health grant program. Their goal is to supplement existing mental health programming – and help close gaps within and outside the school environment – to address loneliness, anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention. Deadline: They will continue to accept Letters of Inquiry until the end of September 2023.
  • The CARESTAR Foundation (CARESTAR) is accepting applications for its Transformations and Innovations Grants Program. CARESTAR is looking to invest in community-based collaboratives reimagining and transforming emergency and prehospital care through this initiative. To apply for a Transformations & Innovations grant, the lead applicant/organization must be a California-based non-profit organization or public entity, with at least one collaborative member physically located in the geographic area where the project will occur. The strongest applicants will include the involvement of a LEMSA. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • Lyft is accepting applications for its transportation grant program. Lyft is committed to helping reduce transportation barriers for historically excluded communities nationwide. Lyft awards local community grants, in the form of in-app ride credits, on an ongoing basis, as funds become available. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation is a joint initiative between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. The foundation is accepting Letters of Inquiry from organizations that help increase participation in and expand access to youth baseball and softball. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The California Wellness Foundation is accepting Letters of Interest for their Advancing Wellness Grant Program. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that are addressing urgent needs people are facing in their communities. Specifically, the focus is on low-income communities, people of color, youth, immigrants, and residents of rural areas. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • The Richard and Jean Coyne Family Foundation accepts inquiries from educational institutions and nonprofit trade organizations that help economically disadvantaged high school students develop portfolios to qualify for admission to art school and provide college scholarships to study graphic design, advertising, photography, and illustration. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • S. Bank Foundation is accepting Letters of Interest for their Community Possible Grant Program. U.S. Bank Foundation supports organizations and programs that advance the following funding priorities:
    • WORK – Workforce Education & Economic Prosperity
    • HOME – Neighborhood Stability & Revitalization
    • PLAY – Artistic& Cultural Enrichment, Learning Through Play & Preserving, Protecting and Enhancing Outdoor Places to Play. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is accepting applications for their Evidence for Action: Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity grant from organizations to support studies about “upstream” causes of health inequities, such as the systems, structures, laws, policies, norms, and practices that determine the distribution of resources and opportunities, which in turn influence individuals’ options and behaviors. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The MIT Club of San Diego is accepting applications to assist local educators, schools and nonprofits improve STEM education in San Diego. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The W.K. Kellogg Foundation accepts applications at any time from organizations whose projects or proposals align with their three areas of focused work: Thriving Children, Working Families, and Equitable Communities. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The Pollock-Krasner Foundation is accepting applications from artists for their Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant for individual artists. Pollock-Krasner grants have enabled artists to create new work, purchase needed materials and pay for studio rent and their personal expenses. Deadline: Rolling.
  • Based on the belief that it is important to be responsive to time-sensitive community needs and opportunities affecting the most vulnerable populations, Alliance Healthcare Foundation provides responsive funding up to $25,000. Responsive funding applications may be submitted at any time. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • The Parker Foundation isaccepting applications from nonprofit organizations that provide services that improve people’s lives throughout the San Diego region. Deadline: Rolling.
  • American Humane’s Second Chance grant offers public and private animal sheltering agencies and rescue groups financial assistance to help offset the costs of rescuing animals who are homeless or victims of human cruelty. Nonprofits who focus on animal rights and rescue are encouraged to submit proposals. Deadline: Ongoing.

Nonprofit Resources

  • Grant Learning Center is the gateway to the federal grants Learn more about the federal grants process and how to register to their system.
  • CalNonprofits offers a wide array of resources for California-based nonprofits.
  • CA Attorney General’s Guide for Charities provides information about best practices for nonprofit organizations in California.
  • IRS- Applying for Section 501(c)(3) status. View or read a video about how to file for nonprofit status.
  • Mission Driven Finance provides services in nonprofit investment opportunities and financial services.
  • The Nonprofit Board Exchange is a free service offered by Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego in collaboration with their community partners to expand the pool of nonprofit board members in San Diego by sharing trainings, resources, and listing of open board positions.
  • Nonprofit Hub produces free guides on several helpful topics for nonprofits.
  • BoardSource provides resources and tools on a wide range of board leadership topics that help educate nonprofits and their boards, including downloadable resources, articles, and publications.
  • Learn how to claim and update your organization’s Candid profile. Nonprofit profiles are a fundraising tool for telling an organization’s story and are viewed by numerous funders and foundations.
  • The Nonprofit Institute’s Digital Library houses our public reports and evaluations, including our State of California and State of Nonprofits & Philanthropy Annual Reports.
  • Wallace Foundation offers general nonprofit resources, including articles and studies by leading thinkers in nonprofit finances.
  • The National Council on Nonprofits helps nonprofits achieve greater collective impact by identifying emerging trends, sharing proven practices and promoting solutions that benefit charitable nonprofits and the communities they serve.
  • Nonprofit Ready provides a free online course library supporting the most common nonprofit job families, including fundraising, leadership, accounting and finance, operations, marketing and communications, volunteer engagement, and program management.
  • Volunteer Management Guide provides tools and best practices for effectively managing volunteers.
  • Tech Soup offers free and discounted software and hardware for nonprofits.
  • Impact Cubed’s DEI Resource Library provides a growing list of DEI resources from community partners, including the Alliance for Regional Solutions, Fieldstone Leadership Network, and North County Philanthropy Council.