Updated: December 2, 2024
October 30, 2024 – San Diego, CA — Today San Diego Foundation (SDF) announced Fifty & Forward, a grantmaking and fundraising campaign to align charitable giving, harness the generosity of our region and realize our region’s greatest opportunities in education, for children and families and the environment.
San Diego Foundation turns 50 years old in 2025, and is celebrating the collective impact we’ve had and shared with donors, nonprofits and partners to benefit the San Diego region by granting $500 million to nonprofits while fundraising $1 billion to fuel our impact for the next 50 years.
“Since our founding nearly 50 years ago, we’ve granted $1.8 billion into our community—our home. Our home is who we are. It’s where we belong. And it’s where we dream big,” said Mark Stuart, President and CEO of SDF. “This campaign is about how much we can give, not just how much we raise.”
The Fifty & Forward Campaign is a seven-year initiative started in 2021 and is the most ambitious granting and fundraising undertaking in SDF history. The campaign focuses on education, children and families, and the environment—critical community needs that, when met, can change the trajectory of San Diegans’ lives for generations.
SDF invites the community to bring together its resources, passions and spirit of innovation to create a place all San Diegans feel proud to call home.
“The opportunities we have today with education, children and families, and the environment are not new, but our urgency is—especially for communities that have historically been furthest from opportunity,” said Mel Katz, SDF Board of Governors Member and Fifty & Forward Campaign Council Chair. “We are inviting our community to come together and give more like never before so we can ensure our region reaches its potential and our charitable giving makes the greatest impact possible.”
The Fifty & Forward Campaign Council, an advisory group comprised of San Diegans who give regularly and deeply through SDF, includes:
- Mel Katz, Co-Founder and Executive Officer, Manpower Staffing Services of San Diego
- Vicki and Moises Baron, Community Volunteers and Philanthropists
- Darcy Bingham, Community Volunteer, Philanthropist and former SDF Board of Governors Member
- Marilyn Creson Brown, Community Volunteer and Philanthropist
- Patty Brutten, Community Volunteer and Philanthropist
- Phyllis Epstein, Community Volunteer and Philanthropist
- Jay Hill, Executive Director, Dr. Seuss Foundation
- Elvin Lai, President & CEO, Ocean Park Inn Hotel, and SDF Board of Governors Member
- Connie Matsui, Community Volunteer, Philanthropist and former SDF Board of Governors Member
The campaign launch announcement was made before an audience of 300 local donors and partners at The Art of Impact event, hosted by SDF and held Oct. 29 at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. To learn more about or to donate to Fifty & Forward, visit SDFoundation.org/50.
About San Diego Foundation
For nearly 50 years, San Diego Foundation has been inspiring enduring philanthropy and enabling community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region. Our strategic priorities include advancing racial and social justice, fostering equity of opportunity, building resilient communities, and delivering world-class philanthropy to realize our vision of just, equitable and resilient communities. Since our founding in 1975, SDF and our donors have granted $1.8 billion to support nonprofit organizations strengthening our community. Join us in commemorating 50 years of impact – and looking toward the next 50. Learn more at SDFoundation.org.
Contact
Lorena Nava Ruggero, lruggero@sdfoundation.org, 619-814-1365