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The San Diego Community Foundation (later renamed San Diego Foundation) is founded and incorporated by a group of civically engaged San Diegans to serve community needs and philanthropic causes in San Diego County.
Founding members include inaugural Board President Philip M. Klauber, the first of 24 SDF Board Chairs and Presidents who have played crucial roles in guiding San Diego Foundation’s mission.
Through their foundation, the Gildred family – most known for their groundbreaking flights from San Diego to Ecuador and generations of philanthropy – pledges the first gift to The Foundation for $135,000.
The Foundation awards its first grant for the founding of what is now known as LEAD San Diego and to support the historical preservation of the La Jolla Woman’s Club.
The Foundation receives its first major gift from Mrs. Virginia Mackenzie Smith, whose family founded Western Metals Supply Co. The company’s historic brick building still stands in left field at Petco Park. With the grant, The Foundation acquires and preserves the Spruce Street Bridge and the land around it as open space forever.
The Foundation assists in the rebuilding of the YWCA, now one of the largest providers of gender-inclusive domestic violence housing and services in San Diego County and one of the only resources for male adult and teenage survivors.
San Diego Congressman Clinton D. McKinnon – known throughout the county as a media philanthropist – and his wife, Lucille, establish The McKinnon Fund at The Foundation to benefit the region, youth programs and the importance of historic preservation.
Decorated cavalry officer and war hero who served active duty in the Army during the Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection and China Relief Expedition, Col. Frank C. Wood, specified that, after his death, nearly his entire estate be used for the exclusive benefit of San Diego charities.
Upon his passing, The Foundation establishes the Col Frank C. Wood Memorial Fund. The fund doubles The Foundation’s assets at the time and cements the Colonel’s legacy as one of never-ending service to community.
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Nearly 50 years after Major Reuben H. Fleet sparked an industrial boom in San Diego when he moved his company, Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, to the region, the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation gifts its first $8 million to The Foundation.
Today, three generations of Fleets engage in philanthropy with The Foundation. In total, the family that funded the Fleet Science Center at Balboa Park and so much more has granted more than $25 million to organizations that address current and future challenges in San Diego. Thanks to the family’s endowed legacy funds, that number will grow in perpetuity.
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The Foundation establishes the Mission Trails Regional Park Endowment Fund. The centrally located park, part of the ancestral land of the Kumeyaay, encompasses more than 8,000 acres (about half the area of Cleveland, Ohio) of both natural and developed recreational areas, providing a quick, natural escape from the urban hustle and bustle to this day.
The Foundation opens the Dell Hunter Memorial Flag Fund, an endowment made possible by a gift from Molly Hunter, to ensure fresh flags always fly over San Diego’s main city library.
Led by philanthropists Dallas Clark, Ron Hahn and Deborah Szekely, San Diego Foundation establishes the International Community Foundation (ICF) to address the complexities of international philanthropy in the binational San Diego-Tijuana region.
San Diego Foundation continues its partnership with ICF today through the Binational Resilience Initiative (launched in 2022), which tackles our cross-border region’s climate vulnerabilities by empowering collaborations between civil organizations, scientists, community leaders and other stakeholders on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border to advance coastal resilience projects within the Cali-Baja region.
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Aeronautical engineer Samuel L. Blasker makes his first grants through San Diego Foundation to support innovative, local research by San Diego scientists.
In time, the Blasker-Rose-Miah legacy fund expands to grant over $10 million to support scientific innovation and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) opportunities for underrepresented young adults, as well as research that advances local solutions to climate change.
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Founder of Price Club (now Costco), Sol Price and his wife Helen open their first of several funds at San Diego Foundation to support to local causes.
In memory of the world-famous children’s author, the Dr. Seuss Fund is established at San Diego Foundation. Through its partnership, San Diego Foundation owns a small percentage of Dr. Seuss book and non-book revenues, valued at more than $157 million.
Today, SDF partners with the Dr. Seuss Foundation to support early childhood education and care for San Diego families with young children ages 0–5. This collaboration supports school readiness and equitable access to opportunity that ensures a strong foundation for literacy in the earliest years.
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Bob Kelly begins his 20-year tenure as President & CEO of SDF.
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife partner with SDF to establish The Foundation’s first mitigation fund. The San Diego River Endowment Fund measures and protects least Bell’s vireos, an endangered bird.
Today, SDF manages more than 110 mitigation funds totaling over $57 million to offset adverse environmental impacts of development by funding permanent land and species conservation.
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San Diego Foundation launches its Community Scholarship Program to expand higher education access for local students with a focus on first-generation college students from low-middle-income families.
Now the largest non-university scholarship provider in the region, the program has awarded more than $53 million in scholarships – including a record $4.9 million in 2024 – to over 14,000 college students in San Diego.
In 2018, the program adds the Community Scholars Initiative to help San Diegans prepare for, pay for and persist through college by providing financial support and critical wraparound services through nonprofit partners that bolster academic achievement.
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San Diego Foundation receives its largest gift to date from the estate of Jean Jessop Hervey, wife of prominent San Diego trial attorney James Edgar Hervey. This $90 million gift establishes the Hervey Endowment Fund, setting the stage for ongoing contributions to benefit charitable causes across San Diego.
Today, Hervey children and grandchildren continue to steward the family’s legacy through philanthropy. The family has granted over $110 million to support a wide array of causes, from environment and food security to housing access and scholarships.
Notable grantmaking includes $16 million to the San Diego Public Library Foundation and $1 million to the Sanford Burnham Institute for skin cancer research. The Hervey family’s impact will continue to shape San Diego’s future for generations to come.
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A small group of San Diego volunteers recognize changing patterns in women’s giving and seek opportunities to learn about critical issues facing the region. They envision an organization to promote the leadership of women in philanthropy, resulting in the founding of the San Diego Women’s Foundation led by founding president Linda Katz.
A supporting organization of San Diego Foundation, SDWF has grown to an organization of more than 210 members, awarding a total of 128 grants totaling over $5.3 million to local nonprofits.
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A supporting organization of The Foundation, the San Diego Regional Disaster Fund is founded as a resource for community members, nonprofit organizations, government entities and donors during and following local disasters.
The fund proves crucial in the years to follow, supporting nonprofits aiding in response, recovery and rebuilding efforts after two of the largest wildfires in San Diego’s history – the 2003 Cedar Fire, which burned over 270,000 acres (about half the area of Yosemite National Park) and destroyed more than 2,800 buildings, and the 2007 Witch Creek Fire, which burned nearly 200,000 acres, destroyed over 1,400 residences and triggered an evacuation of 500,000 people – the largest evacuation in the county’s history.
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Joan and Irwin Jacobs, founding CEO of Qualcomm, partner with San Diego Foundation and Jewish Community Foundation to pledge $120 million to support the long-term stability of the San Diego Symphony – the largest single gift ever to an American orchestra. Jacobs’ family funds continue to support the symphony to this day.
In honor of its 30-year anniversary, San Diego Foundation launches a multi-year Endow San Diego campaign to grow and inspire San Diegans to support endowment funds.
The campaign includes a Nonprofit Partner Program to build enduring assets for local nonprofits, which results in more than 270 nonprofit endowment funds established at The Foundation totaling more than $121 million. These funds continue to support long-term sustainability and stability for forward-thinking organizations, including the Escondido Creek Conservancy, Nativity Prep Academy and San Diego Symphony.
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Understanding San Diego’s diverse communities and the importance of local residents investing back into their own neighborhoods, San Diego Foundation launches a regional network of affiliate foundations, beginning with the Escondido Community Foundation, to build endowments and increase impactful, placed-based philanthropy across the county.
Under the leadership of SDF staff member Trudy Armstrong, the Regional Affiliate program expands to the communities of Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Escondido, Oceanside, Ramona and Rancho Bernardo.
Overall, the program exceeds 1,000 members, $5 million in endowments and $9 million in grants to nonprofits throughout the region.
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Following the 2003 Cedar Fire, the SDF Environment Working Group recognizes the need to study the link between extreme weather and climate change. With donor and community support, SDF’s Environment Program funds key studies like Focus 2050 and a regional greenhouse gas inventory, highlighting local climate impacts and strategies for action.
These efforts help secure a multi-million-dollar National Science Foundation grant, resulting in the San Diego, 2050 Is Calling report that uses a new model to educate leaders and the public on climate science.
SDF also funds capacity-building and technical assistance grants, contributing to regional Climate Action Plans, a Sea Level Rise Strategy for San Diego Bay, and the formation of the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative that unites donors, government and nonprofits for climate resilience.
To date, the Climate Initiative has invested nearly $14 million for local and bi-national resilience efforts such as climate literacy and education, land use, accessible transportation, green infrastructure and energy resilience to sustain San Diego’s economic growth and high quality of life.
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Commissioned by The Foundation, the Parks for Everyone report finds that the San Diego communities that historically suffer from the greatest inequities in usable green space are those with higher concentrations of lower income households and greater racial and ethnic diversity.
Recognizing that equitable access to parks and green space is more important than ever before to ensure every San Diegan has a strong quality of life, SDF launches the Opening the Outdoors program, partnering with nonprofits to connect, protect and increase equitable access to the outdoors across the county.
Through the years, OTO has granted to over 90 nonprofits, helped more than 75,000 youth and families access outdoor spaces and provided more than 2,100 gear items for partners.
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San Diego Foundation publishes the findings of Our Greater San Diego Vision, an unprecedented study spanning three years to capture the community’s vision for the future of our region.
A massive effort that involved feedback from more than 30,000 San Diegans across the county points to four areas that residents deem critical for a bright future: jobs and wages, community and cultural amenities, housing/transportation and cost of living and life-long learning.
The four areas influence The Foundation’s programs and initiatives to this day.
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Kathlyn Mead begins her tenure as President & CEO of SDF.
Before he passes away in 2018, serial entrepreneur Guy C. Clum comes to The Foundation with a gift and a vision. Recognizing thousands of young children in San Diego lack access to licensed care or a stay-at-home parent, he wants his $10 million legacy gift to go for the betterment of our youngest community members – those under 5 years of age – and their families.
This enables the launch of the SDF Early Childhood Initiative, which stewards Guy’s vision, ensuring long-term community impact in partnership with local nonprofits and childcare providers. To date, the initiative has supported over 14,000 parents, guardians and caregivers and benefitted more than 19,000 young children in our communities.
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Following a national search that drew more than 1,000 candidates, the SDF Board of Governors selects local nonprofit fundraising and community building executive Mark A. Stuart as President and Chief Executive Officer of San Diego Foundation.
Bringing nearly 30 years of experience in all aspects of operations and leadership, including Chief Development & Membership Officer of San Diego Zoo Global, Stuart leads SDF to record-level grantmaking and new, innovative projects to address the greatest needs of San Diegans.
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In response to the coronavirus pandemic, San Diego Foundation partners with local leaders to launch the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund on March 16, 2020.
The Foundation collaborates with philanthropy, government, business, nonprofits, schools and other sectors across San Diego County to raise and grant $67 million for over 200 nonprofit partners that provide 4.14 million critical services to San Diegans in need – low-income workers, families and vulnerable communities most affected by the coronavirus crisis.
Notable contributions include $1 million in seed funding from SDG&E, a $1.5 million matching gift from the Hervey Family, and an $8 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott – the single largest individual contribution. In total, the fund receives over 3,700 generous donations.
The response fund serves as a model for the 2024 San Diego Flood Response Fund, a philanthropic effort to raise and deploy funds to nonprofits serving southeastern San Diego communities that needed assistance after a “1,000-year storm” hit San Diego. The collective effort results in $1.4 million raised and granted, providing 16,795 services provided to flood survivors.
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COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd shine a light on systemic racism, especially as it impacts Black communities. In response, The Foundation and the Central Black San Diego Chamber of Commerce co-found the Black Community Investment Fund to increase racial equity and generational wealth for Black San Diegans.
The fund, led by a majority-Black advisory council of civic, nonprofit and government leaders, directs grantmaking into four key pillars to impact economic prosperity among Black San Diegans: Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Housing.
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San Diego Foundation begins its active streak of being recognized annually as one of San Diego County’s Top Places to Work based on SDF employee survey feedback.
To mitigate learning loss for young students during the pandemic, especially for those from low-income families and communities of color, SDF partners with San Diego Unified School District on a reimagined summer school experience for K-12 San Diego Unified students.
The Level Up SD program expands the availability of summer enrichment activities, at no cost, to low-income, underrepresented students in the district. Programs include zoo camp, STEAM- and arts-based experiences, museum programs, and sports programs – all offered by nonprofit partners.
Since its inception, Level Up SD has partnered with 130-plus local nonprofit organizations to serve 25,000 San Diego Unified students. The Foundation has also grown its expanded learning programming through the GEMS program to offer similar services to students county-wide.
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The SDF Board of Governors engages more than 4,000 San Diego donors, nonprofits and community leaders for two years to inform a framework that reflects the aspirations of our community.
The result is a new strategic framework for San Diego Foundation distilled into a 5-year Strategic Plan and a vision for just, equitable and resilient communities. The four strategic priorities are: Advancing racial and social justice, fostering equity of opportunity, building resilient communities and delivering world-class philanthropy.
One year later, SDF reveals a new brand mark and website to reflect its new direction and mission and to better serve San Diego’s diverse nonprofits and donors.
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The San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center launches as a partnership between SDF, the County of San Diego and the world’s leading think tank – The Brookings Institution – to conduct research and policy analysis and help solve the region’s biggest problems.
PIC helps solve problems that extend beyond the reach of any single agency or department and develops a pipeline of projects and pilots that improve the lives of all San Diegans, focused on climate resiliency, affordable housing, community wealth and infrastructure.
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San Diego Foundation receives a historic, transformative unrestricted $110 million cash gift from the estate of local entrepreneur Jay Kahn, the largest-ever gift of its kind to a San Diego nonprofit and the third-largest gift to a U.S. community foundation.
During his lifetime, Jay had many gifts. He was a self-taught pilot. A binational entrepreneur. An eclectic homeowner (in Ocean Beach, no less). A gourmet cook. A daring risk taker. And a savvy investor.
To those closest to him, however, he was best known for his love of classical music and virtuosity in playing the clarinet.
Perhaps, then, Jay’s last encore was his greatest gift of all.
The first grants from Kahn’s gift include $150,000 unrestricted grants to 10 San Diego-based music education nonprofits to advance their work with under-resourced children.
Aside from a portion of Kahn’s gift that supports housing and other SDF strategic plan initiatives, more than $86 million establishes the Jay Kahn Endowment Fund at San Diego Foundation so that Kahn’s legacy and impact continues to grow and transform San Diego County in perpetuity.
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The inaugural, sold-out San Diego Fundraising Conference presented by San Diego Foundation brings together fundraising experts, thought leaders, nonprofit professionals and board members for a day of learning and camaraderie. Keynote speakers and national fundraising experts Harvey McKinnon and Gail Perry, MBA, CFRE highlight the event.
The first-of-its-kind conference provides essential tools and resources to help nearly 400 local fundraisers in attendance bring more philanthropic dollars to our region to improve the quality of life for San Diegans.
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Contrary to its reputation of affluence and prosperity, San Diego County grapples with considerable economic hardship.
Commissioned by San Diego Foundation, the San Diego Economic Equity Report unveils harsh realities of inequities across the region, finding that 335,000 San Diegans, including 84,000 children, live below the federal poverty line. The research, conducted by the Policy & Innovation Center (PIC), highlights stark contrasts in health outcomes, especially across different racial groups.
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SDF launches a new, unique approach to provide faster, more efficient housing production across the spectrum of affordability for all San Diegans. The San Diego Housing Fund partners with investors, developers and property owners to create 1,000 units of new housing in each of the next 10 years.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selects SDF to receive $20 million for its joint initiative with the Environmental Health Coalition to help fund climate-resilient projects that will preserve, protect and strengthen San Diego’s central historic barrios.
Combined with a $22 million grant received from the California Strategic Growth Council, an unprecedented $42 million will be invested to improve the neighborhoods encompassing San Diego’s central historic barrios (the neighborhoods of Logan, Stockton, Grant Hill, Mt. Hope, Sherman, Southcrest and Shelltown).
Investments will fund climate-resilient and community benefit projects, including green spaces, housing and transportation, community-led food production and distribution and community centers.
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To continue San Diego’s diverse communities, SDF expands its Affinity Fund program with two new funds: El Camino Fund to support San Diego Latino/as and The AANHPI Fund to support the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.
Affinity Funds support specific communities and their unique needs and opportunities. Each of these funds is led by members of the communities they serve, uniting groups of donors with shared identities and connecting them to targeted impact.
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While it took San Diego Foundation 41 years to reach $1 billion in grantmaking, SDF reaches its $2 billion grantmaking milestone just eight years later.
The giving milestone is achieved thanks to thousands of local philanthropists who commit to placed-based philanthropy, national and regional partners who support SDF programs and the prudent stewardship of The Foundation’s assets.
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No matter how you give, our programs can magnify your generosity.
Grant Announcement
$838K in Grants to Local Nonprofits to Create More Inclusive, Equitable and Accessible Outdoor Experiences
On August 9, 2022, we awarded $838,704 in Opening the Outdoors grants to 24 nonprofit organizations that offer equitable access to outdoor spaces in San Diego County.
“San Diego Foundation is proud to once again support its partners committed to increasing community-driven efforts to enhance accessible outdoor space, encourage youth to learn more through hands-on education and create the next generation of environmental stewards in the San Diego region,” said Christiana DeBenedict, SDF Director of Environment Initiatives.
This year’s grantees will help address these inequities and enhance access to the outdoors throughout San Diego County.
About Kim Klein
Kim Klein is internationally known as a consultant, trainer and facilitator. She has been in fundraising for over four decades and has presented workshops in all 50 states and 25 foreign countries. She has a certificate in Spiritual Direction and believes the role of nonprofits is to, in the words of Peter Maurin, “create a world in which it is easy to be good.”
She has just completed the 8th edition of her classic book, Fundraising for Social Change. This edition is co-authored with Stan Yogi and amplifies examples of organizations and social movements which have demonstrated how raising money from individuals gives organizations maximum power and autonomy.
She recently retired from teaching at the School of Social Welfare at UC Berkeley and lives in Berkeley with her wife and two cats.
About Karen E. Osborne
Karen believes in the power of philanthropy, generosity, and service. She built her career around these passions not only as a major and principal gifts officer, vice president, speaker, teacher, consultant, and coach, but also as a donor, volunteer, and board member.
For eighteen of Karen’s forty-five professional years, she held leadership positions–Director of Major Gifts, Director of Development, and VP for College Advancement–at colleges and universities. For the past 27 years, Karen served first as President and now Senior Strategist at The Osborne Group, an international management, consulting, and training firm.
Karen enjoys a rich volunteer life. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) awarded her the Crystal Apple for Outstanding Teaching and Public Speaking, and the Ashmore Award for Outstanding Service to the Profession. In addition to volunteering for professional organizations, she serves as chair of the governing board of Easterseals Florida and volunteers in her community and church.
Karen is also a suspense, historical, and mystery writer. Getting It Right, June 2017. Award-winning and best-selling Tangled Lies, July 2021. Award-winning Reckonings, June 2022. Award-winning, historical, suspense, True Grace released September 2023. Her weekly Vlog, three-years old, What Are You Reading? What Are You Writing? showcases authors and other creatives.
About Mark A. Stuart, CFRE
A fundraising and community-building professional for nearly 30 years, Mark Stuart has devoted his career to helping donors realize their hopes, dreams and aspirations.
Since joining San Diego Foundation as President and CEO in May 2019, SDF has grown its assets to $1.5 billion. Under Mark’s leadership, SDF raised and deployed $67 million for COVID-19 relief efforts and in its most recent fiscal year granted a record $150 million.
During Mark’s tenure, SDF has launched a new strategic plan and vision for just, equitable and resilient communities, and has been named a Top Work Place by The San Diego Union-Tribune four years running.
Before joining SDF, Mark managed a staff of 64 and a budget of $14 million at San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG). He led SDZG’s first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, raising $530 million.
Mark serves on the Board of Directors for Certified Fundraising Executives International, the League of California Community Foundations, San Diego Regional Policy and Innovation Center and San Diego Symphony Foundation.
Opening Session
Speaker: Mark A. Stuart, CFRE, President & CEO, San Diego Foundation
San Diego Foundation President & CEO Mark A. Stuart will welcome attendees to the first-ever San Diego Fundraising Conference and share what’s in store for the day ahead.
Moving Your Fundraising Forward in 2023 and ’24
Speaker: Gail Perry, Founder & President, Gail Perry Group
Let’s look at trends and predictions for fundraising in 2023 and ’24. The giving environment continues to change – and donors are changing as well.
We’ll review the strategies you need to focus on this year, what’s working – and what’s not working in fundraising today. Where are the opportunities? How do we appeal to today’s donors? What are they looking for, and what will make them respond?
Join us to take a ride through the events and issues on the philanthropic landscape both now and in the near future.
The Conversational Ask: An Easier Way to Raise Money from Happy Donors
Speaker: Gail Perry, Founder & President, Gail Perry Group
You have major gift prospects, but do you know how to bring up the idea of a potential gift? Don’t get stuck in endless cultivation – here’s how to move right into a Gift Conversation.
Gail will show you the path that will lead a donor from Discovery directly to an Ask Conversation. You’ll learn how to read your donor’s signals, and how to politely put an Ask on the table.
We’ll have some fun learning Power Discovery Questions that can light up your donor’s heart. You’ll have a chance to actually practice them, and you’ll see for yourself how they can unlock a donor’s enthusiasm and generosity.
Even more, You’ll discover how asking permission keeps your donor engaged and comfortable. These conversation-based asking and closing techniques will help you close more mega gifts!
Fundraising Wisdom Project
Speaker Panel
Wisdom is more than the accumulation of wins and losses. It is found at the intersection of knowledge, good judgment, and experience.
The goal of the Fundraising Wisdom Project is simple: we asked talented fundraising leaders to consider what wisdom they might share with their much younger selves. What guidance would they want to provide to those who might be newer to our profession to put those careers on a brighter and better trajectory?
Come to the conference’s closing session to hear five-minute (or less) stories from our presenters and other wise leaders, who have more than 200 years of collected wisdom, to inspire and enhance your impact on the San Diego region.
About Karen Boyd, Ph.D.
Karen Boyd, Ph.D. is an economist and the Director of Research at the San Diego Regional Policy and Innovation Center. In this role, she is responsible for developing, executing, and sharing actionable, equity-focused research on the region’s most pressing economic, social, and environmental problems.
She has published and presented research on artificial intelligence and the future of work in a variety of top-tier academic venues and was an editor for JASIST’s Special Issue on “Artificial Intelligence and Work.”
Karen earned her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park (2020), where she studied ethics in the curation of training data for machine learning models. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan School of Information, studying the ethical implications of automated emotion recognition algorithms designed for use in the workplace. She also has an MBA from the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego (2011) and a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University.
About Cassie Carter, Ph.D.
Cassie Carter, Ph.D. is Vice President and West Region Director at Campbell & Company. She brings 30 years of passion for nonprofits, focusing on strategic and fundraising planning that builds a shared understanding of mission, leveraging strengths of organizations to achieve long-term success.
Prior coming to Campbell eight years ago, Cassie was Associate Vice President for Development and Director of Campaigns at Hawaii Pacific University, Associate Vice President for Development Operations Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and Executive Director of the Montana Outdoor Science School.
Currently she serves at the Co-President for the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Greater Los Angeles Chapter, as board chair for the Foundation for Pierce College, and is a member of the faculty for the Center for Nonprofit Leadership at Cal Lutheran.
Cassie has a doctoral degree in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis in public administration from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s in biology from California State University, Northridge.
About Kirsten Farrell
Kirsten Farrell is the Director of The Goodman Center, which teaches communications and marketing professionals how to reach more people with more impact. She is publishes the monthly newsletter free-range thinking and The Do Good Better Blog both of which are Goodman Center resources that share tools and guidance for public interest professionals to connect to and communicate with their audience.
The Goodman Center is internationally known for speeches and workshops on storytelling. Kirsten has facilitated innumerable workshops and webinars for clients including The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, UCLA, The National Museum of African American History and Culture, Bank of America, NOAA, Pew Charitable Trusts and many others.
She served on the advisory team for The Corporation for Supportive Housing’s Speak Up! Program LA, where leaders with lived experience of homelessness train to tell their stories and advocate for permanent supportive housing. In her spare time, she performs as a company member of the nationally recognized Impro Theatre doing long-form narrative improv.
For more information about our work, please visit www.thegoodmancenter.com.
About Danny Kim, Ph.D.
Dr. Danny Kim catalyzes individuals and organizations to perform at their best. Danny is a skilled facilitator who creates psychologically safe environments for individual thinking and group collaboration. Using the power of inquiry, he asks insightful questions at pivotal moments to help leaders gain clarity and take courageous action. As a coach, he supports leaders when the stakes are high and decisions are complex. As a storyteller and keynote speaker, Danny inspires movement and momentum.
Danny’s career in organizational development began in the non-profit sector providing leadership in the areas of recruitment, retention, and employee development for organization effectiveness. As a career coach he conducted over 400 coaching conversations in career exploration and strengths-based leadership. During his time at the university, he began a doctoral program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Danny gained experience as an external consultant at an organizational consulting firm serving clients ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.
Danny is currently the Sr. Director of People, Culture and Diversity at San Diego Foundation. He holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a Master of Divinity in Transformational Leadership. Additionally, he holds a doctorate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology is a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths coach and on-call faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership.
About Stephen Mally, CFRE
Stephen Mally brings over three decades of fundraising and non-profit consulting experience.
Having served as a fundraiser in the United States, Stephen transitioned to consulting in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America in 2008. He is the CEO and Director of FundraisingForce, a boutique consulting firm based in Sydney, Australia and Rancho Mirage, CA. As a consultant, he has worked with thousands of schools, universities, and charities gaining a vast amount of exposure to diverse organizations and fundraising programs. Stephen acquired his Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential in 2011.
Stephen was named a Fellow of the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) in 2017. He served on the FIA Board for six years and currently serves on the CFRE International Examination Committee and CFRE International Board as its Vice Chair. He is also on the board of Pink Elephants Support Network in Australia.
About Grant Oliphant
Grant Oliphant is CEO of the Conrad Prebys Foundation, a major independent foundation working to strengthen San Diego’s future through a focus on impact in the arts, medical research and care, youth development, and higher education. Previously, Grant was president of The Heinz Endowments in Pittsburgh, one of the nation’s largest regional philanthropies, where he focused the foundation’s giving on sustainability, creativity, and learning. He also launched major initiatives to support democracy, public media, and racial and social equity, and worked with his board to bring the foundation’s investments into alignment with its social and climate change priorities.
Prior to joining Heinz, Grant was President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Foundation, one of the nation’s largest community foundations, where he doubled the foundation’s size while helping to reinvent the national model of community philanthropy through an emphasis on regional leadership and impact. An outspoken advocate for philanthropy that is both effective and clear, Grant launched and hosted a popular podcast, “We Can Be,” and writes and speaks frequently about philanthropic leadership. He is the immediate past chair of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, a national organization working to promote better giving, and chaired the Communications Network, which promotes better use of communications by philanthropy.
Devoted to community leadership at the intersection of business, nonprofits and universities, Grant served on the boards of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the August Wilson African-American Cultural Center and the Pittsburgh Promise, along with Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania and Riverlife, both of which he chaired. Earlier in his career, which also included a brief stint in advertising, Grant launched a magazine in Washington D.C. on American politics and co-hosted a radio talk show before joining U.S. Senator John Heinz as his press secretary. He is also the author of a novel, “Ring of Years.” Grant and his wife Aradhna, who have four grown children, are delighted to be making their home in Mission Hills and are looking forward to being active members of the San Diego community.
About Stephan Coleman
About Christina Chase
Christina Chase is a highly accomplished finance and accounting professional with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including more than a decade in higher education. Currently, she serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement Services at UC San Diego and is the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the UC San Diego Foundation.
As Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement Services at UC San Diego, Christina leads a comprehensive range of services that support the university’s fundraising and engagement efforts, including gift services, foundation and board operations, gift policy administration, donor and fund stewardship, gift accounting, and investment operations and reporting. As CFO and COO of the UC San Diego Foundation, she is responsible for the financial stewardship and operational management of the foundation’s assets, working closely with the Board of Directors and various committees.
Prior to joining UC San Diego, Christina served as the Controller and CFO of the UCLA Foundation and CFO of the UCLA Investment Company. Christina is a licensed attorney and a certified public accountant in California. She earned her Juris Doctor degree with a specialization in taxation from the UCLA School of Law and her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Georgia State University. She is an active volunteer and leader in various professional organizations, including the University Credit Union Supervisory Committee, UCLA Law Women LEAD, and the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.
With her extensive experience, strategic vision, and commitment to excellence, Christina continues to make significant contributions to the advancement of higher education and the non-profit sector.
About Rachel Stroud Hunsinger
Rachel Stroud Hunsinger is Managing Senior Executive Director of Development for Health Sciences Advancement and a member of the Advancement Leadership Team at UC San Diego. She works closely with university and health leaders to raise support and develop short- and long-term strategies for Health Sciences fundraising initiatives, including transformational gifts. She leads a talented team of development professionals who are focused on raising funds for UC San Diego’s tripartite health sciences mission which includes its research, clinic and academic areas.
Rachel joined UC San Diego in 2017 as part of Leadership Strategy & Engagement to work on UC San Diego’s successful $3 billion campaign. Previously, Rachel was at Oregon Health & Science University Foundation where she focused on cancer center fundraising, leading the cancer development team for 12 of her nearly 16 years there. In 2008, she was the lead development officer for OHSU’s first $100 million gift, which named the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. She also was part of the leadership team that successfully met – ahead of schedule – Phil and Penny Knight’s ambitious matching gift challenge to raise $500 million for cancer in an all or nothing two-year campaign resulting in $1 billion dollars for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Rachel began working in major gifts at the University of Oregon.
Rachel has nearly 30 years of nonprofit management and fund development experience, working for both institutions of higher education and statewide nonprofit organizations, including the N.C. Writers’ Network and Oregon Governors’ School. She has served on many boards throughout her career, including the National Association of Cancer Center Development Officers from 2011 to 2016 and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from the University of North Carolina.
About Adriana Lopez
Adriana is a fundraising consultant with Campbell & Company. She brings fresh perspective, innovation, and an extensive background in fundraising and campaign strategy, individual giving, relationship building, and development communications.
Throughout her fundraising career, Adriana managed development and communications activities for multiple revenue streams, including annual giving and major gifts. As Development Director at The Representation Project, she led all development initiatives and spearheaded the organization’s first virtual fundraising event. During her time at Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles and Scripps College, she managed annual and individual giving, launched peer fundraising and monthly giving programs, and supported the College’s 175M comprehensive campaign.
Adriana holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Policy with a minor in Business from Northwestern University. She lives in Southern California and enjoys reading, cooking, and yoga.
About Kate Effland
Kate brings 15 years of fundraising and nonprofit management experience to her work with clients. She understands that data-driven donor engagement strategies paired with sound operations are critical pillars for any successful fundraising endeavor. Kate leads Campbell & Company’s methodology taskforce and is involved in Campbell & Company’s qualification services.
Prior to joining Campbell & Company in 2018, Kate held leadership roles with the Taproot Foundation and worked for several human services and healthcare organizations in the Bay Area, managing institutional fundraising efforts and donor databases.
Kate graduated with a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland – College Park and completed the Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service at NYU Wagner School of Public Service. Kate is currently pursuing her master’s in business administration at University of Washington. Kate is a member of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and is active in the nonprofit fundraising community.
About Miguel Lopez, CFRE
Miguel Lopez, CFRE, is a dynamic nonprofit leader based in San Diego, specializing in program development, fundraising, and strategic planning. As the current Manager of Development at San Diego Foundation, Miguel has pioneered a 7-figure philanthropy and grantmaking program, partnered with donors, and created innovative grantmaking strategies, including a significant Latino-centered economic mobility initiative. Previously, he spearheaded the establishment of the Foundation’s prospect research department, playing a critical role in enhancing its fundraising capabilities and donor relations.
Miguel is an accredited Certified Fundraising Executive dedicated to professional development. He has contributed his expertise to various boards and committees, including the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. His leadership extends to mentoring emerging professionals in philanthropy, underlining his commitment to cultivating an inclusive and effective nonprofit sector.
About Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D.
Dr. Bill Stanczykiewicz serves as senior assistant dean for external relations at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Bill directs The Fund Raising School while also serving on the academic faculty, teaching in the bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree programs. Bill has been associated with raising more than $120 million over the last 25 years as a nonprofit executive director and board member. His hobbies include dating his wife, Carmen, who is a major gift fundraiser, and they enjoy talking fundraising while strolling along San Diego Harbor or watching the sunset from Point Loma.
Creating Events with Impact
Speaker: Ingrid de Llamas, CFRE, IAP, Director of Philanthropy & External Relations, Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County
We’ve all been part of the “rubber chicken event circuit” – those sometimes dreaded, often dull events that run together in our minds. Do you even remember why the last rubber chicken dinner you attended was held? How did it benefit the cause?
Donors today want to make an impact and they expect to see how their investments are being used to make a difference. Many nonprofits fall into the trap of holding the same event over and over each year. They spend countless dollars at hotels, have the same speakers, same video program and often forget WHY people are there.
Ingrid de Llamas will share ideas, lessons learned and the importance of re-evaluating your event program to include goals, consistent messaging and an understanding of the purpose and true cost of holding events. In this session you will learn how to create events with impact to further the mission of your organization.
Fewer than half of nonprofits have boards of directors fully engaged with fundraising. Using data from BoardSource and interviews with successful nonprofits, this session reveals six research-based findings pointing toward practical steps you can take toward 100 percent board giving and fundraising.
How to Maximize Donor Potential
Speakers: Krista Lamp, Sr. Director of Brand, Events, Communication, Classy & Elizabeth Ruikka, Sr. Director of Demand Generation, Classy
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain strategic insights and tools to increase the lifetime impact of your supporters.
Discover how to maximize the lifetime value of your supporters through various campaign types. Learn about the essential elements of an effective stewardship strategy and how an all-in-one fundraising solution can unlock valuable donor insights. Gain practical knowledge on engagement strategies such as nurturing first-time supporters into repeat donors and engaging your recurring supporters at your next fundraising event. The Classy expert team will also discuss how to identify and cultivate your next generation of peer-to-peer fundraising leaders.
About Krista Lamp
Krista Lamp is the Senior Director of Brand, Events, Communication for Classy, a GoFundMe affiliate and Public Benefit Corporation that enables nonprofits to connect supporters with the causes they care about. Classy’s giving platform provides powerful fundraising tools so nonprofits can convert and retain donors. Since 2011, Classy has helped nonprofits raise over $5 billion. Previously, Krista spent 10+ years at some of the nation’s top public relations agencies.
About Elizabeth Ruikka
Elizabeth Ruikka is the Sr. Director of Demand Generation and at Classy. She is a strategic marketing leader with a decade of expertise across digital and owned marketing channels. Passionate about staying up to date with the ever-changing digital landscape, Elizabeth enjoys advising nonprofits on how to maximize the impact of their online fundraising strategy. During her tenure at Classy, she has developed a strong understanding of the unique challenges nonprofits face and is invested in their success.
About Alyssa Celones Senturk
Alyssa Celones Senturk (or Ally) is a Filipino-American creative storyteller with a multimedia marketing and science communication background. She specializes in building communities around causes for the common good – like clean water, science, and climate resilience. She is the Communications and Outreach Director for San Diego Coastkeeper, an environmental nonprofit working to protect and restore fishable, swimmable, and drinkable waters in San Diego County.
Fostering donor loyalty is an ongoing activity. The way you engage with donors after they make a gift is as important, or perhaps even more important, than the gift itself. Keeping all levels of donors involved and inspired can be the difference between a good fundraising practice and a great one. During this session, you will learn how to make your supporters feel every bit as important as they are, as you learn effective communication strategies to showcase impact and inspire major donors to continue to provide financial support. Join our presenter, Muhi Khwaja, MPA, CFRM, to learn how you can increase donor loyalty through creative stewardship and meaningful engagement strategies.
This helpful resource provides you the information you need to better understand the impact and benefits of donor-advised funds.
This guide highlights 25 small, grassroots organizations led by people of color, vetted by our team, and positively impacting the lives of San Diegans.
This valuable resource will help you understand how to set up a legacy fund and the lasting impact planned gifts can have for you, your family and your community.
The Private Foundation Solution Brochure helps you better understand donor-advised funds and the benefits they provide for you or your family.
Our Custom Corporate Giving Guide teaches you the basics of building and sustaining a successful corporate giving program that unlocks benefits for your employees and your brand.
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About Pamela Gray Payton
Pamela Gray Payton is vice president, Chief Impact and Partnerships Officer at San Diego Foundation (SDF). Since joining SDF in 2020, Pamela has leaned on her experience as a compassionate leader to guide SDF’s Community Impact team through two consecutive years of record-breaking grantmaking and the innovative implementation of three pillars of the SDF Strategic Plan to advance racial and social justice, foster equity of opportunity and build resilient communities. She plays a critical role as an agent of change in developing cross-sector partnerships and implementing future strategic plans for SDF.
Since joining SDF, Pamela and her team have launched several programs, including the Black Community Investment Fund, the Binational Resilience Initiative, the Healthy Children & Families Initiative, Level Up SD and the San Diego Black Homebuyers Program, which is the first program of its kind in California and has helped 35-plus families to date. Pamela directly manages the SDF Black Community Investment Fund which has funded more than $4 million in grants to support initiatives in education, employment, entrepreneurship and homeownership.
Prior to joining SDF, Pamela served as assistant vice president of Community and Government Affairs at the University of San Diego. During her 20-plus years at USD, she also served as AVP of Public Relations and Communications. She is the co-founder of USD’s Black Student Resource Center and the recipient of several on- and off-campus awards and recognition.
Pamela received her master’s degree from the University of San Diego Knauss School of Business, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego. Active in the community, Pamela serves on the boards of the Monarch School Project and the Community Foundation Opportunity Network. Previously, she served as Board Chair for both RISE San Diego and the Kim Center for Social Balance. She is a proud member of the Epsilon Xi Omega Graduate Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and the Southeast Cluster of Rady Children’s Hospital Auxiliary.
About Jennette Shay
Jennette Lawrence Shay is the Chief Operating Officer at Price Philanthropies Foundation, a family foundation started by Price Club and PriceSmart founder Sol Price and his wife Helen and led today by Robert and Allison Price. Prior to joining Price Philanthropies, she worked on political campaigns and in the U.S. Congress for Representatives Jay Inslee and Susan Davis. She also served on the senior leadership team at Family Health Centers of San Diego for 10 years, where she oversaw government and community relations and development.
About Emily Young, Ph.D.
Dr. Emily Young is one of two VPs of Programs at Prebys Foundation. She joined Prebys in the fall of 2023 and leads the foundation’s arts and health grantmaking. Emily has over two decades of experience in philanthropy and higher education. She previously served as Executive Director of The Nonprofit Institute in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego. Prior to that she was Vice President of Community Impact at The San Diego Foundation, and an Assistant Professor of Geography and Regional Development at the University of Arizona. Her work has spanned a variety of fields, including climate change, conservation, arts and culture, education, and neighborhood revitalization, with a focus on underrepresented communities. Emily received an MS in geography at the University of Wisconsin and a PhD in geography from the University of Texas at Austin.
About John Valencia, MNM, CFRE
John Valencia, MNM, CFRE, is a passionate and experienced nonprofit executive dedicated to building meaningful workforce development projects. With a proven track record in fostering collaborations and implementing impactful statewide and regional initiatives, John has raised over $1 billion to support diverse communities. He is committed to creating strong, inclusive teams that exceed goals and expectations, placing a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion to cultivate a healthy, proactive, and positive workplace culture.
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This helpful resource provides you with information about corporate philanthropy and custom corporate giving solutions for your business.
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This helpful resource will show you how you can leave a legacy to your family, your charity or your community that complements your will and trust(s).
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This valuable resource will help you understand how to set up a legacy fund and the lasting impact planned gifts can have for you, your family and your community.
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This 10-Step Checklist guides nonprofits through partnering with SDF to accept and realize gifts of real estate. Submit the form below to download the checklist.
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