CFON Spotlight:

San Diego Foundation

50 years of building a region where everyone can prosper, thrive and feel like they belong.

Since 1975, the San Diego Foundation (SDF) has worked to inspire enduring philanthropy and enable community solutions, granting more than $1.8 billion to nonprofits to improve quality of life in San Diego County and beyond.

Expanding Opportunity and Belonging

Working to expand access and opportunity, SDF collaborates with donors, community organizations, government, business, policy analysts, and researchers to develop strategies that address disparities in education, economic opportunity, the environment, and beyond.

That work is measured not just in dollars granted, but in the difference it makes in people’s lives and communities across San Diego County.

A performer dressed as the Cat in the Hat entertains children

Uniting for Neighbors

When cuts to publicly funded safety-net programs put pressure on the stability of families across San Diego County, SDF launched the San Diego Unity Fund, bringing community resources together to help keep families housed, fed, and healthy. One in eight San Diegans faces economic hardship. An estimated 400,000 residents are at risk of losing healthcare, and 100,000 could lose food assistance amid $300 million in cuts to local services.

The San Diego Unity Fund’s response has been swift and community-centered: 100% of donations go directly to nonprofits, grants are distributed on a rolling basis, and no fees are collected on donations.

The San Diego Unity Fund is SDF’s response to the current crisis, mobilizing resources to support local nonprofit in the communities they serve. In parallel, SDF is working collaboratively with Prebys Foundation and Price Philanthropies through the broader United for San Diego effort. Together, the three foundations have increased their combine annual giving by $70 million to keep critical community resources afloat.

San Diego Unity Fund:

$32.4 million

raised for the Unity Fund

$29.2 million

granted and committed

100+

nonprofits supported

The Unity Fund remains active and accepts donations. Every dollar is an investment in San Diego’s neighbors.

A group of women take a selfie in front ofa San Diego Fundraising Conference sign

What’s next:

As San Diego Foundation enters its next half century, it will continue to deepen its impact through its network of regional affiliates, supporting organizations and research partnerships that inform policy and drive equitable investment across the county.