2006 Program Update
Responding to the dynamic changes in the sector, the Organizational Success Program conducted an assessment of its efforts to date and the strength of the nonprofit sector in San Diego. This analysis has helped The Foundation incorporate lessons learned and best practices required to maintain quality service delivery, financial integrity and the competitive spirit of our nonprofit sector. In July 2005, The Foundation launched the Organizational Success department in response to the needs in the region that were identified by the analysis of research done. The Organizational Success department is focused on providing organizational strengthening tools and resources for the San Diego region’s nonprofit community.

2006 Grants Cycle
This year, the Organizational Success Program will be providing targeted trainings for nonprofits organizations that are grantees of the San Diego Foundation through the Professional Development Series. Additionally, grants will be available on an invitation only basis for facilitated organizational self-assessment grants and capacity building awards.

For more information, please contact Lori Finch in the Organizational Success Department at lori@sdfoundation.org.

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Vision: The San Diego Foundation believes that a successful nonprofit sector is vital to the continued success of the San Diego region. Few would deny that the quality of life in San Diego County has been greatly enhanced by the good work of our local nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations meet a double bottom-line: mission achievement and financial performance. For this reason, The Foundation launched the Organizational Success Program (OSP) in 2001. The purpose of the program is to strengthen the organizational capacity of nonprofits to more effectively carry out their mission in San Diego, as well as to build awareness and support for the role the nonprofit sector plays as a public benefit in our community. The Foundation has brought together a Working Group comprised of diverse experts with specific skill sets in capacity development to guide our efforts in nonprofit effectiveness.

Approach: With the guidance and assistance of the Working Group, The Foundation has developed three levels of capacity building for our nonprofit partners. Level One of the Organizational Success Program (OSP) is available to the entire San Diego nonprofit community. Focused on providing basic tools for nonprofits, this first level includes access to our Funding Information Center and a variety of workshops that teach the “nuts and bolts” of nonprofit management.

Level Two is the OSP Nonprofit Professional Development Series, launched in 2003. The advanced workshops in this series were designed exclusively for nonprofit partners of The San Diego Foundation. Working with both national and local nonprofit management experts, the hand-crafted workshops strengthen the critical skills required to effectively manage a nonprofit in San Diego. After completing these courses, nonprofit organizations are eligible to participate in the third level of capacity building offered by the Organizational Success Program.

Level Three of the program is a comprehensive consulting engagement focused on strengthening the organization to achieve a new level of performance. The selected nonprofit organizations conduct an in-depth self-assessment to determine the best area of focus for organizational improvement. Working with a carefully selected consultant, each organization creates a work plan to strengthen key areas, build on best practices and implement plans for long term success.

Future: Responding to the dynamic changes in the sector, the Organizational Success Program has elected to conduct an assessment of its efforts to date. This analysis will help The Foundation incorporate lessons learned and best practices required to maintain quality service delivery, financial integrity and the competitive spirit of our nonprofit sector. Through the release and dissemination of the assessment findings, The Foundation hopes to shed light on opportunities for San Diego’s nonprofit sector to establish new criteria for high performance and community impact.