Our Vision
Just, equitable, and resilient communities.
Our Mission
We inspire enduring philanthropy and enable community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region.
We Value
All People
We act with integrity and respect for one another and the communities we serve.
All Partners
We engage diverse perspectives to foster collaboration and innovative solutions.
Our Region
Together, we strive for an inclusive community where everyone has equitable access to opportunity.
Guiding Principles
We adhere to a deeply ethical approach to philanthropy, one that holds ourselves accountable to being a trustworthy partner and to approaching our work with humility and respect for the expertise of the communities we serve and of the government, nonprofit, business sectors and individuals with whom we collaborate.
We will be open-minded, learn constantly, seek diverse voices, listen carefully to different experiences and different perspectives, build strong and diverse coalitions, support community engagement and engage in shared and equitable decision-making. We are ready to partner with you to make an impact on our communities’ most pressing needs.
*With grateful acknowledgment to the many nonprofit organizations whose work on articulating their principles and values helped inform our discussions and development of these principles.
Our Strategic Priorities
Pillars to achieve our vision
Advancing Racial & Social Justice
We will support policies and programs that seek to eradicate systemic discrimination.
Fostering equity of opportunity
We will increase access and resources for San Diegans facing barriers to realizing full and healthy lives.
Building Resilient Communities
We will establish and support programs that enable communities to adapt and persist through changing circumstances.
Delivering World-Class Philanthropy
We will offer an ever-advancing platform that supports donors and nonprofits in achieving their goals.
Advancing racial and social justice
We will support policies and programs that seek to eradicate systemic discrimination.
To address the root causes of inequities as well as their manifestations, and eliminate policies, practices, attitudes and cultural messages that reinforce differential outcomes determined by race or social status, we will:
- Partner with capital providers to enable Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) San Diegans to create generational wealth through homeownership
- Address and mitigate discriminatory policies, practices, and beliefs
- Reduce health inequities for San Diegans experiencing racial or social bias
Commitment-in-Action
Fostering equity of opportunity
We will increase access and resources for San Diegans facing barriers to realizing full and healthy lives.
To offset the unequal allocation of and access to goods, resources, and services, we will:
- Increase access to quality Early Care and Education (ECE) for all working families
- Enhance opportunities to obtain college degrees for underrepresented San Diegans
- Expand and leverage impact investing to promote the equitable flow of capital for social good
Commitment-in-Action
See our work with the Community Scholarship Program and Early Childhood Initiative
Building resilient communities
We will establish and support programs that enable communities to adapt and persist through changing circumstances.
To support and encourage communities to be resourceful, creative, and capable of taking effective action in the face of change or adversity, we will:
- Increase access to education and skill-building to meet our workforce needs and prepare San Diegans for higher-paying jobs
- Address environmental issues related to resiliency in communities
- Improve mental and behavioral health in our region
Commitment-in-Action
See our work with the Climate Initiative and San Diego Thrive Outside Communities
Dive Deeper
Climate Initiative Impact Report and Parks for Everyone Report
Delivering world-class philanthropy
We will offer an ever-advancing platform that supports donors and nonprofits in achieving their goals.
To provide innovative and customized philanthropic solutions and offer best-in-class services for donors, we will:
- Expand internal capacity to provide innovative, customized and extraordinary services
- Enable donors to fully leverage the impact of their giving by increasing their understanding of selected public issues and connecting them with the San Diego nonprofit community
- Pursue additional revenue sources to ensure TSDF long-term sustainability and increase our community impact
Commitment-in-Action
Dive Deeper
“Our work will not be complete until everyone who calls San Diego County home has the opportunity to prosper, the opportunity to thrive and, most of all, the opportunity to feel like they belong.”
Mark A. Stuart
President & CEO
About our Strategic Plan
This strategic plan is the distilled expression of The San Diego Foundation priorities for the next five years. It rolls up to a vision that may take 10 years to achieve, and will be supported by annual operational plans.
Looking for more information about what our Strategic Plan means for our region, or for you as a partner of The San Diego Foundation? Read frequently asked questions about the strategic plan.
Join Us
Donors
Each year, we help thousands of San Diego individuals, families and businesses accomplish their charitable goals and maximize their impact in the region.
Professional Advisors
We act as a charitable partner to estate planning attorneys, wealth advisors and other advisors, helping your clients realize their financial planning goals and maximize their tax deductions.
Nonprofits
We help nonprofit programs and organizations better serve those in need and provide greater equity and opportunity for all San Diegans.
- American Psychological Association. (2019, October 31). Discrimination: What it is, and how to cope.
- (2020). Awake To Woke To Work: Building a Race Equity Culture. Equity in the Center.
- Cornell, S., & Hartmann, D. (2007). Ethnicity and Race: Making Identities in a Changing World. Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press.
- Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Just. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
- The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2020, August 24). Equity vs. Equality and Other Racial Justice Definitions.
- American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Building your resilience. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
- Ontario Human Rights Coalition. (n.d.). Racism and racial discrimination: Systemic discrimination (fact sheet).
