San Diego is a society of optimists. Where others see challenge, we see opportunity. And one of the best investment opportunities San Diegans can make is in the lives of others.
In fiscal year 2018, that investment was larger than ever with more than $67 million granted to nonprofit organizations strengthening communities throughout our region. Never before have donors at The San Diego Foundation given so much to so many.
Your deeply-held values of generosity, innovation, and service fill the pages of this annual report. We are honored to be your partner in philanthropy and grateful for the belief and trust you have in our shared mission and dedicated staff. Thank you for recognizing and supporting the solid foundation we have built together over four decades.
While significant philanthropic impact starts with a visionary gift, it’s realized by the dedication and outcomes of our strategic partners in academia, government, business, and nonprofit sectors who collaborate, educate, and advance the quality of life for San Diegans. Philanthropy sparks catalytic change, but it needs an ecosystem of partners to ensure lasting change. In San Diego, we have the best of the best.
Looking forward, as we prepare to welcome a new CEO & President, we are grateful to the many donors, partners, and civic leaders who have provided support and suggestions for the future. The search for permanent leadership will shortly be underway and will move forward in an expeditious manner. Through the transition, our focus remains on providing excellent service to our donors, including sound financial performance and exceptional fund stewardship.
2018 has been an influential year of opportunity. Let’s create more, together.
Dr. Constance Carroll
Chair, Board of Governors
Connie Matsui
Interim President & CEO
Grants we awarded
Fiscal year 2018 reflects the most generous year in the history of The San Diego Foundation, with a record total of more than $67 million awarded by The Foundation and our generous donors, including 5,871 grants to 1,755 nonprofits strengthening our community and advancing quality of life.
The impact can be seen across generations, from children who have brighter futures thanks to more early childhood education opportunities to older adults who can now remain connected to their communities thanks to a greater emphasis by cities, counties and nonprofits creating age-friendly communities.
*Unaudited as of June 30, 2018
Where grants do good
$21,377,818 | 31.7%
| Fund Raising & Fund Distribution | $10,532,710 |
|---|---|
| Higher Education | $2,828,932 |
| Scholarships & Student Financial Aid | $3,152,120 |
| Other Education | $1,657,311 |
| Pre-K Through High School | $1,327,019 |
| Educational Services | $757,841 |
| Libraries | $505,600 |
| Single Organization Support | $497,285 |
| Student Services | $119,000 |
$17,048,083 | 25.3%
| Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations | $14,595,685 |
|---|---|
| Public & Societal Benefit | $1,252,583 |
| Science & Technology | $700,184 |
| Community Improvement & Capacity Building | $375,874 |
| Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy | $123,757 |
$11,324,267 | 16.8%
| Human Services | $4,490,276 |
|---|---|
| Health Care | $3,262,356 |
| Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness & Relief | $719,280 |
| Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines | $611,970 |
| Food, Agriculture & Nutrition | $555,241 |
| Medical Research | $514,858 |
| Crime & Legal-Related | $413,476 |
| Mental Health & Crisis Intervention | $270,502 |
| Recreation & Sports | $237,465 |
| Housing & Shelter | $123,688 |
| Social Science | $75,650 |
| Employment | $49,505 |
$6,695,894 | 9.9%
| Museums | $2,216,427 |
|---|---|
| Symphony Orchestras | $1,626,216 |
| Other Arts & Culture | $683,282 |
| Media & Communications | $615,522 |
| Theater | $612,097 |
| Music | $312,897 |
| Opera | $282,183 |
| Arts Education | $208,720 |
| Dance | $138,550 |
$3,949,940 | 5.9%
| Youth Development Programs | $3,132,157 |
|---|---|
| Youth Centers & Clubs | $333,028 |
| Scouts Organizations | $230,408 |
| Other Youth Development | $122,889 |
| Big Brothers & Big Sisters | $83,398 |
| Youth Leadership | $42,450 |
| Organizational Support | $5,610 |
$3,437,301 | 5.1%
| Animal-Related | $1,089,452 |
|---|---|
| Water Resources, Wetlands Conservation & Management | $783,732 |
| Natural Resources Conservation & Protection | $585,097 |
| Land Resources Conservation | $312,139 |
| Environmental Education | $277,971 |
| Forest Conservation | $191,890 |
| Other Environment | $129,989 |
| Alliances & Advocacy | $54,250 |
| Environmental Beautification | $6,664 |
| Botanical Gardens & Arboreta | $6,117 |
Other grantmaking totaling $3,591,618 includes international, foreign affair & national security; mutual & membership benefit, and religion-related grants.
*Unaudited as of June 30, 2018
Where grants go
Our generous network of donors grants money to advance quality of life and invest in key initiatives that address local, regional and national challenges. Whether it’s through the development of urban parkland or a program to get more first-generation students through college, most grantmaking is done by San Diegans for San Diegans.
84.7%
San Diego County
5.4%
Other California
9.9%
Rest of U.S. & International
This year, in response to natural disasters that devastated communities such as Houston, Puerto Rico, Ventura County and Mexico, as well as San Diego County, donors at The San Diego Foundation responded by providing more than $1.3 million in grant support to help survivors rebuild and recover.
*Unaudited as of June 30, 2018
Endowment portfolio performance
As San Diego’s community foundation, we work with local investment professionals who, through sound and prudent strategies, offer donors the opportunity to grow giving, increase their impact and leave a legacy, forever.
The Foundation’s Policy Index is a composite of indexes reflecting our diversified portfolio, specifically: 49% MSCI ACWI IMI (net), 17% BBgBarc US Universal Bond Index, 9.1% NCREIF ODCE, 15% HFRI FOF Index, 6% Cambridge Assoc. U.S. Private Equity Index (lagged 1 Quarter), 3.9% Bloomberg Commodity Index.
*Unaudited as of June 30, 2018
Where grants come from
For more than four decades, The San Diego Foundation has served as the trusted partner for thousands of local donors who want to create more opportunities for San Diegans through charitable giving. The Foundation currently has 2,152 charitable funds, including 131 funds opened in FY 2018, a testament to the generosity and commitment of our community.
*Unaudited as of June 30, 2018. Includes Broad & Narrow Field of Interest and Unrestricted Funds.
A child’s early years are the foundation of his or her future development. However, in San Diego, only 40 percent of children have access to formal preschool education. Thanks to a transformational, multi-million-dollar gift from The San Diego Foundation donor Guy Clum, thousands of San Diego children are now on a pathway to prosperity due to increased funding for early childhood care, tuition subsidies and other valuable development programs.
In fiscal year 2018, The San Diego Foundation launched the Community Scholars Initiative, a partnership that will help hundreds of first-generation students prepare for, pay for and persist through college. The initiative is built on the foundation of success created by the Community Scholarship Program, the largest private scholarship provider in San Diego County, which has provided more than $30 million to thousands of students throughout the region.
More than a decade ago, Ron Brady decided to do something different to celebrate his wife Mary Alice’s birthday – he established an endowment fund at The San Diego Foundation to support at-risk youth. Now, years later, that present has become the gift that keeps on giving to the entire region in addition to the more than 300,000 San Diego children and families who have already benefitted from the generosity of Ron and Mary Alice.
Longtime philanthropist and Carlsbad Charitable Foundation founding member Knox Williams has been leaving his mark in Carlsbad and the greater San Diego region for nearly 60 years. From supporting local YMCAs to providing opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities, Knox has been a catalyst for positive change for years with his grantmaking and community engagement through The San Diego Foundation. As he explains, “there is no joy like the joy we receive when giving our time, talent and treasure.”
In response to the Lilac Fire that destroyed homes and communities in San Diego County in late 2017, The San Diego Foundation activated the San Diego Regional Disaster Fund to support survivors in the recovery and rebuilding process. Similar to 2003 and 2007 when more than $13 million was donated and granted to wildfire survivors and impacted communities, the Regional Disaster Fund ensures that philanthropy will be there when San Diegans need it most.
Throughout our history, The Foundation has worked with local leaders to grow philanthropy in the region and support the common good. Since 1975, that generosity has amounted to $835 million in assets invested and managed, with more than $524 million in endowment funds that will support San Diego’s regional needs forever.
