The Black Community Investment Fund prioritizes and invests in community-led, innovative efforts that increase racial equity and generational wealth for Black San Diegans.
1 Year of Impact
raised & leveraged
granted & committed
Who Advises the Fund?
The fund is co-founded by the Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce and The San Diego Foundation.
The fund is led by a group of San Diego leaders who provide guidance, leadership and diverse subject matter expertise.
4 Pillars of Grantmaking
These key pillars impact economic prosperity among Black San Diegans:
- Education
- Employment
- Entrepreneurship
- Housing
Black Homebuyers Program
In San Diego, fewer than 30% of Black families own homes compared to 61% of white families. Nationwide, the median white family has 10 times the wealth of the median Black family.
The wealth gap, which vastly exceeds the income gap, is the result of years of public policy and private behavior designed to exclude families of color from opportunities to build wealth.
The San Diego Black Homebuyers Program – the first of its kind in California – provides up to $70,000 in grants to qualifying prospective Black homebuyers as well as financial literacy education.
To date, 20 homebuyers have received assistance from the program that is administered by the Urban League of San Diego County and LISC San Diego.
Why give to the Black Community Investment Fund?
COVID-19 deepened racial inequity in many aspects of society and the events of the recent past have shined a light on systemic racism, especially as it impacts Black communities.
The Black Community Investment Fund was seeded with $1 million from The San Diego Foundation, $250,000 from San Diego Gas & Electric, $75,000 from Wells Fargo Bank and $25,000 from Cox Communications and complements the work of government agencies and organizations by investing in initiatives that disrupt and innovate the institutional drivers of racial inequity in San Diego.
For San Diegans who are looking for ways to make an impact, the fund provides an opportunity for you to help make San Diego County a better, stronger and more equitable region so every San Diegan can thrive, prosper and feel like they belong.
Making an Impact
Advisory Council
The Black Community Investment Fund is led by an advisory council of San Diego leaders.
Peter Callstrom
San Diego Workforce Partnership
Dr. Constance Carroll
San Diego Community College District
Tamara Craver
Reality Changers
Donna DeBerry
Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce
Supervisor Nathan Fletcher
County of San Diego
Lisa Marie Harris
San Diego County Water Authority
San Diego Black Worker Center
Rudolph “Rudy” Johnson
Neighborhood House
Councilmember Monica Montgomery
San Diego City Council
Doug Moore
AFL-CIO
Penney Newell
San Diego Gas & Electric
Pamela Gray Payton
The San Diego Foundation
Dr. Becky Pettit
UC San Diego
Mark Stuart
The San Diego Foundation
Pedro Villegas
External Affairs Professional
Randolph “Randy” Ward
Teach for America
Tony Young
RISE San Diego
Ways to Donate
By donating to the Black Community Investment Fund, you can help correct past and present injustices, create a more equitable future, and build a better narrative for Black San Diegans.
Donate Online
Fill out the form on this page.
Donate Assets
To donate stock, real estate or other assets, please contact our Giving Team at
(619) 814-1332 or donorservices@sdfoundation.org.
Donate by Mail
To make a donation by check, please make check payable to The San Diego Foundation. Memo should include grant purpose: to support fund #7504 – Black Community Investment Fund.
Mailing address:
The San Diego Foundation
Attn: Donations
2508 Historic Decatur Rd., Ste. 200
San Diego, CA 92106
Please contact Vice President of Development & Stewardship Brian Zumbano at brianz@sdfoundation.org.
