Community Scholars Initiative

Grant Announcement

$838K in Grants to Local Nonprofits to Create More Inclusive, Equitable and Accessible Outdoor Experiences

On August 9, 2022, we awarded $838,704 in Opening the Outdoors grants to 24 nonprofit organizations that offer equitable access to outdoor spaces in San Diego County.

“San Diego Foundation is proud to once again support its partners committed to increasing community-driven efforts to enhance accessible outdoor space, encourage youth to learn more through hands-on education and create the next generation of environmental stewards in the San Diego region,” said Christiana DeBenedict, SDF Director of Environment Initiatives.

This year’s grantees will help address these inequities and enhance access to the outdoors throughout San Diego County.

See Grantees

About Nathan Chappell, MBA, MNA, CFRE

As a thought leader, public speaker, author and AI inventor, Nathan is one of the world’s foremost experts on the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and generosity. His recently published award-winning book, The Generosity Crisis; the Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity’s Greatest Challenges has been dubbed as “Required reading for our generation of professionals in the nonprofit sector” by NonProfit Pro. Nathan serves as Chief AI Officer at Virtuous Software.  In 2019, he founded Fundraising.AI, an advocacy organization focused on the Responsible and Beneficial use of AI for the global fundraising community. He is co-host of the weekly Fundraising.AI podcast, one of the top nonprofit technology podcasts globally.

Nathan is regularly featured in publications such as Forbes, Fast Company, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, AFP Advance, AHP Journal, and Citibank Global among others.    

Nathan serves as an advisor for the OpenAI Users Forum, the AI for Good Foundation, the International Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS), and the Forbes Technology Council. He holds a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from University of Notre Dame, an MBA from University of Redlands, a certificate in International Economics from University of Cambridge, a certificate in Artificial Intelligence from MIT, a certificate in Philanthropic Psychology from the Institute of Sustainable Philanthropy and is a certified fundraising executive (CFRE). 

About Mallory Erickson

Mallory Erickson is the founder and CEO of Practivated, an executive coach, fundraising consultant, and host of the What the Fundraising podcast. She is dedicated to transforming the nonprofit sector by helping fundraisers move beyond transactional approaches to build lasting, mission-aligned partnerships.

Through her Power Partners Formula, Mallory has trained over 60,000 fundraisers, blending executive coaching, behavior design, and strategic fundraising. Her book, What the Fundraising, explores how shifting away from a scarcity mindset leads to greater impact and sustainability.

At Practivated, which Mallory founded in 2024, she continues to drive innovation in fundraising through technology, coaching, and science-backed strategies. If you’re ready to fundraise with confidence and alignment, Mallory’s work is for you.

About Mark A. Stuart, CFRE

A fundraising and community-building professional for nearly 30 years, Mark Stuart has devoted his career to helping donors realize their hopes, dreams and aspirations.

Since joining San Diego Foundation as President and CEO in May 2019, SDF has grown its assets to $1.5 billion. Under Mark’s leadership, SDF raised and deployed $67 million for COVID-19 relief efforts and in its most recent fiscal year granted a record $150 million.

During Mark’s tenure, SDF has launched a new strategic plan and vision for just, equitable and resilient communities, and has been named a Top Work Place by The San Diego Union-Tribune four years running.

Before joining SDF, Mark managed a staff of 64 and a budget of $14 million at San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG). He led SDZG’s first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, raising $530 million.

Mark serves on the Board of Directors for Certified Fundraising Executives International, the League of California Community Foundations, San Diego Regional Policy and Innovation Center and San Diego Symphony Foundation.

Opening Session

Speaker: Mark A. Stuart, CFRE, President & CEO, San Diego Foundation

San Diego Foundation President & CEO Mark A. Stuart will welcome attendees to the first-ever San Diego Fundraising Conference and share what’s in store for the day ahead.

Moving Your Fundraising Forward in 2023 and ’24

Speaker: Gail Perry, Founder & President, Gail Perry Group

Let’s look at trends and predictions for fundraising in 2023 and ’24. The giving environment continues to change – and donors are changing as well.

We’ll review the strategies you need to focus on this year, what’s working – and what’s not working in fundraising today. Where are the opportunities? How do we appeal to today’s donors? What are they looking for, and what will make them respond?

Join us to take a ride through the events and issues on the philanthropic landscape both now and in the near future.

The Conversational Ask: An Easier Way to Raise Money from Happy Donors

Speaker: Gail Perry, Founder & President, Gail Perry Group

You have major gift prospects, but do you know how to bring up the idea of a potential gift? Don’t get stuck in endless cultivation – here’s how to move right into a Gift Conversation.

Gail will show you the path that will lead a donor from Discovery directly to an Ask Conversation. You’ll learn how to read your donor’s signals, and how to politely put an Ask on the table.

We’ll have some fun learning Power Discovery Questions that can light up your donor’s heart. You’ll have a chance to actually practice them, and you’ll see for yourself how they can unlock a donor’s enthusiasm and generosity.

Even more, You’ll discover how asking permission keeps your donor engaged and comfortable. These conversation-based asking and closing techniques will help you close more mega gifts!

Fundraising Wisdom Project

Speaker Panel

Wisdom is more than the accumulation of wins and losses. It is found at the intersection of knowledge, good judgment, and experience.

The goal of the Fundraising Wisdom Project is simple: we asked talented fundraising leaders to consider what wisdom they might share with their much younger selves. What guidance would they want to provide to those who might be newer to our profession to put those careers on a brighter and better trajectory?

Come to the conference’s closing session to hear five-minute (or less) stories from our presenters and other wise leaders, who have more than 200 years of collected wisdom, to inspire and enhance your impact on the San Diego region.

About Karen Boyd, Ph.D.

Karen Boyd, Ph.D. is an economist and the Director of Research at the San Diego Regional Policy and Innovation Center. In this role, she is responsible for developing, executing, and sharing actionable, equity-focused research on the region’s most pressing economic, social, and environmental problems.

She has published and presented research on artificial intelligence and the future of work in a variety of top-tier academic venues and was an editor for JASIST’s Special Issue on “Artificial Intelligence and Work.”

Karen earned her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park (2020), where she studied ethics in the curation of training data for machine learning models. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan School of Information, studying the ethical implications of automated emotion recognition algorithms designed for use in the workplace. She also has an MBA from the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego (2011) and a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University.

About Cassie Carter, Ph.D.

Cassie Carter, Ph.D. is Vice President and West Region Director at Campbell & Company. She brings 30 years of passion for nonprofits, focusing on strategic and fundraising planning that builds a shared understanding of mission, leveraging strengths of organizations to achieve long-term success.

Prior coming to Campbell eight years ago, Cassie was Associate Vice President for Development and Director of Campaigns at Hawaii Pacific University, Associate Vice President for Development Operations Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and Executive Director of the Montana Outdoor Science School.

Currently she serves at the Co-President for the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Greater Los Angeles Chapter, as board chair for the Foundation for Pierce College, and is a member of the faculty for the Center for Nonprofit Leadership at Cal Lutheran.

Cassie has a doctoral degree in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis in public administration from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s in biology from California State University, Northridge.

About Kirsten Farrell

Kirsten Farrell is the Director of The Goodman Center, which teaches communications and marketing professionals how to reach more people with more impact. She is publishes the monthly newsletter free-range thinking and The Do Good Better Blog both of which are Goodman Center resources that share tools and guidance for public interest professionals to connect to and communicate with their audience.

The Goodman Center is internationally known for speeches and workshops on storytelling. Kirsten has facilitated innumerable workshops and webinars for clients including The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, UCLA, The National Museum of African American History and Culture, Bank of America, NOAA, Pew Charitable Trusts and many others.

She served on the advisory team for The Corporation for Supportive Housing’s Speak Up! Program LA, where leaders with lived experience of homelessness train to tell their stories and advocate for permanent supportive housing. In her spare time, she performs as a company member of the nationally recognized Impro Theatre doing long-form narrative improv.

For more information about our work, please visit www.thegoodmancenter.com.

About Danny Kim, Ph.D.

Dr. Danny Kim catalyzes individuals and organizations to perform at their best. Danny is a skilled facilitator who creates psychologically safe environments for individual thinking and group collaboration. Using the power of inquiry, he asks insightful questions at pivotal moments to help leaders gain clarity and take courageous action. As a coach, he supports leaders when the stakes are high and decisions are complex. As a storyteller and keynote speaker, Danny inspires movement and momentum.

Danny’s career in organizational development began in the non-profit sector providing leadership in the areas of recruitment, retention, and employee development for organization effectiveness. As a career coach he conducted over 400 coaching conversations in career exploration and strengths-based leadership. During his time at the university, he began a doctoral program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Danny gained experience as an external consultant at an organizational consulting firm serving clients ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

Danny is currently the Sr. Director of People, Culture and Diversity at San Diego Foundation. He holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a Master of Divinity in Transformational Leadership. Additionally, he holds a doctorate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology is a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths coach and on-call faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership.

About Stephen Mally, CFRE

Stephen Mally brings over three decades of fundraising and non-profit consulting experience.

Having served as a fundraiser in the United States, Stephen transitioned to consulting in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America in 2008. He is the CEO and Director of FundraisingForce, a boutique consulting firm based in Sydney, Australia and Rancho Mirage, CA. As a consultant, he has worked with thousands of schools, universities, and charities gaining a vast amount of exposure to diverse organizations and fundraising programs. Stephen acquired his Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential in 2011.

Stephen was named a Fellow of the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) in 2017. 
He served on the FIA Board for six years and currently serves on the CFRE International Examination Committee and CFRE International Board as its Vice Chair. He is also on the board of Pink Elephants Support Network in Australia.

About Grant Oliphant

Grant Oliphant is CEO of the Conrad Prebys Foundation, a major independent foundation working to strengthen San Diego’s future through a focus on impact in the arts, medical research and care, youth development, and higher education. Previously, Grant was president of The Heinz Endowments in Pittsburgh, one of the nation’s largest regional philanthropies, where he focused the foundation’s giving on sustainability, creativity, and learning. He also launched major initiatives to support democracy, public media, and racial and social equity, and worked with his board to bring the foundation’s investments into alignment with its social and climate change priorities.

Prior to joining Heinz, Grant was President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Foundation, one of the nation’s largest community foundations, where he doubled the foundation’s size while helping to reinvent the national model of community philanthropy through an emphasis on regional leadership and impact. An outspoken advocate for philanthropy that is both effective and clear, Grant launched and hosted a popular podcast, “We Can Be,” and writes and speaks frequently about philanthropic leadership. He is the immediate past chair of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, a national organization working to promote better giving, and chaired the Communications Network, which promotes better use of communications by philanthropy.

Devoted to community leadership at the intersection of business, nonprofits and universities, Grant served on the boards of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the August Wilson African-American Cultural Center and the Pittsburgh Promise, along with Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania and Riverlife, both of which he chaired. Earlier in his career, which also included a brief stint in advertising, Grant launched a magazine in Washington D.C. on American politics and co-hosted a radio talk show before joining U.S. Senator John Heinz as his press secretary. He is also the author of a novel, “Ring of Years.” Grant and his wife Aradhna, who have four grown children, are delighted to be making their home in Mission Hills and are looking forward to being active members of the San Diego community.

About Stephan Coleman

Stephan Coleman is the Market Managing Director at PNC Institutional Asset Management. He is responsible for the strategic direction, innovation, and execution of PNC’s Institutional Asset Management business in the San Diego, Northern California, and Nevada market areas. His teams consult with a broad range of clients including nonprofit organizations, corporations, healthcare systems, insurance companies, unions, and governments.

About Christina Chase

Christina Chase is a highly accomplished finance and accounting professional with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including more than a decade in higher education. Currently, she serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement Services at UC San Diego and is the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the UC San Diego Foundation.

As Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement Services at UC San Diego, Christina leads a comprehensive range of services that support the university’s fundraising and engagement efforts, including gift services, foundation and board operations, gift policy administration, donor and fund stewardship, gift accounting, and investment operations and reporting. As CFO and COO of the UC San Diego Foundation, she is responsible for the financial stewardship and operational management of the foundation’s assets, working closely with the Board of Directors and various committees.

Prior to joining UC San Diego, Christina served as the Controller and CFO of the UCLA Foundation and CFO of the UCLA Investment Company. Christina is a licensed attorney and a certified public accountant in California. She earned her Juris Doctor degree with a specialization in taxation from the UCLA School of Law and her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Georgia State University. She is an active volunteer and leader in various professional organizations, including the University Credit Union Supervisory Committee, UCLA Law Women LEAD, and the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.

With her extensive experience, strategic vision, and commitment to excellence, Christina continues to make significant contributions to the advancement of higher education and the non-profit sector.

About Rachel Stroud Hunsinger

Rachel Stroud Hunsinger is Managing Senior Executive Director of Development for Health Sciences Advancement and a member of the Advancement Leadership Team at UC San Diego. She works closely with university and health leaders to raise support and develop short- and long-term strategies for Health Sciences fundraising initiatives, including transformational gifts. She leads a talented team of development professionals who are focused on raising funds for UC San Diego’s tripartite health sciences mission which includes its research, clinic and academic areas.

Rachel joined UC San Diego in 2017 as part of Leadership Strategy & Engagement to work on UC San Diego’s successful $3 billion campaign. Previously, Rachel was at Oregon Health & Science University Foundation where she focused on cancer center fundraising, leading the cancer development team for 12 of her nearly 16 years there. In 2008, she was the lead development officer for OHSU’s first $100 million gift, which named the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. She also was part of the leadership team that successfully met – ahead of schedule – Phil and Penny Knight’s ambitious matching gift challenge to raise $500 million for cancer in an all or nothing two-year campaign resulting in $1 billion dollars for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Rachel began working in major gifts at the University of Oregon.

Rachel has nearly 30 years of nonprofit management and fund development experience, working for both institutions of higher education and statewide nonprofit organizations, including the N.C. Writers’ Network and Oregon Governors’ School. She has served on many boards throughout her career, including the National Association of Cancer Center Development Officers from 2011 to 2016 and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from the University of North Carolina.

About Adriana Lopez

Adriana is a fundraising consultant with Campbell & Company. She brings fresh perspective, innovation, and an extensive background in fundraising and campaign strategy, individual giving, relationship building, and development communications.

Throughout her fundraising career, Adriana managed development and communications activities for multiple revenue streams, including annual giving and major gifts. As Development Director at The Representation Project, she led all development initiatives and spearheaded the organization’s first virtual fundraising event. During her time at Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles and Scripps College, she managed annual and individual giving, launched peer fundraising and monthly giving programs, and supported the College’s 175M comprehensive campaign.

Adriana holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Policy with a minor in Business from Northwestern University. She lives in Southern California and enjoys reading, cooking, and yoga.

About Kate Effland

Kate brings 15 years of fundraising and nonprofit management experience to her work with clients. She understands that data-driven donor engagement strategies paired with sound operations are critical pillars for any successful fundraising endeavor. Kate leads Campbell & Company’s methodology taskforce and is involved in Campbell & Company’s qualification services.

Prior to joining Campbell & Company in 2018, Kate held leadership roles with the Taproot Foundation and worked for several human services and healthcare organizations in the Bay Area, managing institutional fundraising efforts and donor databases.

Kate graduated with a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland – College Park and completed the Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service at NYU Wagner School of Public Service. Kate is currently pursuing her master’s in business administration at University of Washington. Kate is a member of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and is active in the nonprofit fundraising community.

About Miguel Lopez, CFRE

Miguel Lopez, CFRE, is a dynamic nonprofit leader based in San Diego, specializing in program development, fundraising, and strategic planning. As the current Manager of Development at San Diego Foundation, Miguel has pioneered a 7-figure philanthropy and grantmaking program, partnered with donors, and created innovative grantmaking strategies, including a significant Latino-centered economic mobility initiative. Previously, he spearheaded the establishment of the Foundation’s prospect research department, playing a critical role in enhancing its fundraising capabilities and donor relations.

Miguel is an accredited Certified Fundraising Executive dedicated to professional development. He has contributed his expertise to various boards and committees, including the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. His leadership extends to mentoring emerging professionals in philanthropy, underlining his commitment to cultivating an inclusive and effective nonprofit sector.

About Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D.

Dr. Bill Stanczykiewicz serves as senior assistant dean for external relations at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Bill directs The Fund Raising School while also serving on the academic faculty, teaching in the bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree programs. Bill has been associated with raising more than $120 million over the last 25 years as a nonprofit executive director and board member. His hobbies include dating his wife, Carmen, who is a major gift fundraiser, and they enjoy talking fundraising while strolling along San Diego Harbor or watching the sunset from Point Loma.

Creating Events with Impact

Speaker: Ingrid de Llamas, CFRE, IAP, Director of Philanthropy & External Relations, Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County

We’ve all been part of the “rubber chicken event circuit” – those sometimes dreaded, often dull events that run together in our minds. Do you even remember why the last rubber chicken dinner you attended was held? How did it benefit the cause?

Donors today want to make an impact and they expect to see how their investments are being used to make a difference. Many nonprofits fall into the trap of holding the same event over and over each year. They spend countless dollars at hotels, have the same speakers, same video program and often forget WHY people are there.

Ingrid de Llamas will share ideas, lessons learned and the importance of re-evaluating your event program to include goals, consistent messaging and an understanding of the purpose and true cost of holding events. In this session you will learn how to create events with impact to further the mission of your organization.

Engaging Your Board in Fund Development

Speaker: Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., Senior Assistant Dean for External Relations, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Fewer than half of nonprofits have boards of directors fully engaged with fundraising. Using data from BoardSource and interviews with successful nonprofits, this session reveals six research-based findings pointing toward practical steps you can take toward 100 percent board giving and fundraising.

How to Maximize Donor Potential

Speakers: Krista Lamp, Sr. Director of Brand, Events, Communication, Classy & Elizabeth Ruikka, Sr. Director of Demand Generation, Classy

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain strategic insights and tools to increase the lifetime impact of your supporters.

Discover how to maximize the lifetime value of your supporters through various campaign types. Learn about the essential elements of an effective stewardship strategy and how an all-in-one fundraising solution can unlock valuable donor insights. Gain practical knowledge on engagement strategies such as nurturing first-time supporters into repeat donors and engaging your recurring supporters at your next fundraising event. The Classy expert team will also discuss how to identify and cultivate your next generation of peer-to-peer fundraising leaders.

About Krista Lamp

Krista Lamp is the Senior Director of Brand, Events, Communication for Classy, a GoFundMe affiliate and Public Benefit Corporation that enables nonprofits to connect supporters with the causes they care about. Classy’s giving platform provides powerful fundraising tools so nonprofits can convert and retain donors. Since 2011, Classy has helped nonprofits raise over $5 billion. Previously, Krista spent 10+ years at some of the nation’s top public relations agencies.

About Elizabeth Ruikka

Elizabeth Ruikka is the Sr. Director of Demand Generation and at Classy. She is a strategic marketing leader with a decade of expertise across digital and owned marketing channels. Passionate about staying up to date with the ever-changing digital landscape, Elizabeth enjoys advising nonprofits on how to maximize the impact of their online fundraising strategy. During her tenure at Classy, she has developed a strong understanding of the unique challenges nonprofits face and is invested in their success.

About Alyssa Celones Senturk

Alyssa Celones Senturk (or Ally) is a Filipino-American creative storyteller with a multimedia marketing and science communication background. She specializes in building communities around causes for the common good – like clean water, science, and climate resilience. She is the Communications and Outreach Director for San Diego Coastkeeper, an environmental nonprofit working to protect and restore fishable, swimmable, and drinkable waters in San Diego County.

Stewardship & Engagement: Increasing Donor Loyalty

Speaker: Muhi Khwaja, MPA, CFRE, CFRM, Trainer, Fundraising Academy and Co-Founder, American Muslim Community Foundation

Fostering donor loyalty is an ongoing activity. The way you engage with donors after they make a gift is as important, or perhaps even more important, than the gift itself. Keeping all levels of donors involved and inspired can be the difference between a good fundraising practice and a great one. During this session, you will learn how to make your supporters feel every bit as important as they are, as you learn effective communication strategies to showcase impact and inspire major donors to continue to provide financial support. Join our presenter, Muhi Khwaja, MPA, CFRM, to learn how you can increase donor loyalty through creative stewardship and meaningful engagement strategies.

Takeaways:

• Understand the value of donor loyalty and what it means to your organization.
• Learn the keys for retaining a higher number of donors.
• Build systems to showcase donor impact to foster their continued commitment to your cause.
• Develop a stewardship plan with meaningful follow-up activities that will inspire your donors and keep them involved in an ongoing way.