September 9, 2026 – San Diego, CA – As nonprofits in San Diego County and across the country face growing community needs and a changing funding environment, more than 1,000 local nonprofit leaders gathered today at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront to share strategies for building stronger, more sustainable support for their missions.

The fourth annual 2026 San Diego Fundraising Conference presented by PNC Bank and hosted by San Diego Foundation (SDF), in partnership with National University, is being held Sept. 9-10 under the theme, “Build for What’s Next.”

The conference is taking place at a consequential time for the sector. Research from the University of San Diego Nonprofit Institute in 2025 found that 81% of nonprofits reported receiving less funding from a major revenue source, such as the federal government, while nearly 70% reported increased demand for services such as food and housing support.

Many of the organizations represented at the conference are experiencing that growing demand firsthand, from nonprofits providing food to older adults and connecting families to healthcare to those helping San Diegans stay housed, supporting students and meeting other critical needs across the region.

“Nonprofits across our region are navigating significant challenges while continuing to meet growing community needs,” said Mark Stuart, president and CEO of San Diego Foundation. “This conference is about bringing nonprofit leaders, fundraisers and partners together to learn from one another, build stronger connections and leave with practical fundraising strategies they can put to work immediately.”

Making the conference accessible to organizations of different sizes is part of SDF’s mission. Registration was intentionally priced lower than similar conferences to help smaller, community-based organizations participate alongside larger institutions and benefit from the same expertise, tools and professional networks.

More than 40 sessions focused on topics ranging from monthly giving and donor communications to fundraising technology, donor retention and revenue diversification, giving participants strategies they can put to work immediately within their organizations.

Keynote speakers Cherian Koshy, CFRE, CAP®, ACFRE, vice president at Kindsight, and Dana Snyder, founder and CEO of Positive Equation, explored how donors are giving differently, how technology is changing fundraising and how nonprofits can strengthen donor acquisition and retention.

“People don’t give simply because they’re presented with a need. They give when something creates a sense of trust, connection and meaning,” said Cherian Koshy, CFRE, CAP®, ACFRE, vice president at Kindsight. “Understanding what moves someone from caring about a cause to actually taking action can help nonprofits create more human, meaningful experiences for the people who want to make a difference.”

San Diego County organizations are already adapting to the changing environment.

“Our ability to serve families depends on a strong network of community partners, supporters and volunteers working together,” said Kristin Wiggins, vice president of development at the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. “This conference gives us an opportunity to build on the strategies we already use, exchange ideas with peers across the sector, and continue building the support systems that help us serve San Diegans when they need us most.”

To learn more about the conference and future programming, visit SDFundraisingConference.com. To learn more about San Diego Foundation and support local nonprofits, visit SDFoundation.org.

About San Diego Foundation

San Diego Foundation believes in just, equitable and resilient communities where every San Diegan can prosper, thrive and feel like they belong. We partner with donors, nonprofits and regional leaders to advance solutions that respond to community needs and strengthen San Diego. Since 1975, SDF has granted more than $2 billion to nonprofits to improve quality of life in San Diego County and beyond. Learn more at SDFoundation.org.