2016 Marks Most Generous Year Ever For The San Diego Foundation

November 18, 2016 (San Diego, CA) – The San Diego Foundation today announced 2016 was the most generous year of grantmaking in its 41-year history, with $58.5 million awarded to the nonprofit community. The San Diego Foundation maximizes the impact of charitable giving to enact positive social change in our region.

Since 1975, The Foundation has stood as San Diego’s leading community foundation, facilitating charitable giving for one of the largest donor networks in the San Diego region, and acting as a vital driver for social change through collaboration with civic and industry leaders.

“The history of The San Diego Foundation is rooted in the collaborative action of thousands of caring individuals and committed organizations,” shared President and CEO Kathlyn Mead. “For 41 years, we have worked side by side with donors, community leaders, local government, businesses and many others to facilitate positive social change for the entire region.”

“Philanthropy is more than just money,” explained Board Chair Connie Matsui. “It’s the shared desire and effort to help reach our full potential as a community and to improve quality of life for all. Every day, we witness firsthand what is possible when engaged donors and leaders come together to tackle and solve some of our greatest challenges. San Diego grows more vibrant every year thanks to partnerships that are built, respect that is shared and giving that is inspired and selfless.”

In Fiscal Year 2016, The San Diego Foundation supported several social impact areas, including (but not limited to): Education, $21.8 million; Health & Human Services, $9.4 million; Civic Society, $7.7 million; Arts & Culture, $6.9 million; Youth Development, $4.7 million; and Environment, $3.8 million. More than 1,600 nonprofit organizations received 5,650 individual grants, mainly from donor-advised funds at The Foundation. In addition to supporting a variety of nonprofit organizations, donor-advised funds also help local students achieve their academic goals. In 2016, more than 140 scholarship funds within The San Diego Foundation Community Scholarship Program helped 829 students pursue higher education.

The Foundation ended FY2016 with $672 million in assets invested and managed, of which more than $400 million are held in endowment funds to benefit the region forever. The Foundation also established the Fund for the Future, an endowment fund that enables donors to respond to unforeseen challenges and seize opportunities to address the most pressing needs of our region, now and forever.

To learn more about the impact of The San Diego Foundation in the region, visit sdfoundation.org/news-events/annual-report-2016.

About The San Diego Foundation

The San Diego Foundation maximizes the impact of charitable giving to enact positive social change in our region. We mobilize resources to advance quality of life, increase social impact and champion civic engagement though effective, responsible and innovative philanthropy. We are your community foundation committed to arts & culture, civil society, education, environment, health and human services, and youth development to build equity and opportunity for all San Diegans. For more than 40 years, The Foundation and our donors have granted more than $1 billion to grow a vibrant San Diego region. For more information, visit our website and consider a donation to the Fund for the Future Endowment which supports San Diego now and forever.

Contacts

Vince Heald, Beck Ellman Heald, 858-453-9600, vheald@behmedia.com
Justin Nunez, The San Diego Foundation, 619-235-2300, justin@sdfoundation.org