For Trudy Armstrong, San Diego Foundation (SDF) Director of Regional Outreach, community-based philanthropy isn’t just a career — it’s a calling she’s nurtured for decades.
Long before joining SDF 17 years ago, Trudy had already been shaping the landscape of local philanthropy and igniting the passion for giving in others in North County. As one of the driving forces behind the formation of the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation in 1988, Trudy helped pioneer a model that empowered residents to make a difference right where they live — strengthening their own neighborhoods through collective giving.
When she joined SDF in 2008, it was only natural that she would lead the charge to expand that model regionwide, helping grow it into a network of more than half a dozen SDF Regional Affiliates across the county — including Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Escondido, Oceanside, Ramona and Rancho Bernardo.
“It’s a known fact in philanthropy that people like to give where they live, where they’ve raised their family, where they have a business, where they grew up,” Trudy said.
“It gives people an opportunity to support their own community, to preserve the quality of life in these communities that they love so much for people who live there now and for the future,” she shared.
Now, after nearly two decades at SDF, Trudy is retiring — leaving behind an extraordinary legacy that continues to inspire collective giving and strengthen communities across the region.
It’s a legacy best seen in the work of SDF’s Regional Affiliates, which will continue to build endowments, fund essential local initiatives and forge lasting relationships between donors and nonprofits in the communities they serve.
Affiliate member donations are pooled, and each year, members of each affiliate democratically select a specific funding priority based on data and local need, ensuring that their community investment remains both strategic and deeply personal.
“It’s almost like this position was made for me, as it combines my love of philanthropy, connecting individuals with their passion for making a difference, and my love of community-based work,” Trudy said. “So it’s been wonderful.”
Trudy’s commitment to her community extends far beyond her work at SDF.
A tireless volunteer and civic leader, she has contributed her time and talent to more than a dozen local boards and committees in Rancho Bernardo (RB) through the years — from the RB Chamber of Commerce and North San Diego Business Chamber to the RB Sunrise Rotary Club and North County Philanthropy Council (NCPC).
Her efforts have earned her some of the highest honors.
This year, Trudy received the prestigious Service Above Self Award, Rotary International’s highest individual honor, given annually to fewer than 100 Rotarians worldwide. She’s also a past recipient of NCPC’s Spirit of Carol Sigelman Award and District 5340’s Rotarian of the Year. Trudy was even named Honorary Mayor of Rancho Bernardo in 1998 and inducted into Rancho Bernardo’s Hall of Fame in 2023.
Now, as she steps into retirement, Trudy looks forward to spending more time with family — and visiting her son and daughter-in-law in Costa Rica — but true to form, she plans to continue volunteering.
“I will never not be involved in community work,” Trudy said. “That’s just part of who I am.”
For decades, Trudy has been a bridge, linking generous individuals with opportunities to strengthen the places they call home. Her leadership has helped SDF strengthen its partnerships with other local nonprofits and with communities across the region.
As she begins this next chapter, Trudy’s influence will continue to ripple through the communities she helped empower, inspiring collaboration and generosity for years to come through each of SDF’s Regional Affiliates.
At SDF, we are deeply grateful for Trudy’s service to our region.
