November 10, 2014 – San Diego, CA – The Escondido Charitable Foundation (ECF), an affiliate of The San Diego Foundation, announced nonprofit organizations serving Escondido are invited to apply for the 2015-2016 grant cycle with the theme “The Great Outdoors.”

ECF will accept Letters of Intent (LOIs) for creative projects that promote the rich natural resources and open spaces throughout Escondido. During this grant cycle, ECF will make grants that support programs or projects which foster healthy lifestyles; connect, protect, or increase access to nature for people of all ages and abilities; and improve the lives of those who live, work and play within the geographic boundaries of the Greater Escondido area. The area is generally defined by the Escondido Union High School District boundaries “to include the San Pasqual Valley, up to Deer Springs Road by Lawrence Welk and out toward Del Dios.”

The LOI is the first step in a two-step application process. ECF will evaluate all LOI submissions and qualify those that meet the program and eligibility criteria. Organizations that are short-listed through the LOI process will be invited to submit a full application. The funding range is $10,000 to $30,000.

The deadline to submit completed LOIs is 5:00 p.m. (PST) on Monday, January 12, 2015. A Grant Seekers Forum will be held on Wednesday, November 19 to assist nonprofit applicants. For questions concerning grant guidelines, contact Trudy Armstrong attrudy@sdfoundation.org or (619) 764-8602.

What: 2015-2016 Grant Cycle and Grant Seekers Forum
When: Grant Seekers Forum:
Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
North County office of The San Diego Foundation
900 Canterbury Place, Suite 300, Escondido, CA 92025
RSVP at cassie@sdfoundation.org or (619) 814-1381
Who: Nonprofit organizations serving Escondido
How: Grant guidelines and application instructions found at here.

MyCommunity registration must be completed at mycommunity.sdfoundation.org by 5:00 p.m. (PST) on Monday, January 5, 2015

Grant applications due no later than 5:00 p.m. (PST) on Monday, January 12, 2015


About Escondido Charitable Foundation & the Regional Outreach Program
The Regional Outreach program, including Escondido Charitable Foundation, was established by The San Diego Foundation to build and promote a regional network of community affiliate foundations by leveraging local leadership in building endowments, increasing responsible and effective philanthropy, and promoting local and regional civic engagement. Since 2006, The San Diego Foundation has established affiliates in Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Escondido, La Jolla, Oceanside, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, San Ysidro, and 4S Ranch-Del Sur. The Regional Outreach program has exceeded 700 members, built endowments of more than $3.4 million overall, and granted more than $3.4 million in total to nonprofit organizations throughout the region. For additional information, please visit sdfoundation.org/CommunityFoundations.

About The San Diego Foundation
Founded in 1975, The San Diego Foundation’s purpose is to promote and increase effective and responsible charitable giving. The Foundation manages more than $675 million in assets, more than half of which reside in permanent endowment funds that extend the impact of today’s gifts to future generations. Since its inception, The Foundation has granted more than $891 million to the San Diego region’s nonprofit community. For additional information, please visit The San Diego Foundation at sdfoundation.org.

Contact
Vince Heald, Beck Ellman Heald, 858-453-9600, vheald@behmedia.com
Theresa Nakata, The San Diego Foundation, 619-890-1378, theresan@sdfoundation.org