To support your efforts, San Diego Foundation (SDF) shares valuable monthly information about upcoming workshops, events, fundraising opportunities and resources with your organization.

Jump to:

Nonprofit Funds: Are your nonprofit’s asset investments doing the best for your organization? Join hundreds of forward-thinking nonprofit leaders and open a nonprofit fund at San Diego Foundation to sustain your good work into the future!

SDF Career Opportunities

The SDF team is committed to advancing racial and social justice, fostering equity of opportunity, and building resilient communities. We help our donors transform lives across our region by delivering world-class philanthropy and offering best-in-class services. SDF is rated a Top Workplace by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

San Diego Foundation is currently seeking applicants for the following:

    • Director of Accounting
    • Director, Donor Services
    • Director, People, Culture & Diversity
    • Lead Fellow, Community Impact Fellows Initiative
    • Regional Affiliates Specialist

Upcoming Events & Development Opportunities

  • Join Blackbaud University’s lead instructor, Matt Connell, for this “How to Build Donor Trust” session and learn how to build, maintain, and retain trusting relationships with your donors. Ideas on understanding your donors’ perceptions, expressing your organization’s core values, and transparency in communications will be discussed along with other strategies to strengthen your donors’ trust in you and your organization. Event Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.
  • The City of San Diego is holding Creative City pop-up events throughout the summer where you can learn more about the Creative City cultural planning process, share your insights into the creative future of our city and your neighborhood and surrounding communities, and help create something unique in hands-on art-making experiences. Fun for all ages, and refreshments will be provided (while supplies last!). July event dates: July 21-29, 2023.
  • The 2023 Justice40 Accelerator is accepting applications. The Accelerator is a 12-month-long learning community of projects accountable to communities and committed to delivering climate-related solutions. The Accelerator is designed to be a cohort experience to meet projects where they are at in their journey to become eligible for public funding. The Accelerator will provide project development support and technical assistance to cohort members to competitively apply for grant funding. The program will also provide a $25,000 unrestricted grant to help support the organization’s staff participation during the Accelerator. Deadline: July 31, 2023 at 8:59 p.m. PST.
  • Nonprofit Learning Lab is a national nonprofit that trains leaders in the nonprofit sector and offers daily online nonprofit training on various subjects.
  • Nonprofit Solutions provides effective, impactful, and relevant professional development. In-person and virtual (live and interactive) workshops are both available.
  • Nonprofit Ready offers hundreds of free professional development resources including courses and certificates on fundraising, grant writing, starting a nonprofit, finance, engagement, marketing, and human resources.

Other Funding Opportunities

  • National Endowment for the Arts is accepting applications to their Grants for Arts Projects program. Through project-based funding, the program supports opportunities for public engagement with arts and arts education, for integrating the arts with strategies promoting the health and well-being of people and communities, and for improving overall capacity and capabilities within the arts sector. Deadline: July 6, 2023 by 11:59 p.m. EDT.
  • The Children and Youth Resilience Challenge, launched by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, will award prizes to innovative community-led solutions to promote resilience in children and adolescents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and other man-made or natural disasters. An informational webinar will be held on Wednesday, June 21 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. This webinar will be available in Spanish and English. Deadline: July 7, 2023 by 11:59 p.m. EDT.
  • Latham Foundation for the Promotion of Humane Education is accepting applications for their annual cycle. This year priority will be given to programs that include services to the military, veterans, first responders and their families. Deadline: July 8, 2023 by 12:00 a.m.
  • The Home Depot Foundation (THDF) is accepting applications to the Veteran Housing Grants Program. This program awards grants to nonprofit organizations to develop and repair veterans’ housing. Awards typically range from $100,000 to $500,000. Deadline: July 9, 2023.
  • Ability Central is accepting Letters of Intent for several of its grant opportunities. Their 2024 funding cycle for Communication Access projects encourages leadership development projects, healthcare training projects, and innovation and digital accessibility improvement for people with communication disabilities. They also offer rapid response grants for communication accessibility with a month-long approval on a rolling basis (until funds are expended) year-round. Deadline: July 12, 2023 by 5:00 p.m.
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications to support the 988 Tribal Response program. Eligibility is limited to federally recognized Indian Tribes, tribal organizations, and Urban Indian Organizations. Tribes and tribal organizations may apply individually or as a consortium. Deadline: July 18, 2023.
  • The Impact Fund is accepting Letters of Inquiry for recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms seeking to advance justice in civil and human rights, environmental justice, and poverty law. Deadline: July 18, 2023.
  • Far South/Border North is accepting applications for its second phase of a grant opportunity open to nonprofit organizations, units of government and tribal governments to participate in Far South/Border North and hire artists and cultural practitioners from San Diego and Imperial counties to increase public awareness of pressing challenges via a regional, open-call process. Deadline: July 19, 2023, by 5:00 p.m.
  • The Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation (CICF) is accepting formal grant applications. CICF makes grants to organizations that are located or operate in U.S. communities where the cruise industry maintains vessel operations, employs significant numbers of individuals, or purchases products and services from strategic business partners, and that carry out programs and activities that confer significant local community benefits. Deadline: CICF grant applications are accepted throughout the calendar year. Grant submissions will be reviewed quarterly for final selection. The full review process may take up to six months.
  • Cigna Foundation is accepting Letters of Inquiry for their Healthier Kids for our Future: Mental Health grant program. Their goal is to supplement existing mental health programming – and help close gaps within and outside the school environment – to address loneliness, anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention. Deadline: They will continue to accept Letters of Inquiry until the end of September 2023.
  • The CARESTAR Foundation (CARESTAR) is accepting applications for its Transformations and Innovations Grants Program. Through this initiative, CARESTAR is looking to invest in community-based collaboratives reimagining and transforming emergency and prehospital care. To apply for a Transformations & Innovations grant, the lead applicant/organization must be a California-based non-profit organization or public entity, with at least one collaborative member physically located in the geographic area where the project will occur. The strongest applicants will include the involvement of a LEMSA. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • Lyft is accepting applications for its transportation grant program. Lyft is committed to helping reduce transportation barriers for historically excluded communities nationwide. Lyft awards local community grants, in the form of in-app ride credits, on an ongoing basis as funds become available. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation is a joint initiative between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. The foundation is accepting Letters of Inquiry from organizations that help increase participation in and expand access to youth baseball and softball. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The California Wellness Foundation is accepting Letters of Interest for their Advancing Wellness Grant Program. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that are addressing urgent needs people are facing in their communities. Specifically, the focus is on low-income communities, people of color, youth, immigrants, and residents of rural areas. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • The Richard and Jean Coyne Family Foundation is accepting inquiries from educational institutions and nonprofit trade organizations that help economically disadvantaged high school students develop portfolios to qualify for admission to art school and provide college scholarships to them to study graphic design, advertising, photography, and illustration. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • S. Bank Foundation is accepting Letters of Interest for their Community Possible Grant Program. U.S. Bank Foundation supports organizations and programs that advance Workforce Education & Economic Prosperity, Neighborhood Stability & Revitalization, Artistic & Cultural Enrichment and Learning Through Play & Preserving, Protecting and Enhancing Outdoor Places to Play. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is accepting applications for their Evidence for Action: Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity grant from organizations to support studies about “upstream” causes of health inequities, such as the systems, structures, laws, policies, norms, and practices that determine the distribution of resources and opportunities, which in turn influence individuals’ options and behaviors. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The MIT Club of San Diego is accepting applications to assist local educators, schools and nonprofits improve STEM education in San Diego. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The W.K. Kellogg Foundation accepts applications at any time from organizations whose projects or proposals align with their three areas of focused work: Thriving Children, Working Families, and Equitable Communities. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The Pollock-Krasner Foundation is accepting applications from artists for their Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant for individual artists. Pollock-Krasner grants have enabled artists to create new work, purchase needed materials and pay for studio rent and their personal expenses. Deadline: Rolling.
  • Based on the belief that it is important to be responsive to time-sensitive community needs and opportunities affecting the most vulnerable populations, Alliance Healthcare Foundation provides responsive funding up to $25,000. Responsive funding applications may be submitted at any time. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • The Parker Foundation is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations that provide services that improve people’s lives throughout the San Diego region. Deadline: Rolling.
  • American Humane’s Second Chance grant offers public and private animal sheltering agencies and rescue groups financial assistance to help offset the costs of rescuing animals who are homeless or victims of human cruelty. Nonprofits who focus on animal rights and rescue are encouraged to submit proposals. Deadline: Ongoing.

Nonprofit Resources

  • Grant Learning Center is the gateway to federal grants. Learn more about the federal grants process and how to register to their system.
  • CalNonprofits offers a wide array of resources for California-based nonprofits.
  • CA Attorney General’s Guide for Charities provides information about best practices for nonprofits that operate or fundraise in California.
  • IRS- Applying for Section 501(c)(3) status. View or read a video about how to file for nonprofit status.
  • Mission Driven Finance provides services in nonprofit investment opportunities and financial services.
  • The Nonprofit Board Exchange is a free service offered by Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego in collaboration with their community partners to expand the pool of nonprofit board members in San Diego by sharing trainings, resources, and listing of open board positions.
  • Nonprofit Hub produces free guides on several helpful topics for nonprofits.
  • BoardSource provides resources and tools on various board leadership topics that help educate nonprofits and their boards, including downloadable resources, articles, and publications.
  • Learn how to claim and update your organization’s Candid profile. Nonprofit profiles are a fundraising tool for telling an organization’s story and are viewed by numerous funders and foundations.
  • The Nonprofit Institute’s Digital Library houses our public reports and evaluations, including our State of California and State of Nonprofits & Philanthropy Annual Reports.
  • Wallace Foundation offers general nonprofit resources, including articles and studies by leading thinkers in nonprofit finances.
  • The National Council on Nonprofits helps nonprofits achieve greater collective impact by identifying emerging trends, sharing proven practices and promoting solutions that benefit charitable nonprofits and the communities they serve.
  • Nonprofit Ready provides a free online course library supporting the most common nonprofit job families, including fundraising, leadership, accounting and finance, operations, marketing and communications, volunteer engagement, and program management.
  • Volunteer Management Guide provides tools and best practices for effectively managing volunteers.
  • Tech Soup offers free and discounted software and hardware for nonprofits.
  • Impact Cubed’s DEI Resource Library provides a growing list of DEI resources from community partners, including the Alliance for Regional Solutions, Fieldstone Leadership Network, and North County Philanthropy Council.