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

Jump to:

Nonprofit Funds: How are you building assets to support your nonprofit organization? Join hundreds of forward-thinking nonprofit leaders and open a nonprofit fund at SDF to sustain your good work into the future!

SDF Funding Opportunities

2027-2028 Chula Vista Community Foundation Grant Cycle: Student Learning: The Chula Vista Community Foundation is accepting proposals for impactful educational programs that support Chula Vista students in grades 6 – 12 to address learning gaps in reading, writing, and math that have widened since the COVID-19 pandemic. Requests can be between $10,000 and up to $30,000. 

Applications are open and due November 19, 2026 by 5PM. See grant guidelines and apply today.

2027-2028 Oceanside Community Foundation Grant Cycle: Addressing Food Insecurity for Children and Youth up to Age 25: The Oceanside Community Foundation is accepting proposals for projects and programs that address food insecurity for children and youth up to the age of 25. Requests can be between $10,000 and up to $25,000.

Applications are open and due November 14, 2026 by 5PM. See grant guidelines and apply today.

Events & Development Opportunities

  • Registration is open for the 2027 San Diego Fundraising Conference. After a sold-out 2026 conference, SDFC returns Sept. 14–15, 2027, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront with two days of practical strategies, real-world tools and peer learning to help nonprofits strengthen fundraising. The first keynote speaker is Kevin L. Brown, CEO and co-founder of MIGHTY ALLY and author of Fundable & Findable, who helps nonprofits become more visible, compelling and fundable. Get your tickets here.
  • San Diego Foundation is proud to be a founding funder of the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative San Diego (NSI SD), a new local pooled fund that helps nonprofits explore and carry out long-term collaborations, from shared administrative functions to full mergers. NSI SD offers Exploratory Grants to help organizations assess whether a partnership makes sense, and Implementation Grants to help put one into practice. Learn more about eligibility and how to request a Readiness & Alignment Conversation here.
  • The Policy & Innovation Center will host a free virtual webinar, Are the Kids Alright? Connecting Research & Community for Youth Wellbeing, on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at noon PT. The session walks through key findings from the new Youth Wellbeing in San Diego report, developed with San Diego Foundation, Prebys Foundation and the City of San Diego, and shows how to use the data in your own work. Register here.
  • The HIVE, a Leichtag Foundation Initiative, holds in person and virtual workshops for nonprofits. Workshop topics range from effective leadership to strategic approaches to media relations. Learn more about its professional development opportunities here.
  • Nonprofit Solutions holds several workshops that help nonprofit employees learn, connect and grow. In-person and virtual workshops are offered. Learn more about its upcoming events and workshops here.
  • CANDID Learning holds a series of free online workshops for nonprofit employees in all stages and experiences of their careers. Search through training opportunities here.
  • SDSU will be holding a 6-week course on starting a nonprofit. The course is supplemented with useful checklists, worksheets, reading lists and field trips to a wide variety of online resources. The course is $147 and has various start dates.
  • The San Diego Public Library offers a wide range of free highly interactive and instructor-led online courses. Courses run for six weeks and new sessions begin every month. You must be a library card holder in good standing to enroll.
  • Nonprofit Learning Lab is a national nonprofit that trains leaders in the nonprofit sector and offers daily online nonprofit training on various subjects.
  • 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.
  • Listen4Good helps nonprofits gather and analyze feedback from program participants, volunteers, community, or staff. That data is helpful for fundraising, strategic decision-making, and advancing equity goals. Participating organizations receive access to: 1) 1:1 coaching support; 2) group learning; and 3) a core web application for participatory measurement that drives impact. Since 2016, Listen4Good has supported over 1,000 organizations through their 18-month capacity-building program. Learn more by joining an informational session hosted by Listen4Good. 

Other Funding Opportunities

  • GameTime’s Community Champions Playground Grant is helping parks, schools, nonprofits and youth organizations bring more play to communities across the country. For a limited time, GameTime is offering matching funds toward the purchase of a new play system, helping communities make planned playground projects go further. Applications must be received by October 23, 2026.
  • The Waitt Foundation is accepting applications for their Rapid Ocean Conservation (ROC) Grants Program. ROC grants provide small grants with a quick turnaround time for solutions to emerging conservation issues. 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 for them to study graphic design, advertising, photography and illustration. Deadline: Ongoing.
  • U.S. Bank Foundation is accepting Letters of Interest for their Community Possible Grant Program. U.S. Bank Foundation supports organizations and programs that advance the following funding priorities:
    • WORK – Workforce Education and Economic Prosperity
    • HOME – Neighborhood Stability and Revitalization
    • PLAY – Artistic and Cultural Enrichment, Learning Through Play and Preserving, Protecting and Enhancing Outdoor Places to Play.
      Deadline: Ongoing.
  • 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, pay for studio rent and their personal expenses. Deadline: Rolling.
  • The Parker Foundation is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations that provide services that improve the lives of people 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.

More Resources