Read in English Leer en Español
December 5, 2016 – San Diego, CA – Katie Rast has joined The San Diego Foundation as Director of Community Impact.
Rast will oversee Foundation programs focusing on priorities identified in Our Greater San Diego Vision and framed in WELL – Work, Enjoy, Live and Learn. Social impact areas include, but are not limited to, health & human services, arts & culture, youth development, education, and science & technology.
Rast will lead the Community Impact Department that establishes community based programmatic partnerships with non-profits and governments. She is responsible for strategic collaborations with other funders and partners, including corporations, individual, and family philanthropists.
Rast brings a wealth of programmatic expertise to The Foundation and has a proven track record of building local partnerships. Prior to joining The Foundation, she worked with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and National Science Foundation to establish Fab Lab, the first program of its kind in the San Diego region. As Executive Director, for the past 10 years she has provided program direction for Fab Lab to create a community-embedded learning laboratory and related educational programs. Additionally, Rast has served as Senior Strategy Advisor for UCSD Design Lab; Program Lead for LRNG, a MacArthur Foundation-backed initiative; Director of Marketing for Cal Coast; and Manager for the General Electric Brilliant Career Lab pilot initiative on behalf of Fab Foundation, GE Foundation and Boston Public Schools. Rast has received awards and recognition from MIT, USAID and WorldBank, San Diego Downtown Partnership, Civic San Diego and the United Nations. Rast earned her bachelor’s degree in digital media & society from Goddard College.
The San Diego Foundation maximizes the impact of your charitable giving. We mobilize philanthropic resources to advance quality of life, increase social impact and champion civic engagement. For more than 40 years, The Foundation and our donors have granted more than $1 billion to grow a vibrant San Diego region. Learn more on our website, and consider a donation to the Fund for the Future Endowment which supports San Diego community needs now and forever.
Vince Heald, Beck Ellman Heald, 858-453-9600, vheald@behmedia.com
Justin Nunez, The San Diego Foundation, 619-235-2300, justin@sdfoundation.org
On August 9, 2022, we awarded $838,704 in Opening the Outdoors grants to 24 nonprofit organizations that offer equitable access to outdoor spaces in San Diego County.
“San Diego Foundation is proud to once again support its partners committed to increasing community-driven efforts to enhance accessible outdoor space, encourage youth to learn more through hands-on education and create the next generation of environmental stewards in the San Diego region,” said Christiana DeBenedict, SDF Director of Environment Initiatives.
This year’s grantees will help address these inequities and enhance access to the outdoors throughout San Diego County.
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields