September 10, 2025 – San Diego, CA – San Diego Foundation (SDF) announced today that it has awarded $892,000 in grants to 12 local nonprofit organizations to prioritize support for middle school students at risk of academic disengagement.
The SDF Growth, Education and Mentorship for Student Scholars (GEMS) initiative supports expanded learning programs for middle school students during a period when attendance declines, disciplinary actions increase, and long-term academic outcomes are shaped.
“San Diego Foundation believes every student deserves access to the opportunities that shape lifelong success, no matter their zip code or circumstance,” said Mark Stuart, President and CEO of San Diego Foundation. “Through GEMS, we’re investing in proven community programs that help students stay engaged in school, build trusted relationships and prepare for the academic rigor and life milestones that will shape their future.”
GEMS was established in response to rising student needs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its lasting impact on learning, school climate and youth mental health. Today, chronic absenteeism and student disengagement continue to rise, especially among students with limited access to safe, structured environments beyond the classroom.
The initiative prioritizes students who face the greatest barriers to school connection and academic continuity – particularly low-income, justice-involved, and unhoused youth – who are statistically more likely to experience chronic absenteeism, disciplinary action and disengagement during middle school.
GEMS programs, offered after school and during summer months, help improve mental health and attendance, and reduce disengagement and disciplinary actions like suspension by providing students with opportunities that stimulate creativity and interest in learning, promote social-emotional learning and nourish a strong sense of belonging during this critical development window.
SDF awarded $892,000 grants to 12 nonprofits. Grantees include:
- Any Body Can Youth Foundation – $100,000 to support middle school youth in southeastern San Diego through enrichment, mentorship and social-emotional learning programming that improves grades, reduces truancy and fosters positive peer relationships.
- ‘ataaxum Pomkwaan For the People – $40,000 to expand the Native Youth Stewardship Series, offering cultural and civic engagement programs for Native youth in grades 6–12 to support identity, belonging and school climate.
- Epiphany Women in Focus – $75,000 to provide a welcoming, neurodiverse-affirming space where youth engage in meaningful dialogue and inclusive enrichment opportunities tailored to varied learning needs.
- Logan Heights Community Development Corporation – $75,000 to fund the Youth Empowerment & Diversion program, which offers workshops, family support, leadership training and individualized counseling for youth furthest from opportunity.
- Rise Up Industries $100,000 to deliver after-school and summer programming for students starting in grade 5, providing more than 1,000 hours of annual support in academics, life skills, mental health and mentorship.
- San Diego Youth Services – $35,000 to enhance the Sunny Days Safe Schools Project, offering therapeutic services, case management and workforce readiness for youth navigating barriers to education and employment.
- SBCS Corporation – $97,000 to fund YEE!, an after-school program for students in grades 7–12 offering mentorship, enrichment activities, college visits and academic support at three school sites.
- The Blue Heart Foundation – $60,000 to support the HEART Academy, a culturally affirming program serving boys and young men in Southeast San Diego with mentorship, college readiness, mental health support and STEM learning.
- The David’s Harp Foundation – $55,000 to expand the Student Studio program, which trades academic progress for access to studio time, helping justice-involved youth build social-emotional learning skills and workforce pathways.
- University of San Diego – $130,000 to deliver the BiGI Summer Academy and year-round workshops supporting students facing systemic barriers through STEAM, social-emotional learning, cultural exploration and leadership.
- Young and Prosperous Foundation – $75,000 to fund YAP Juniors, which prepares middle school students in the Promise Zone for college through mentorship, academic support and leadership development.
- Youth Empowerment’s Finest – $50,000 to implement I.M.A.G.I.N.E., an after-school mentorship and program in City Heights through trauma-informed, whole-student care.
“GEMS exemplifies what’s possible when philanthropy is rooted in trust and intentionality. The support from SDF staff didn’t just fund our work, it amplified it by connecting us with a network of grassroots organizations equally committed to youth development,” said Brandon Steppe, Founder & Executive Director of David’s Harp Foundation. “These relationships have led to powerful collaborations, like our youth-led podcast with T.H.E C.I.R.C.L.E by Epiphany, where young people benefit from multiple creative and mentorship touchpoints. The impact is real, and it continues to grow.”
Since its launch in 2022, the GEMS initiative has awarded more than $3 million in grants to 26 nonprofit programs across the region. GEMS and this work align with Fifty & Forward, a multi-year grantmaking and fundraising campaign that SDF publicly announced in 2024. The goal of the ambitious campaign is to partner with donors to grant $500 million to local nonprofits supporting education, children and families, and the environment, while fundraising $1 billion to help shape San Diego’s future. To date, $335 million has been granted to create a place we feel proud to call home.
About San Diego Foundation
San Diego Foundation believes in just, equitable and resilient communities where every San Diegan can prosper, thrive, and feel like they belong. We partner with donors, nonprofits and regional leaders to co-create solutions that respond to community needs and strengthen San Diego. Since our founding in 1975, our community foundation has granted $1.8 billion to nonprofits to improve quality of life in San Diego County and beyond. Join us in commemorating 50 years of impact – and looking toward the next 50 – by learning more at SDFoundation.org.
