Bridging gaps right from the start.

We’ve been connecting people who care with causes that matter for 50 years. And we’re just getting started.

1970s

1975 Philip Klauber
1975

Our founding.

The San Diego Community Foundation (later renamed San Diego Foundation) is founded and incorporated by a group of civically engaged San Diegans, including inaugural Board President Philip M. Klauber, to serve community needs and philanthropic causes in San Diego County.

1975 Gildred
1975

Gildred’s gift takes flight.

Through their foundation, the Gildred family – most known for their groundbreaking flights from San Diego to Ecuador and generations of philanthropy – pledges the first gift to The Foundation for $135,000.

1976

First grants.

The Foundation awards its first grant for the founding of what is now known as LEAD San Diego and to support the historical preservation of the La Jolla Woman’s Club.

1978

Building bridges.

The Foundation receives its first major gift from Mrs. Virginia Mackenzie Smith, whose family founded Western Metals Supply Co. The company’s historic brick building still stands in left field at Petco Park. With the grant, The Foundation acquires and preserves the Spruce Street Bridge and the land around it as open space forever.

1979

Supporting the most vulnerable.

The Foundation assists in the rebuilding of the YWCA, now one of the largest providers of gender-inclusive domestic violence housing and services in San Diego County and one of the only resources for male adult and teenage survivors.

1980s

1981 McKinnon
1981

Media philanthropist.

San Diego Congressman Clinton D. McKinnon – known throughout the county as a media philanthropist – and his wife, Lucille, establish The McKinnon Fund at The Foundation to benefit the region, youth programs and the importance of historic preservation.

1982 Frankwood
1982

War hero’s never-ending service.

Decorated cavalry officer and war hero who served active duty in the Army during the Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection and China Relief Expedition, Col. Frank C. Wood, specified that, after his death, nearly his entire estate be used for the exclusive benefit of San Diego charities.

Upon his passing, The Foundation establishes the Col Frank C. Wood Memorial Fund. The fund doubles The Foundation’s assets at the time and cements the Colonel’s legacy as one of never-ending service to community.

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1985

Fleet family’s generational giving.

Nearly 50 years after Major Reuben H. Fleet sparked an industrial boom in San Diego when he moved his company, Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, to the region, the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation gifts its first $8 million to The Foundation.

Today, three generations of Fleets engage in philanthropy with The Foundation. In total, the family that funded the Fleet Science Center at Balboa Park and so much more has granted more than $25 million to organizations that address current and future challenges in San Diego. Thanks to the family’s endowed legacy funds, that number will grow in perpetuity.

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1985

Trailblazers.

The Foundation establishes the Mission Trails Regional Park Endowment Fund. Originally used by the Kumeyaay, the centrally located park encompasses more than 8,000 acres (about half the area of Cleveland, Ohio) of both natural and developed recreational areas, and provides a quick, natural escape from the urban hustle and bustle to this day.

1988 Dell Hunter Flag Fund
1988

Raising flags.

The Foundation opens the Dell Hunter Memorial Flag Fund, an endowment made possible by a gift from Molly Hunter, to ensure fresh flags always fly over San Diego’s main city library.

1990s

1990 ICF
1990

Crossing borders.

Led by philanthropists Dallas Clark, Ron Hahn and Deborah Szekely, San Diego Foundation founds the International Community Foundation (ICF) to address the complexities of international philanthropy in the binational San Diego-Tijuana region.

San Diego Foundation continues its partnership with ICF today through the Binational Resilience Initiative (launched in 2022), which tackles our cross-border region’s climate vulnerabilities by empowering collaborations between civil organizations, scientists, community leaders and other stakeholders on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border to advance coastal resilience projects within the Cali-Baja region.

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1992 Blasker
1992

Stemming innovation.

Aeronautical engineer Samuel L. Blasker makes his first grants through San Diego Foundation to support innovative, local research by San Diego scientists.

In time, the Blasker-Rose-Miah legacy fund expands to grant over $10 million to support scientific innovation and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) opportunities for underrepresented young adults, as well as research that advances local solutions to climate change.

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1992 Price Philanthropies
1992

Priceless impact.

Founder of Price Club (now Costco), Sol Price and his wife Helen open their first of several funds at San Diego Foundation to support to local causes.

1993 Dr Seuss
1993

Green eggs and grants.

In memory of the world-famous children’s author, the Dr. Seuss Fund is established at San Diego Foundation. Through its partnership, San Diego Foundation owns a small percentage of Dr. Seuss book and non-book revenues, valued at more than $157 million.

Today, SDF partners with the Dr. Seuss Foundation to support early childhood education and care for San Diego families with young children ages 0–5. This collaboration supports school readiness and equitable access to opportunity that ensures a strong foundation for literacy in the earliest years.

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1994 Bob Kelly
1994

Bob Kelly becomes President & CEO of San Diego Foundation.

Bob Kelly begins his 20-year tenure as President & CEO of SDF.

1996 Creature of Habitat
1996

Creature of habit(at).

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife partner with SDF to establish The Foundation’s first mitigation fund. The San Diego River Endowment Fund protects the brown-headed cowbird and least Bell’s vireo bird from a nearby development.

Today, SDF manages more than 110 mitigation funds totaling over $57 million to offset adverse environmental impacts of development by funding permanent land and species conservation.

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1997

Making college dreams a reality.

San Diego Foundation launches its Community Scholarship Program to expand higher education access for local students with a focus on first-generation college students from low-middle-income families.

Now the largest non-university scholarship provider in the region, the program has awarded more than $53 million in scholarships – including a record $4.9 million in 2024 – to over 14,000 college students in San Diego.

In 2018, the program adds the Community Scholars Initiative to help San Diegans prepare for, pay for and persist through college by providing financial support and critical wraparound services through nonprofit partners that bolster academic achievement.

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2000s

2000 Womens Foundation
2000

Women in philanthropy.

A small group of San Diego volunteers recognize changing patterns in women’s giving and seek opportunities to learn about critical issues facing the region. They envision an organization to promote the leadership of women in philanthropy, resulting in the founding of the San Diego Women’s Foundation led by founding president Linda Katz.

A supporting organization of San Diego Foundation, SDWF has grown to an organization of more than 210 members, awarding a total of 128 grants totaling over $5.3 million to local nonprofits.

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2001

Support for when disaster strikes.

A supporting organization of The Foundation, the San Diego Regional Disaster Fund is founded as a resource for community members, nonprofit organizations, government entities and donors during and following local disasters.

The fund proves crucial in the years to follow, supporting nonprofits aiding in response, recovery and rebuilding efforts after two of the largest wildfires in San Diego’s history – the 2003 Cedar Fire, which burned over 270,000 acres (about half the area of Yosemite National Park) and destroyed more than 2,800 buildings, and the 2007 Witch Creek Fire, which burned nearly 200,000 acres, destroyed over 1,400 residences and triggered an evacuation of 500,000 people – the largest evacuation in the county’s history.

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2002 Jacobs Family
2002

Jacobs family composes a record.

Joan and Irwin Jacobs, founding CEO of Qualcomm, partner with San Diego Foundation and Jewish Community Foundation to pledge $120 million to support the long-term stability of the San Diego Symphony – the largest single gift ever to an American orchestra. Jacobs’ family funds continue to support the symphony to this day.

2005 Endow San Diego
2005

Endow San Diego.

In honor of its 30-year anniversary, San Diego Foundation launches a multi-year Endow San Diego campaign to grow and inspire San Diegans to support endowment funds.

The campaign includes a Nonprofit Partner Program to build enduring assets for local nonprofits, which results in more than 270 nonprofit endowment funds established at The Foundation totaling more than $121 million. These funds continue to support long-term sustainability and stability for forward-thinking organizations, including the Escondido Creek Conservancy, Nativity Prep Academy and San Diego Symphony.

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2006 Give Where You Live
2006

Give where you live.

Understanding San Diego’s diverse communities and the importance of local residents investing back into their own neighborhoods, San Diego Foundation launches a regional network of affiliate foundations, beginning with the Escondido Community Foundation, to build endowments and increase impactful, placed-based philanthropy across the county.

Under the leadership of SDF staff member Trudy Armstrong, the Regional Affiliate program expands to the communities of Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Escondido, Oceanside, Ramona and Rancho Bernardo.

Overall, the program exceeds 1,000 members, $5 million in endowments and $9 million in grants to nonprofits throughout the region.

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2006 Climate Initiative
2006

Creating healthy environments.

Following the 2003 Cedar Fire, the SDF Environment Working Group recognizes the need to study the link between extreme weather and climate change. With donor and community support, SDF’s Environment Program funds key studies like Focus 2050 and a regional greenhouse gas inventory, highlighting local climate impacts and strategies for action.

These efforts help secure a multi-million-dollar National Science Foundation grant, resulting in the San Diego, 2050 Is Calling report that uses a new model to educate leaders and the public on climate science.

SDF also funds capacity-building and technical assistance grants, contributing to regional Climate Action Plans, a Sea Level Rise Strategy for San Diego Bay, and the formation of the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative that unites donors, government and nonprofits for climate resilience.

To date, the Climate Initiative has invested nearly $14 million for local and bi-national resilience efforts such as climate literacy and education, land use, accessible transportation, green infrastructure and energy resilience to sustain San Diego’s economic growth and high quality of life.

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2010s

2010 Opening the Outdoors
2010

Opening the outdoors.

Commissioned by The Foundation, the Parks for Everyone report finds that the San Diego communities that historically suffer from the greatest inequities in usable green space are those with higher concentrations of lower income households and greater racial and ethnic diversity.

Recognizing that equitable access to parks and green space is more important than ever before to ensure every San Diegan has a strong quality of life, SDF launches the Opening the Outdoors program, partnering with nonprofits to connect, protect and increase equitable access to the outdoors across the county.

Through the years, OTO has granted to over 90 nonprofits, helped more than 75,000 youth and families access outdoor spaces and provided more than 2,100 gear items for partners.

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2012 Vision
2012

A vision for something greater.

San Diego Foundation publishes the findings of Our Greater San Diego Vision, an unprecedented study spanning three years to capture the community’s vision for the future of our region.

A massive effort that involved feedback from more than 30,000 San Diegans across the county points to four areas that residents deem critical for a bright future: jobs and wages, community and cultural amenities, housing/transportation and cost of living and life-long learning.

The four areas influence The Foundation’s programs and initiatives to this day.

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2014 Kathlyn Mead
2014

Kathlyn Mead becomes President & CEO of San Diego Foundation.

Kathlyn Mead begins her tenure as President & CEO of SDF.

2018 Guy Clum
2018

Guy C. Clum’s legacy for the future.

Before he passes away in 2018, serial entrepreneur Guy C. Clum comes to The Foundation with a gift and a vision. Recognizing thousands of young children in San Diego lack access to licensed care or a stay-at-home parent, he wants his $10 million legacy gift to go for the betterment of our youngest community members – those under 5 years of age – and their families.

This enables the launch of the SDF Early Childhood Initiative, which stewards Guy’s vision, ensuring long-term community impact in partnership with local nonprofits and childcare providers. To date, the initiative has supported over 14,000 parents, guardians and caregivers and benefitted more than 19,000 young children in our communities.

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2019

Mark A. Stuart becomes President & CEO of San Diego Foundation.

Following a national search that drew more than 1,000 candidates, the SDF Board of Governors selects local nonprofit fundraising and community building executive Mark A. Stuart as President and Chief Executive Officer of San Diego Foundation.

Bringing nearly 30 years of experience in all aspects of operations and leadership, including Chief Development & Membership Officer of San Diego Zoo Global, Stuart leads SDF to record-level grantmaking and new, innovative projects to address the greatest needs of San Diegans.

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2020s

2020 Supporting Those Most Affected by Covid
2020

Supporting those most affected by COVID-19.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, San Diego Foundation partners with local leaders to launch the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund on March 16, 2020.

The Foundation collaborates with philanthropy, government, business, nonprofits, schools and other sectors across San Diego County to raise and grant $67 million for over 200 nonprofit partners that provide 4.14 million critical services to San Diegans in need – low-income workers, families and vulnerable communities most affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Notable contributions include $1 million in seed funding from SDG&E, a $1.5 million matching gift from the Hervey Family, and an $8 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott – the single largest individual contribution. In total, the fund receives over 3,700 generous donations.

The response fund serves as a model for the 2024 San Diego Flood Response Fund, a philanthropic effort to raise and deploy funds to nonprofits serving southeastern San Diego communities that needed assistance after a “1,000-year storm” hit San Diego. The collective effort results in $1.4 million raised and granted 16,795 services provided to flood survivors.

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2020 Diverse Communities
2020

Investing in Black San Diegans.

COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd shine a light on systemic racism, especially as it impacts Black communities. In response, The Foundation and the Central Black San Diego Chamber of Commerce co-found the Black Community Investment Fund to increase racial equity and generational wealth for Black San Diegans.

The fund, led by a majority-Black advisory council of civic, nonprofit and government leaders, directs grantmaking into four key pillars to impact economic prosperity among Black San Diegans: Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Housing.

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2021 Level Up SD
2021

Leveling up.

To mitigate learning loss for young students during the pandemic, especially for those from low-income families and communities of color, SDF partners with San Diego Unified School District on a reimagined summer school experience for K-12 San Diego Unified students.

The Level Up SD program expands the availability of summer enrichment activities, at no cost, to low-income, underrepresented students in the district. Programs include zoo camp, STEAM- and arts-based experiences, museum programs, and sports programs – all offered by nonprofit partners.

Since its inception, Level Up SD has partnered with 130-plus local nonprofit organizations to serve 25,000 San Diego Unified students. The Foundation has also grown its expanded learning programming through the GEMS program to offer similar services to students county-wide.

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2021 SDF
2021

New look.
New focus.

The SDF Board of Governors engages more than 4,000 San Diego donors, nonprofits and community leaders for two years to inform a framework that reflects the aspirations of our community.

The result is a new strategic framework for San Diego Foundation distilled into a 5-year Strategic Plan and a vision for just, equitable and resilient communities. The four strategic priorities are: Advancing racial and social justice, fostering equity of opportunity, building resilient communities and delivering world-class philanthropy.

One year later, SDF reveals a new brand mark and website to reflect its new direction and mission and to better serve San Diego’s diverse nonprofits and donors.

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2021

Unlocking the region’s potential.

The San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center launches as a partnership between SDF, the County of San Diego and the world’s leading think tank – The Brookings Institution – to conduct research and policy analysis and help solve the region’s biggest problems.

PIC helps solve problems that extend beyond the reach of any single agency or department and develops a pipeline of projects and pilots that improve the lives of all San Diegans, focused on climate resiliency, affordable housing, community wealth and infrastructure.

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2023

Jay Kahn’s encore: Historic $111M for San Diego

San Diego Foundation receives a historic, transformative unrestricted $110 million cash gift from the estate of local entrepreneur Jay Kahn, the largest-ever gift of its kind to a San Diego nonprofit and the third-largest gift to a U.S. community foundation.

During his lifetime, Jay had many gifts. He was a self-taught pilot. A binational entrepreneur. An eclectic homeowner (in Ocean Beach, no less). A gourmet cook. A daring risk taker. And a savvy investor.

To those closest to him, however, he was best known for his love of classical music and virtuosity in playing the clarinet.

Perhaps, then, Jay’s last encore was his greatest gift of all.

The first grants from Kahn’s gift include $150,000 unrestricted grants to 10 San Diego-based music education nonprofits to advance their work with under-resourced children.

Aside from a portion of Kahn’s gift that supports housing and other SDF strategic plan initiatives, more than $86 million establishes the Jay Kahn Endowment Fund at San Diego Foundation so that Kahn’s legacy and impact continues to grow and transform San Diego County in perpetuity.

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2023 SDF Fundraising Conference
2023

Fundraisers, unite.

The inaugural, sold-out San Diego Fundraising Conference presented by San Diego Foundation brings together fundraising experts, thought leaders, nonprofit professionals and board members for a day of learning and camaraderie. Keynote speakers and national fundraising experts Harvey McKinnon and Gail Perry, MBA, CFRE highlight the event.

The first-of-its-kind conference provides essential tools and resources to help nearly 400 local fundraisers in attendance bring more philanthropic dollars to our region to improve the quality of life for San Diegans.

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2023 Economic Equity Report
2023

Truth about economic equity.

Contrary to its reputation of affluence and prosperity, San Diego County grapples with considerable economic hardship.

Commissioned by San Diego Foundation, the San Diego Economic Equity Report unveils harsh realities of inequities across the region, finding that 335,000 San Diegans, including 84,000 children, live below the federal poverty line. The research, conducted by the Policy & Innovation Center (PIC), highlights stark contrasts in health outcomes, especially across different racial groups.

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2023 SD Housing Fund
2023

Thinking differently about housing.

SDF launches a new, unique approach to provide faster, more efficient housing production across the spectrum of affordability for all San Diegans. The San Diego Housing Fund partners with investors, developers and property owners to create 1,000 units of new housing in each of the next 10 years.

2024 Transforming Barrios
2024

Transforming the central historic barrios.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selects SDF to receive $20 million for its joint initiative with the Environmental Health Coalition to help fund climate-resilient projects that will preserve, protect and strengthen San Diego’s central historic barrios.

Combined with a $22 million grant received from the California Strategic Growth Council, an unprecedented $42 million will be invested to improve the neighborhoods encompassing San Diego’s central historic barrios (the neighborhoods of Logan, Stockton, Grant Hill, Mt. Hope, Sherman, Southcrest and Shelltown).

Investments will fund climate-resilient and community benefit projects, including green spaces, housing and transportation, community-led food production and distribution and community centers.

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2024 Diverse Communities
2024

Diverse communities. Targeted impact.

To continue San Diego’s diverse communities, SDF expands its Affinity Fund program with two new funds: El Camino Fund to support San Diego Latino/as and The AANHPI Fund to support the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

Affinity Funds support specific communities and their unique needs and opportunities. Each of these funds is led by members of the communities they serve, uniting groups of donors with shared identities and connecting them to targeted impact.

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2024 2 Billion
2024

$2 billion for nonprofits near and far.

While it took San Diego Foundation 41 years to reach $1 billion in grantmaking, SDF reaches its $2 billion grantmaking milestone just eight years later.

The giving milestone is achieved thanks to thousands of local philanthropists who commit to placed-based philanthropy, national and regional partners who support SDF programs and the prudent stewardship of The Foundation’s assets.

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Amplify your impact.

No matter how you give, our programs can magnify your generosity.