How Granting Works
The San Diego Foundation enhances our community by working with individuals, businesses and organizations to establish charitable funds. Grants from these funds support charitable groups and programs working to improve the quality of life in San Diego County and beyond.
With hundreds of philanthropic partners, The San Diego Foundation supports nonprofit organizations and public institutions in fields such as the environment, science and technology, the arts, civic engagement, education, health and human services and other areas of need as diverse as the region itself.
Donors establish funds at The Foundation to utilize our charitable giving expertise and community knowledge, and subsequently make meaningful grants to valuable nonprofit organizations. This is accomplished through the grant recommendation process.
- The required minimum for grant awards is $250. Recommendations less than this amount are subject to a $25 fee.
- Donors can recommend grants on My Fund, The Foundation’s online tool, or by completing and mailing a Grant Recommendation Form.
- Final approval of the grant award resides with The Foundation’s Board of Governors. The Executive Committee is solicited each Friday through an approval poll so that they may review all recommendations. Grant recommendations must be submitted by Thursday at 2:00 p.m. for inclusion in the current week’s approval poll. Recommendations received after this cutoff will be submitted on the following Friday’s poll.
- Grant award checks are mailed directly to recipient organizations. An award letter accompanies the check, which is mailed out within five working days of approval.
- Grant awards cannot provide a personal benefit to any donor, fund advisor, staff member or volunteer at The Foundation, and cannot represent the payment of a personal pledge or financial obligation.
- If there is any grant making activity from the fund, a grant statement is mailed to the donor in the month following the activity.