As the only regional community foundation in San Diego, we are committed to just, equitable, and resilient communities throughout our county.

Since 1975, we have partnered with our donors to grant more than $1.8 billion to the communities of San Diego and beyond. We manage over 2,300 charitable funds and strive to provide world-class philanthropic services and benefits to all our donors and partners.

Joining our network of donors offers you unique opportunities to strengthen your own community, network with like-minded philanthropists, and maximize the impact of your charitable donations in ways that other institutions cannot support. Our team also provides all the administrative support for your charitable fund and community expertise to help guide your grantmaking.

Our team has deep connections in the San Diego region and provides community expertise to help guide your grantmaking decisions, if needed. We can even connect you with local nonprofit organizations that are making an impact. We also bring together like-minded donors to meet and discuss areas of impact that interest them. We do this through webinars, events with subject matter experts, nonprofit site tours, and more.

The organizations you support must be certified 501(c)(3) charities. Our staff conducts due diligence to ensure that all nonprofit recipients are actively certified and up-to-date with their 501(c)(3) obligations.

We also use an “anti-hate” filter to identify nonprofit organizations and officials of nonprofit organizations who have been found guilty of discriminating against any protected class. We will not grant any discretionary funds to these organizations nor advise our charitable fund holders to do so.

Can I recommend a grant to an organization outside of San Diego? Yes. The organizations you support must be certified 501(c)(3) charities. Our staff conducts due diligence to ensure that all nonprofit recipients are up-to-date and actively certified as 501(c)(3).

How can I support the Foundation’s programs and strategic initiatives?

You can support our strategic initiatives by donating online via credit card or by connecting with our Donor Services team at (619) 814-1332 or donorservices@sdfoundations.org to make a donation using a different payment method or asset.

The Foundation offers many different types of funds to achieve philanthropic goals, including donor-advised funds for individuals, families, and corporations, scholarship funds, nonprofit funds, legacy funds, mitigation funds, designated funds, and discretionary funds.

Almost any type of asset can be used to start your fund, including cash, securities (stocks), life insurance, real estate, private foundation assets, and other complex assets.

The minimum initial fund balance is $25,000 for individuals and $50,000 for nonprofit agency funds. Additionally, the Foundation has many other programs with a variety of donation ranges to provide options for giving back to your community.

All donations to the Foundation receive maximum tax advantages. Our charitable giving experts will work with you and/or your professional advisor to identify the optimal financial benefits based on your charitable giving profile.

The Foundation maintains the highest level of confidentiality regarding fund information. We do not disclose personal or financial information of any individual or organization without the donor’s consent.

With our commitment to providing world-class philanthropy, we offer a variety of support services for donors.

Firstly, we handle all administrative support for your funds. You will have access to MyTSDF, our online donor portal, where our team will update your fund with information on contributions, grants, investment earnings, and more. Additionally, our team conducts due diligence to ensure that any nonprofit organization you wish to support is a reputable IRS-certified 501(c)(3) organization. Our donor services team is available during office hours to address your questions and needs.

Our team is available to research nonprofit organizations working in areas of your interest. We can provide you with a list of organizations and even facilitate connections to help build that important relationship. Helping our donors become informed about nonprofit organizations working in areas of their interest is one of our most valuable added services and a key reason why donors choose community foundations like the San Diego Foundation over commercial banks and private foundations.