SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — In all of the San Diego Foundation’s 50-year history, 2025 was going to be tough with federal cutbacks threatening vital services. Yet the foundation was able to grant money to more nonprofits than ever before.
As the Trump administration announced plans to pull back funding for healthcare, food assistance, and biomedical research, San Diego stepped in to support local nonprofits.
The San Diego Foundation had a record-breaking year, collecting more than $100 million from donors to give around 9,000 grants to communities most in need.
“I think when there are crises and challenging times, people dig deeper than ever before,” said President and CEO Mark Stuart when asked if he expected this level of community giving.
“We know those dollars are going to be used well by our nonprofits who really need as much investment as they can to help meet moments like today,” Stuart said.
Most of the funding went to sectors facing federal cutbacks, including college scholarships, environmental preservation, and mental health services.
“There will be no federal cavalry coming to our rescue because this is being done to us by the federal government. This is really a time when San Diegans need to say – we have to take care of each other,” Stuart said.
The foundation recently launched the San Diego Unity Fund to provide support directly to low-income families affected by federal funding cuts.
“I know we can do even more to create a place where everyone can thrive, prosper, and feel like they belong, and charity is really important to be able to do that,” Stuart said.
The first round of Unity Fund donations went to free healthcare services and vision screenings for children, providing critical help to San Diego’s most vulnerable populations.
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