The San Diego Foundation
87% goes to programs $4 to raise $100 Strong reserves
The San Diego Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in San Diego, California, registered in 1975, with $218,410,559 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 87% of spending to programs.
2508 Historic Decatur, San Diego, CA, 92106 EIN 95-2942582 Since 1975
Revenue (FY2023)
$218.4M
▼ 18.7% vs prior year
Philanthropy median: $168K
Expenses (FY2023)
$151.5M
Net assets
$1.4B
Employees
114
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating87% to programs · $4 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For The San Diego Foundation: 87% to programs · $4 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating110 mo reserves · +31% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For The San Diego Foundation: 110 mo reserves · +31% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For The San Diego Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For The San Diego Foundation: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The san diego foundation improves the quality of life within all of our communities.
Contact & location
- Address
- 2508 Historic Decatur, San Diego, CA, 92106
- City
- San Diego
- State
- California
- Subcategory
- Public Foundations
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $85.6M (FY2014) to $218.4M (FY2023) across 9 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $158.9MNet assets $1.4B
Operating margin
30.7%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$1.5B
Total liabilities
$158.9M
Net assets
$1.4B
Salaries & benefits
$14.5M
10% of expenses
Board members
17
17 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $218,410,559▼18.7% | $151,459,377▼5.2% | $1,389,097,872▲7.3% | $1,547,963,068▲6.8% | 990 |
| 2022 | $268,696,192▼5.2% | $159,687,256▼11.2% | $1,294,328,898▲12.7% | $1,449,190,327▲11.6% | 990 |
| 2021 | $283,565,373▲43.9% | $179,913,602▲44.7% | $1,148,867,569▲0.1% | $1,298,825,008▼0.3% | 990 |
| 2020 | $197,035,758▲33.7% | $124,312,177▲30.7% | $1,147,813,990▲23.9% | $1,302,414,916▲22.3% | 990 |
| 2019 | $147,340,158▲68.1% | $95,120,818▲43.1% | $926,527,740▲20.8% | $1,065,212,876▲20.0% | 990 |
| 2018 | $87,666,191▼43.7% | $66,450,177▼20.5% | $766,876,682▲3.6% | $887,403,657▲6.9% | 990 |
| 2017 | $155,789,645▲80.9% | $83,562,644▲33.2% | $740,069,162▲16.4% | $829,981,734▲14.1% | 990 |
| 2016 | $86,114,725▲0.6% | $62,750,165▲2.9% | $635,949,625▲7.1% | $727,224,377▲6.6% | 990 |
| 2014 | $85,597,383 | $61,008,177▲3.5% | $593,562,433▲12.2% | $682,411,787▲12.1% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $58,940,829▲10.7% | $529,087,038▲10.5% | $608,596,252▲9.0% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $53,256,359 | $479,021,198 | $558,131,802 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Susan Guinn — $672,993 (0.44% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Guinn | Chief Innovation Officer | 40 | $672,993 |
| Mark Stuart | President & Ceo | 40 | $597,886 |
| James Howell | Vp, Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $415,597 |
| Matt Fettig | Vp, Chief Investment Officer | 40 | $381,202 |
| Brian Zumbano | Vp, Development & Stewards | 40 | $347,810 |
| Pamela G Payton Vp Chief | Impact & Partnerships Officer | 40 | $253,855 |
| Theresa Nakata | Vp, Chief Communications Officer | 40 | $248,767 |
| Kelly Feuillet | Avp of Finance, Controller | 40 | $222,298 |
| Alessandra Lezama | Governor | 1.3 | — |
| Amanda Montgomery | Governor | 1.3 | — |
| Cindy Bertrand | Governor | 1.3 | — |
| Clifford Schireson | Governor | 1.3 | — |
| Dr Becky Petitt | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Dr Pradeep Gidwani | Governor | 1.3 | — |
| Elvin Lai | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Gisele Bonitz | Governor | 1.3 | — |
| Gloria Corral | Governor | 1.3 | — |
| Ken Derrett | Governor | 1.3 | — |
| Kevin Hamilton | Governor | 1.3 | — |
| Leena Gupta | Governor | 1.3 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Latham & Watkins LLP | Legal | $1,749,255 |
| Kpmg | Business Consultant | $918,093 |
| Policy & Innovation Center | Research | $440,000 |
| Verus | Investment Consultant | $377,578 |
| Unamesa Association | Information Technology | $346,000 |
Grants received · $58.6M total
99 grants to The San Diego Foundation totaling $58.6M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Community & human services | 2024 | $39,165 |
| Denver Foundation | Community foundations | 2024 | $15,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $14,578 |
| Communities Foundation of Texas | This grant is designated for general support. | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | General nonprofit support | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Greater Kansas City Community Foundation | Public, societal benefit | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Foundation For the Carolinas | Charitable gift | 2024 | $7,500 |
| Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego | General | 2023 | $9,992,721 |
| Dechomai Foundation Inc | Unrestricted | 2023 | $4,955,985 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $309,649 |
| Dechomai Foundation Inc | Unrestricted | 2023 | $200,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $127,500 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $90,236 |
| Vanderbilt University | Research | 2023 | $60,116 |
| Resources Legacy Fund | Land or marine conservation, climate change, and/or environ. equity and justice. | 2023 | $30,000 |
Grants made · $102.3M in FY2023
1,040 grants totaling $102.3M in FY2023 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by The San Diego Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Regents of the University of California At San Diego | Student financial aid at uc san diego and scripps institution of oceanography | $19,714,711 |
| U C San Diego Foundation | Birch aquarium at scripps and general support | $4,078,311 |
| Campanile Foundation | For general support | $1,607,726 |
| YMCA of San Diego County | Youth and summerbridge programs, "community connection" events, and annual gala | $1,439,346 |
| United Womens East African Support Team | For general support | $1,365,083 |
| San Diego Humane Society and S P C A | For general support | $1,162,788 |
| Catalina Island Medical Center Foundation Inc | Construction of a new medical center | $1,000,000 |
| San Diego Habitat Conservancy | Volunteer and outreach program support | $960,374 |
| Lazarian World Homes | To build iglesia bautista christa | $938,232 |
| Vapa Foundation | For general support | $927,456 |
| University of San Diego | For general support | $878,612 |
| Policy & Innovation Center | For support of the policy and innovation center per agreement | $850,000 |
| San Diego State University | Matthew h dietschman and marion c dietschman education fund | $849,348 |
| San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance | For general support | $748,072 |
| Reuben H Fleet Science Center | Annual gala | $653,582 |
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Compare The San Diego Foundation
Frequently asked questions
- Is The San Diego Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. The San Diego Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 95-2942582, based in San Diego, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is The San Diego Foundation's EIN?
- The San Diego Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 95-2942582.
- How much revenue does The San Diego Foundation report?
- The San Diego Foundation reported $218,410,559 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of The San Diego Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- The San Diego Foundation spends about 87% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does The San Diego Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades The San Diego Foundation A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does The San Diego Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on The San Diego Foundation's latest Form 990 is $672,993, paid to Susan Guinn (Chief Innovation Officer).
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Data for The San Diego Foundation (EIN 95-2942582) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.