San Diego Neighborhood Funders
Background
SDNF Members
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Background
In 2001, several members of San Diego Grantmakers interested in pursuing place-based funding formed the San Diego Neighborhood Funders (SDNF) collaboration. They decided to focus their work in the Diamond community, an area comprised of 10 neighborhoods in southeast San Diego that has among the lowest average household income and for decades lacked sustainable private sector investment.
The group agreed that their work should be driven by the Diamond residents in order to resolve underlying community problems. They remained committed to putting residents at the forefront of everything they did – a task that was greatly helped by the relocation of SDNF member the Jacobs Family Foundation’s (JFF) headquarters to the Diamond.
Today, residents regularly attend SDNF meetings and form “Learning Agendas” around issues. Grantees are chosen based on residents’ recommendations, and a resident group even has an ownership stake in the Diamond redevelopment project Market Creek Plaza.
SDNF has leveraged more than $100 million of investment into the Diamond, including more than $250,000 in small grants and nearly $1 million in Earned Income Tax Credits returned to residents. It has attracted approximately 700 new jobs, and generated numerous projects benefitting the community that address issues such as prisoner re-entry, gang diversion, safe passage to school, and improving educational outcomes.
To become a member of SDNF, funders must contribute an amount within the range of $500 to $7,500 per year (based on their total annual grantmaking activities). For more information, call Kristine Breese at (619) 527-6161 x167, or visit the SDNF website.
SDNF Members
SDG Member Login
SDG members may
log in to the San Diego Neighborhood Funders page within our Member Resources area for further information about this funding collaborative.