Today, the role of philanthropy is expanding and so are its responsibilities. Philanthropy Link is published by San Diego Grantmakers to help you meet the challenge. Our mission is to connect, inform, develop, and inspire a diverse group of foundations and corporations to stimulate effective philanthropy in the San Diego region. For more information, visit www.SDGrantmakers.org.

Top Investments in San Diego County

San Diego Grantmakers has compiled a list of the top thirty foundation investments in our community, based on 2003 IRS data. Unfortunately, the list does not include operating foundation investments, i.e. Price Charities and Jacobs Family Foundation.

1 The San Diego Foundation $32,321,377
2 San Diego Jewish Community Foundation $32,192,144
3 The California Endowment $13,799,300
4 The Sidney Kimmel Foundation $8,000,000
5 The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation $7,015,000
6 Carnegie Corporation of NY $6,220,475
7 Walton Family Foundation, Inc. $5,816,354
8 The Kohlberg Foundation, Inc. $3,610,300
9 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation $2,519,000
10 The James Irvine Foundation $2,375,000
11 The California Wellness Foundation $2,305,000
12 Alliance Healthcare Foundation $2,019,110
13 The Charles Lee Powell Foundation $1,883,750
14 Waitt Family Foundation $1,865,899
15 Legler Benbough Foundation $1,814,833
16 Girard Foundation $1,781,298
17 Garb Foundation $1,731,298
18 G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation $1,636,621
19 The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation $1,606,615
20 Wayne & Gladys Valley Foundation $1,590,000
21 Arnold and Mebel Beckman Foundation $1,500,000
22 The William J. Von Liebig Foundation, Inc. $1,500,000
23 Copley Foundation $1,492,550
24 Hamilton-White Foundation $1,422,580
25 Parker Foundation $1,251,182
26 The Larry L. Hillblom Foundation, Inc. $1,225,705
27 The Eli Broad Foundation $1,060,641
28 The Annie E. Casey Foundation $1,035,000
29 Donald Dickinson Foundation $1,021,420
30 Wells Fargo Foundation $994,000

TOTAL: $144,606,452

Questions about the list? Contact Julie Holdaway, 619.744.2180 or click here.

The Lloyd H. Wells Family, through the Toby Wells Foundation, has donated $4 million for the construction of the new Toby Wells YMCA. It is the largest gift in the history of the YMCA of San Diego County.

The Mission Valley YMCA is in the process of building its new facility called the Toby Wells YMCA, located on the former General Dynamics Missile Park site at 5105 Overland Avenue in Kearny Mesa. Scheduled to open in August 2005, this 45,000-square-foot facility on a 6-acre park setting will be a satellite branch of the Mission Valley YMCA serving the communities of Kearny Mesa and Serra Mesa. Membership to the Toby Wells Family YMCA will include access to the Mission Valley YMCA, the YMCA at Hazard Center and the Downtown YMCA facilities.

With federal legislation affecting nonprofits and foundations expected later this summer, a timely study of the expense and compensation patterns of the nation's 10,000 largest grantmaking foundations will inform the policy debate. It finds that 28 percent of these grantmakers report no administrative expenses related to their charitable activities and 66 percent do not pay any compensation for these tasks. Yet among those that report expenses or pay staff or trustees, expense patterns vary widely.

"Foundation Expenses and Compensation: Interim Report 2005," issued by the Urban Institute, the Foundation Center, and GuideStar, documents the dimensions of foundation expenses and reveals that major differences in foundations' operating styles have a great impact on their expense levels. Employment of paid staff, for instance, has the most significant effect on operating costs; international giving proves more expensive than local or national giving; and direct charitable activities, such as operating a facility for nonprofit programs, costs more than grantmaking alone. The findings suggest that, along with type and size, a foundation's mission and program goals are important factors to consider when analyzing its charitable expenditures.

The study looks at the 10,000 largest independent, corporate, and community foundations by giving in 2001. These foundations represent just 16 percent of U.S. foundations but account for 78 percent of all foundation giving, or $24 billion in 2001. The initial findings focus on charitable expenses as a percentage of qualifying distributions (those that count toward federally stipulated payout levels) for the 8,876 independent foundations in the sample and on compensation levels for all foundation types.

A final report, to be released later this year, will analyze additional operating characteristics, such as staff size and the number and size of grants. It will also examine factors that influence expense levels at corporate and community foundations. The report is available by clicking on the web sites of the Urban Institute, the Foundation Center, and GuideStar.

Valerie Attisha, Director of Scholarships at The San Diego Foundation, developed this list of national trends in scholarships and financial aid for higher education.

I. Tuition increases have made higher education less affordable for most American families

• Over the past twenty years, the costs of attending a two-year college or four-year university have grown more rapidly than inflation and family income.
• Only the wealthiest families have seen their incomes keep pace with tuition.
• For low-income families in 1990, the cost of a child to attend college represented 6% (two-year college) and 13% (four-year university) of overall income; in 2000, these figures increased to 12% (two-year college) and 25% (four-year university).
• Americans continue to enroll in higher education in record numbers.
• From 1992 to 2001, tuition at four-year public universities rose faster than income in 41 states; tuition at two-year colleges increased faster than income in 34 states.

II. Federal/state financial aid to students has not kept pace with tuition increases

• From 1986 to 1999, the purchasing power of the Pell Grant, the nation's largest need-based financial aid program for low-income students, dramatically decreased; it now covers a smaller portion of tuition at colleges and universities than it did in 1986.
• Funds provided by colleges and universities to their students account for $13 billion annually, with 61% of these dollars coming from private four-year universities. This figure represents need and non-need based support and has been used to recruit students who are "demographically and academically attractive."
• Programs for students without demonstrated financial need have substantially increased; in 1999, only 78% of state financial aid programs took need into account compared to 91% in 1981.
  

III. More students and families are borrowing to pay for higher education

• Associated trends: students work more hours; reduce their course loads; take longer to graduate; attend less expensive colleges and universities; and borrow more money than ever before.
• Since 1980, the financial aid landscape has changed - from one dominated by grants to one dominated by loans. In 1981, grants accounted for 52% and loans 45%; in 2000, grants accounted for 41% and loans for 58%.
• Borrowing is a legitimate way to pay for school, but it raises several policy questions: Low income students, many of who are the first in their families to attend college, may be inhibited from enrolling by fear of high debt; Families of the lowest income students cannot help re-pay loans; Borrowing inhibits students from buying a home or saving for retirement; Students' professional and career choices may be skewed by heavy debt and the responsibilities of re-payment (e.g., studies show that students are less likely to enter a field like social work due to substantial debt burdens).

IV. The steepest increases in public school tuition have been imposed during times of greatest economic hardship

• Recessions have been compounded for working families over the last twenty years.
• During economic downturns, higher education disproportionately absorbs larger cuts than other state-funded services.
• The result is that colleges and universities raise tuition to cover costs and loss.
  

V. State financial support of public higher education has increased but tuition has increased more

• From 1980 to 1998, state appropriations to public colleges and universities increased by 13%; at the same time, institutional revenues rose by 41%. What accounts for the increase? From 1980 to 1998, tuition revenues at public schools rose by 107%, or $3,512 per student.
• As state appropriations for higher education increased per student, as enrollment grew, the proportion of state budgets devoted to higher education declined nationally. This decreasing share of state budgets devoted to higher education is cited as decreasing state support of public colleges and a justification to increase tuition. Yet appropriations to higher education have increased while higher education's overall share of state budgets has decreased.
  

VI. California Trends, 1990-2000

• Tuition & Fees:
  · Tuition at public two-year schools increased 24% (from $265 to $330).
  · Tuition at public four-year schools increased 2% (from $1,858 to $1,897).
  · Tuition at private four-year schools increased 18% (from $15,301 to $18,091).
• Income: Median family income increased 7% (from $60,650 to $65,005).
• Appropriations: Appropriations per student increased 38% (from $5,916 to $8,516).
• Student Financial Aid:
  · State grant aid per student increased 56% (from $190 to $295).
  · State spending on aid to low-income students equals 41% of federal Pell Grant aid distributed into the state.
  

VII. Other trends:

• Sharp decline in the percentage of men enrolling at higher education institutions.
• Sharp increase in the number of adults over the age of 40 who attend.
• Two-year colleges (community colleges) are feeder schools: Trends show that many students who are able to enroll in a four-year university immediately upon graduating from high school are opting to attend two-year colleges instead.
• Changing landscape of higher education: more demographic and academic diversity.
  

GRANTMAKING 101
Grantmaking 101 is for the passionate, perplexed, and recently arrived grantmaker. The series of workshops offers a comprehensive review of the art and science of grantmaking, and includes presentations by experienced grantmakers, experts, and peer-to-peer discussions.

Light refreshments will be served at all sessions. Each event is free for SDG members and $45 for nonmembers. Nonmembers may also register for the full series at a discounted rate of $110. RSVP to programs@SDGrantmakers.org.

Reviewing Grant Proposals, Conducting Site Visits
and How to Say "No"
August 11, 2005
9:00am-12:00pm
4305 University Avenue, 6th Floor Conference Room

In developing guidelines, your foundation must be clear about its funding goals--how does a foundation incorporate different directors' and staff ideas and remain focused investors? Guidelines must also make sense to potential nonprofit partners. We will walk through exercises designed to align your passions with your foundation and to put them on paper so they make sense.
The session will explore how to review grants effectively, manage the barrage of requests, and learn from grantmaking peers.

Between You and Your Board:
Decisions, Recommendations, and Inventive Funding
September 1, 2005
9:00am-12:00pm
4305 University Avenue, 6th Floor Conference Room

The second workshop examines the decision-making process from multiple perspectives, whether you sit on the board or report to the board. We present different examples and models and discuss the strategic interaction required for organizational success. In addition, we hear from foundation representatives who are using assets creatively. We’ll discuss PRIs (program related investments), gifts to individuals, loans to nonprofits, and other creative means to invest in nonprofit partners. Hear from foundation trustees and staff on how to make sense of it all.

Panelists include Ann Bossler, Price Charities, Ann Davies, Parker Foundation, and Christina Wilson, Rancho Santa Fe Foundation.

Evaluations: Methods and Models of Measuring and Monitoring Grants
October 6, 2005
9:00am-12:00pm
4305 University Avenue, 6th Floor Conference Room

The third session in the series brings us Paul Harder and Sonia Taddy, Harder & Co. Community Research, who work locally and nationally with many foundations to measure the impact of their work and to determine the social impact of grants. They join us to discuss evaluating grant programs, how your dollars make an impact.

• What is evaluation and when is it appropriate?
• Three models for measuring grants: a) outcomes: promises and pitfalls, b) organizational development measurement, and c) emerging models to assess impact.
• How do you use the information from evaluation efforts to improve decisions?
• What is the cost of measuring and monitoring grants?

Numbers and Sense: Understanding the Danger Signs and Success Stories Nonprofits' Financial Statements Hold
November 9, 2005
9:00am-12:00pm

Our featured speaker will be Jeff Goepfert, CPA. This popular session will help answer these questions and more:

• What are some important tips in reading financial statements?
• How should grantmakers use financial statements to evaluate grant applicants and determine fiscal accountability?
• What are common problems and common solutions?

The River Runs Through It: Parks, Wetlands, Kids and Philanthropy
September 10, 2005
9:00am-12:00pm
San Diego River Mouth/Mission Hills Regional Park

We invite you, your families, children and grandchildren to join San Diego Grantmakers in touring the San Diego River. This is a special opportunity to share your work and lessons about our community with your families, involving youth in philanthropy. Learn why our parks, rivers, and wetlands are so critical to our community’s well-being and how a countywide collaboration is leading the nation in creating a regionally connected system of open space preserves. Starting and finishing at the San Diego River Mouth, the morning's agenda includes:

• Hiking at Mission Trails Regional Park: Rob Hutsel, San Diego River Park Foundation hikes us through the San Diego River, sharing its history, and community involvement.
• Animals, animals, animals: We will meet a few new creature friends and get an introduction to local wild animals that inhabit the area.
• Travelling to where the River meets the Sea, our kids will become marine scientists. Hands-on exercises for kids, fun science activities, animal interaction and marine mayhem! Our future generations will experience the wild and marine life behind the funding.
• As the kids enjoy marine adventures, an adult panel discusses Generation to generation: how we share lessons of philanthropy.

This tour involves walking. Please wear comfortable walking shoes.
RSVP to programs@SDGrantmakers.org.

Framing Corporate Philanthropy: Making the Case to Stakeholders
September 29, 2005
11:30am-1:30pm

Understand how to frame your communications to create the image and support you need for successful corporate philanthropic support for your company. Why do strategic communications matter to corporate philanthropy? How can you move public will in a direction to better leverage corporate community investments? Join us for an insightful and provocative discussion on why and what you communicate to the public and in the boardroom.

Dr. Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. will provide the emerging strategies for you to improve your communications for effective internal and external communications to meet your community benefit goals. Dr. Gilliam is the Director of the Center for Communication and Community at UCLA.

A Funder's Guide to Supporting Advocacy:
The Rules for Private and Public Foundations
October 25, 2005
9:00am-12:00pm (optional technical assistance 12:00-1:00pm)

San Diego Grantmakers presents Alliance for Justice, the premier source for information and training on the federal rules for foundation support of advocacy, in conducting this special program for foundation managers and staff in the greater San Diego area. Experienced attorneys will cover the rules for private and public foundation grantmaking involving public policy work. This lively interactive session, with ample time for questions and answers, will cover topics such as:

• Can I make a grant to a nonprofit that wants to lobby?
• What kinds of advocacy activities are permitted under the IRS rules?
• How can I evaluate a grantee that works on legislative or election-year activities?
• How might our foundation help build our grantees' advocacy capacity?
• What are other foundations doing to support nonprofit advocacy?
  
  Registration fee of $60 includes all workshop materials and meals. RSVP to programs@SDGrantmakers.org.
  

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES 2005:
Diana Aviv, President & CEO, Independent Sector
November 14, 2005
12:00pm-1:30pm

Diana Aviv is the president and CEO of INDEPENDENT SECTOR, the national leadership forum for America's nonprofit organizations, foundations, and corporations. Collectively representing tens of thousands of charitable groups in every state across the country, INDEPENDENT SECTOR's mission is to advance the common good by leading, strengthening, and mobilizing the independent sector.

INDEPENDENT SECTOR leads the nonprofit community by promoting effective public policies to help not-for-profit initiatives thrive, identifying emerging trends facing the nonprofit sector, strengthening nonprofit accountability, and providing the "meeting ground" for leaders in philanthropy to address challenges facing the sector.

Free for SDG Members, $40 for SDG invited guests. RSVP to programs@SDGrantmakers.org.

Educating a New America: Changing Populations, Changing Demands, Changing World
Grantmakers for Education Annual Conference
October 10-12, 2005
New York, NY

Join colleagues to learn how grantmakers can help schools prepare all children, including new immigrants and those who have never been well-served by our education system, to thrive in the 21st century. Program highlights include presentations from education leaders such as Michele Cahill, senior education policy counselor at the NYC Department of Education; Wendy Kopp, president and founder of Teach for America; and Pedro Noguera, New York University professor of education. For additional information or to register, click here.

Aging with Attitude: Transforming Our Communities and Our Nation
Grantmakers in Aging Annual Conference
October 26-28, 2005
Baltimore, MD

This conference promises to be of interest to any grantmakers who fund projects relating to aging. Conference highlights include tracks such as "Controlling Lifespan Transitions" and "Elders Giving Back," as well as skill-building sessions, program models, and a welcoming reception at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. For additional information or to register, click here for the GIA website or call (937) 435-3156.

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