San Diego Foundation (SDF) announced today that it awarded $627,500 in grants to bolster entrepreneurship and improve economic mobility for those furthest from opportunity in San Diego County. This includes, but is not limited to, San Diego’s Latino community.
“San Diego’s entrepreneurial community is as diverse as it is dynamic,” Miguel Lopez, SDF Senior Manager of Development said. “Our charitable investments and partnerships with donors provide vital funding for the ideas and talents that build businesses and uplift entire neighborhoods and our region.”
Grants will deepen, sustain and/or expand existing entrepreneurship projects and programs that scale existing businesses and/or formalize microenterprises; strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems and/or expand activations events; and leverage executive coaching to support smart growth.
2025 grantees include:
MiraCosta College Foundation — $100,000 to support the Entrepreneur Advancement and Contracting Initiative.
Southwestern College Foundation — $100,000 to support the STEPS and Mindset programs.
Civic Community Partners — $100,000 to support the San Ysidro Building Business Success program.
City Heights Community Development Corporation – $100,000 to support business empowerment and retention.
Logan Heights Community Development Corporation – $82,500 to support strengthening and scaling small businesses.
Accessity — $75,000 to support Mujeres Emprendiendo Juntas Community.
Sherman Heights Community Center – $50,000 to support the Sherman Cocina program.
Chicano Federation of San Diego County – $20,000 to support programs such as Comienza tu Guardería, Latinx in Business, Digital Skills for Life and Steps to Family Childcare Success.
According to the State of San Diego Latinos Report commissioned by San Diego Foundation in 2024, Latinos make up about 35 percent of San Diego county’s population, with more than 1.14 million residents, and most have individual incomes of $50,000 or less. Latinos face barriers in accessing resources and services, often due to language, cultural factors and unfamiliarity with systems and programs.
Due to the sheer population size and growth of Latinos and their children, their economic mobility is vital to the health of our region as they continue to shape the economic landscape of San Diego County for decades to come.
This grant funding is made available through El Camino Fund at San Diego Foundation, supporting initiatives that strengthen economic mobility for those furthest from opportunity. The fund was designed in partnership with community leaders, supports and celebrates giving from the community, and targets critical needs in the community. El Camino Fund was created with a $2.5 million endowment from SDF.
El Camino Fund and this work aligns with Fifty & Forward, a multi-year grantmaking and fundraising campaign that SDF originally launched in 2021 and publicly announced in 2024.
The goal of the ambitious campaign is to partner with donors to grant $500 million to local nonprofits supporting education, children and families, and the environment, while fundraising $1 billion to help shape San Diego’s future. To date, $335 million has been granted to create a place we feel proud to call home.
To learn more about how San Diegans can amplify their impact together, visit SDFoundation.org/50.
