Escondido Community Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The Escondido Community Foundation names a new grantmaking focus each year. Past grants have supported education, work and opportunity, housing, mental health, environmental concerns and more.

IP TAKE: Members of the Escondido Community Foundation choose a new theme for its grantmaking each year, so you will have to keep up with this foundation’s news to know if your organization is a match for its current interests. Otherwise, this is an accessible funder for nonprofits working in the area. Small organizations are well represented here, as long as they make a strong, positive contribution to the well-being of the Escondido community. Sign up for the foundation’s newsletter at the bottom of its webpage for updates.

PROFILE: Established in 2006, the Escondido Community Foundation (ECF) is a community foundation based in Escondido, California and a regional affiliate of the San Diego Foundation. Community leaders came together to form this foundation to provide for the future of the city of Escondido. Its mission involves building and endowment, making grants for community nonprofits and giving “ Escondido community members a vehicle for legacy planning and gifts that will benefit Escondido now and forever.” This membership organization adjusts its grantmaking theme each year in response to community needs and member interest. Recent grantmaking has addressed community art projects, workforce development and the improvement of community spaces. Over the past several years, grantmaking has also supported local efforts for education, human services and the environment.

Grants for Education, Work and Opportunity

Over the years, a significant portion of ECF’s grantmaking has addressed local K-12 education as well as programs that help teens and adults develop career and vocational skills.

  • At the K-12 level, grants tend to support out-of-school learning opportunities and STEM programming. Grants have supported organizations including Escondido Union High School District, the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, the Mission Middle School, the Fred Finch Youth Center and the Interactive Science Garden at the San Pasqual Union School.

  • Grants for work and opportunity have supported medical training programs at Palomar College, the Dual Work-Learn Program at the Urban Corps of San Diego County and the Center for Community Solutions Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

Grants for Housing, Homelessness and Mental Health

This funder has repeatedly included human services in its annual grantmaking themes and has supported several local organizations that provide housing and services to homeless and at-risk individuals and families. One grantee, Interfaith Community Services, received funding for its Family Housing and Social Services Program. Other grantees include Solutions for Change, Community Housing Works and Palomar Family Counseling Services.

Grants for Arts, Culture and Arts Education

The arts have figured prominently in this funder’s giving over the years, with grants supporting both community arts programs and arts education for K-12 populations. Most of the foundation’s arts grants go to small organizations that engage children and community members in participatory projects and learning opportunities.

Arts and culture recipients include the Civic Youth Orchestra, the La Jolla Playhouse, Tierra Caliente Academy of the Arts and the Escondido Arts Partnership, which received support for its Local Color Mural and Flag Project.

Grants for Environment and Community Development

ECF grantmaking has recently addressed both local environmental conservation the restoration and/or imrpovement of public outdoor spaces. Some grants in these areas support organizatosn that also run education or awareness programs for community participants.

  • Grants for environmental conservation have gone to the Esondido Creek Conservancy, I Love a Clean San Diego and the San Eligo Lagoon Conservancy, among others.

  • Funding for public space restortaion and improvement has supported projects and organizations including the Children’s Natural Play Area at El Caballo Park, Outdoor Outreach and the Nature Collective’s project to restore Felicita County Park.

Grants for Public Health

Health is a smaller area of giving for this funder, but grants have supported health care initiatives during grantmaking cycles that address poverty and human services. Health organizations also received considerable support during the COVID-19 crisis. Recipients include Neighborhood Health Care, the Palomar Health Foundation and the Frontline Appreciation Group.

Important Grant Details

ECF’s grants range from $1,000 to $50,000.

  • Grantmaking supports organizations that have a strong impact on the greater Escondido Community.

  • This foundation chooses a new theme for its giving each year.

  • Grantees tend to be small- to medium-sized organiztaions.

  • Keep up with new opportunities and application deadlines by signing up for the foundation’s newsletter at teh bottom of its webpage. Updates are also posted on its Facebook page.

  • See information about past grantees here.

Submit general inquiries to the regional affliates director, Trudy Armstrong, at trudy@sdfoundation.org or (619) 764-8602.

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