Three Things SoCal Grantseekers Should Know About the Girard Foundation

PHOTO: SOLIS IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK

PHOTO: SOLIS IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK

One of the biggest and most consistent local funding issues in the San Diego area is education, but some funders here take their commitment to the next level by solely focusing on the education needs of local youth. One such funder is the Girard Foundation, a private family foundation that’s been on the grantmaking scene since 1986.

Here are three things to know about the Girard Foundation and its very focused local giving strategy.

1. It’s Solely an Education Funder

Unlike many funders in this part of the country, the Girard Foundation has a single area of focus: education. Its mission is to “foster innovation and systemic change in K-12 education, with the goal of improving student outcomes in San Diego County.” However, Girard targets a couple of very specific areas of education with its giving strategy.

One of these areas is career skills training, which involves preparing students for jobs that are in high demand and that pay well. This grantmaking category prioritizes hands-on experiences and exposure to the relevant local industries. The other grantmaking priority within the realm of education is quality schools. These grants help expand educational options for students and their families and also implement innovative school models.

2. Girard is all About San Diego County

Based in the La Jolla neighorhood, the Girard Foundation keeps all of its grants close to home and only supports efforts in San Diego County. This is a very collaborative funder that has taken on several major projects in partnership with other local organizations. These efforts include charter schools, leadership in education, school finance, preparedness for college and career, and technology solutions for greater collaboration.

Last year, Girard awarded grants to about 16 organizations, including the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, Promises2Kids, and the California Charter Schools Association. Most grants are between $1,000 and $50,000. In recent years, the funder has been distributing over $1 million annually in grants, gifts, and contributions.

3. Staff Contact is Encouraged

The Girard Foundation is moderately accessible for local grantseekers. It does not typically accept unsolicited grant applications, and it does not share any grantmaking guidelines or deadlines on its website. However, it does have a website and has generally been open to staff contact, even encouraging nonprofits to reach out to its staff with project ideas.

According to recent tax records, the foundation manager and board chair is R.B. Woolley Jr., and the foundation’s full-time, paid director is Sarah M. Setiawan. Other trustees and officers of the Girard Foundation include Robert A. Schroeder, Mary Lindenstein Walshok, Michelle Hansen, Scott Woolley, Deirdre W. Alpert, and Elizabeth Robitaille.

Learn more about this Southern California funder and also access staff contact information and bios in IP’s full profile of the Girard Foundation.