North County Philanthropy Council takes administrative helm of 'San Diego Gives' initiative

SAN DIEGO – North County Philanthropy Council, the regional association that convenes nonprofit professionals, board members, volunteers and corporate philanthropists in San Diego County, announces the addition of the San Diego Gives project to its administrative purview.

The yearly San Diego Gives initiative includes an online Day of Giving followed by a Day of Service throughout the region. This year’s events will take place Thursday, Sept. 5, and Friday, Sept. 6.

Launched in 2021 by a small, dedicated group of volunteers, San Diego Gives connects philanthropy-minded San Diegans to local causes through innovative technology, learning opportunities, a day of collective giving and volunteering.

Since 2022, the initiative has been spearheaded by Impact Cubed, a nonprofit created by the Leichtag Foundation to leverage philanthropy and build nonprofit capacity. The Leichtag Foundation will continue to manage the program’s professional development offerings.

“We are grateful for North County Philanthropy Council’s commitment to our nonprofit community,” Sharyn Goodson, vice president of philanthropy with Leichtag Foundation, said. “With its strong mission, talented staff and volunteer leadership, and impactful programming, NCPC is uniquely positioned to take San Diego Gives to the next level. We look forward to continuing to support this work, particularly by providing training opportunities through San Diego Gives University.”

San Diego Gives raises vital funds and awareness for nonprofits

The first San Diego Gives Day of Giving campaign in 2021 raised $472,724 for 107 local nonprofits from 2,385 donors. The following year, outcomes more than doubled, with $1,088,647 raised for 327 organizations from 3,743 donors – 33% of which donated for the first time.

In 2023, over 4,300 donors provided a total of $1,355,226 to 338 nonprofits. Since its creation, San Diego Gives has raised $2,916,597 for San Diego area non-profit organizations. These funds provided crucial support for nonprofits as they balanced record service demands with limited budgets and offered a platform for engagement with the community that organizations may not have had otherwise.

North County Philanthropy Council aims to make San Diego ‘America’s Kindest City’ through San Diego Gives

In its new capacity as administrator of San Diego Gives, NCPC will handle the registration process for nonprofit organizations, lead marketing efforts to encourage non-profit participation, engage individuals and corporations to partake in the initiative’s annual Day of Giving and Day of Service and manage sponsorship outreach.

In addition to Impact Cubed, NCPC will collaborate with other community partners, including United Way of San Diego County, Pay It Forward Media, and Cox Communications for additional support.

“As we embark on our first year as the convener organization for San Diego Gives, we envision a day where all San Diego County nonprofits are embraced by the love and support of the San Diego community and its thriving businesses,” Monica Martinez, managing director at NCPC, said. “Our goal is clear: to connect and welcome new members of the philanthropy community, showcase the profound impact of nonprofits and promote volunteerism, collectively shaping San Diego into the kindest city. Join us in fostering a culture of compassion and collaboration, as together we strive for positive change.”

The San Diego Gives annual Day of Giving will take place Thursday, Sept. 5, followed by the San Diego Gives Day of Service Friday, Sept. 6. The Day of Service, brought to you by United Way of San Diego County and San Diego Gives, is a countywide collective volunteer effort connecting community members to local nonprofits to address our county’s most pressing issues.

The purpose is for anyone and everyone to volunteer for a cause that is close to them and be part of a movement to strengthen our communities.

Last year, 400 volunteers rolled up their sleeves on the Day of Service to help 29 nonprofits countywide with projects such as packing 25,650 pounds of food to feed 8,550 San Diego families, assembling 1,000 STEM kits and 1,398 backpacks with school supplies for local children, planting 500 seedlings to grow healthy food for people experiencing food insecurity, and creating a new habitat that will host over 100 species of pollinators.

In its inaugural year at the helm of the San Diego Gives initiative, NCPC aspires to surpass previous records in fundraising and volunteer engagement for non-profit organizations in San Diego County. For more information on how to participate, visit North County Philanthropy Council’s website at http://www.ncphilanthropy.org.

Submitted by North County Philanthropy Council.