Enhancing the quality of life in North County by directing philanthropic efforts toward community needs such as social services, education and the environment.
Coastal Community Foundation directs competitive grant cycles and local giving circles toward North County San Diego, with grants commonly landing in social services, education, environment, and community projects. In the recent grant list, scholarships stand out as one of the clearest funding threads: the University of San Diego received $83,400 for scholarships, and Campanile Foundation SDSU received $25,000 for the Tom & Donna Bergelis Golich Scholarship in Communication. The foundation also backs place-based community institutions that serve day-to-day needs. Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA received awards for general support, sports and recreation, community projects, and social service, while Community Resource Center received support for social service work in Encinitas. Environmental giving appears alongside human services rather than separate from them, as shown by support for San Diego Botanic Garden and Oceanside Museum of Art. The foundation’s grantmaking is framed around enhancing quality of life in North County, and its recent awards show a mix of program support, general support, scholarships, and project-specific funding across nonprofit, education, health, and community-serving organizations.
Education appears in both scholarship funding and school-focused grants. The University of San Diego received $83,400 for scholarships, while San Dieguito Union High School District was awarded $28,016 for educational purposes. Community-based youth and family services are another recurring theme. Community Resource Center received $70,624 for social service, and Just in Time for Foster Youth received $25,000 for social service support. Health and wellness funding also shows up in the recent grants list. Scripps Health Foundation received $42,000 for emergency department bedside carts and an EMCO machine, followed by $41,000 and $31,500 for health and wellness. Environmental support includes $53,000 to San Diego Botanic Garden for environmental work. The foundation also backed arts and public-interest work, including $78,156 to Oceanside Museum of Art for general support and Free Concert Fridays, plus $50,000 to Inewsource for advocacy and public policy.
Typical awards cluster in the low five figures: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $12,000, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. That pattern fits a grantmaker that uses a mix of competitive cycles and community-based giving circles, alongside scholarship support. The recent grant list shows repeat recipients across multiple years, including Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA, Community Resource Center, Scripps Health Foundation, Campanile Foundation SDSU, San Dieguito United Methodist Church, End of Life Choices California, and Solutions for Change. The foundation also accepts unsolicited applications through its Coastal Grantmaking and North County grant cycle programs. Grants are generally program, project, general-support, or scholarship oriented rather than investments or individual aid.
$351K
$0
$479K
$777K
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $12K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$12K
75th Percentile
$25K
KRISTI YANOVER
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Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local and concentrated in California: 91% of grants go to recipients in CA. Recent awards cluster in North County cities such as Encinitas, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach, and Vista, with San Diego also appearing frequently. Encinitas is especially prominent, reflecting the foundation’s North County focus. Outside California, the recent grant list includes only a small number of recipients in New York and Texas, each represented by a single grant.
The foundation funds nonprofits serving North County San Diego through social services, education, environment, community projects, and scholarships. Recent grants also show support for health and wellness, arts and culture, public-interest work, and community-serving institutions such as YMCAs, museums, health foundations, and school districts.
The grant-size distribution centers on modest awards: p25 is $10,000, median grant size is $12,000, and p75 is $25,000. Recent grants show both smaller community awards and larger scholarship or project grants, but most fall near that middle range.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA, Community Resource Center, Scripps Health Foundation, Campanile Foundation SDSU, San Dieguito United Methodist Church, End of Life Choices California, and Solutions for Change. That suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards only.
Yes. The Coastal Grantmaking and North County grant cycle programs both accept unsolicited applications. The foundation also runs a Community Scholarship Program and several Coastal Giving Circles that award grants locally in North County San Diego.
The foundation gives most often in California, and 91% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent awards are concentrated in North County San Diego cities such as Encinitas, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista, and San Diego.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Coastal Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofits and community organizations serving the geographic focus of each giving circle; specific criteria set by each giving circle.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INEWSOURCE | SAN DIEGO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY &PUBLIC POLICY |
| COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER | ENCINITAS, CA | $37,500 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| SCRIPPS HEALTH FOUNDATION | ENCINITAS, CA | $31,500 | 2025 | HEALTH & WELLNESS |
| MAGDALENA ECKE FAMILY YMCA | ENCINITAS, CA | $26,500 | 2025 | COMMUNITY PROJECTS |
| MAGDALENA ECKE FAMILY YMCA | ENCINITAS, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| END OF LIFE CHOICES CALIFORNIA | SOLANA BEACH, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| JUST IN TIME FOR FOSTER YOUTH | SAN DIEGO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| MAGDALENA ECKE FAMILY YMCA | ENCINITAS, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| MIRACOSTA COLLEGE FOUNDATION | OCEANSIDE, CA | $11,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| ALZHEIMER'S SAN DIEGO | SAN DIEGO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | HEALTH & WELLNESS |
| SAN DIEGUITO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | ENCINITAS, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | HEALTH & WELLNESS |
| MERLIN TUTTLES BAT CONSERVATION INC | AUSTIN, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | ANIMAL-RELATED |
| RANCHO COASTAL HUMANE SOCIETY | ENCINITAS, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | ANIMAL-RELATED |
| THE ASPEN INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY | SAN DIEGO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | ANIMAL-RELATED |
| HERITAGE RANCH | ENCINITAS, CA | $7,200 | 2025 | ARTS, CULTURE |
| SPAY NEUTER ACTION PROJECT - SNAP | ENCINITAS, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | ANIMAL-RELATED |
| MAGDALENA ECKE FAMILY YMCA | ENCINITAS, CA | $76,000 | 2024 | SPORTS/RECREATION |
| COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER | ENCINITAS, CA | $70,624 | 2024 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN | ENCINITAS, CA | $53,000 | 2024 | ENVIRONMENTAL |
| GARY AND MARY WEST SENIOR SERVICES INC | SAN MARCOS, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| SCRIPPS HEALTH FOUNDATION | ENCINITAS, CA | $41,000 | 2024 | HEALTH & WELLNESS |
| END OF LIFE CHOICES CALIFORNIA | SOLANA BEACH, CA | $34,000 | 2024 | HEALTH & WELLNESS |
| SAN DIEGUITO UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT | ENCINITAS, CA | $28,016 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| SAN DIEGUITO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | ENCINITAS, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | SOCIAL SERVICE |
| CAMPANILE FOUNDATION SDSU | SAN DIEGO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS | SAN MARCOS, CA | $19,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| KPBS | SAN DIEGO, CA | $12,000 | 2024 | ARTS, CULTURE |
| MIRACOSTA COLLEGE FOUNDATION | OCEANSIDE, CA | $12,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| ELDERHELP OF SAN DIEGO | SAN DIEGO, CA | $10,500 | 2024 | WOMEN & GIRLS |
| ALABASTER JAR PROJECT | POWAY, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | WOMEN & GIRLS |
| SAN MARCOS PROMISE | SAN MARCOS, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION - REAGAN RANCH CENTER | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| WALLOWA VALLEY HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION | ENTERPRISE, OR | $10,000 | 2024 | HEALTH & WELLNESS |
| EXPOSURE SKATE | VISTA, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | WOMEN & GIRLS |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SAN DIEGUITO | SOLANA BEACH, CA | $8,000 | 2024 | HEALTH & WELLNESS |
| POETIC JUSTICE | SAN DIEGO, CA | $7,270 | 2024 | WOMEN & GIRLS |
| NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE | SOLANA BEACH, CA | $6,850 | 2024 | ARTS, CULTURE |
| TRI-CITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | VISTA, CA | $5,600 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| NATURE COLLECTIVE | ENCINITAS, CA | $5,500 | 2024 | ENVIRONMENTAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE | RIVERSIDE, CA | $5,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO | SAN DIEGO, CA | $83,400 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| OCEANSIDE MUSEUM OF ART | OCEANSIDE, CA | $78,156 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT AND FREE CONCERT FRIDAYS |
| MAGDALENA ECKE FAMILY YMCA | ENCINITAS, CA | $77,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST | LAGUNA HILLS, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SCRIPPS HEALTH FOUNDATION | ENCINITAS, CA | $42,000 | 2023 | EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BEDSIDE CARTS AND EMCO MACHINE |
| INTERFAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES | ESCONDIDO, CA | $40,075 | 2023 | HOMELESS SERVICES AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER
$37,500SOCIAL SERVICE
END OF LIFE CHOICES CALIFORNIA
SOCIAL SERVICE
SAN DIEGUITO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$10,000RELIGION
SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY
$10,000ANIMAL-RELATED
HERITAGE RANCH
$7,200ARTS, CULTURE
SPAY NEUTER ACTION PROJECT - SNAP
$7,000ANIMAL-RELATED
COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER
$70,624SOCIAL SERVICE
SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN
$53,000ENVIRONMENTAL
GARY AND MARY WEST SENIOR SERVICES INC
$50,000SOCIAL SERVICE
END OF LIFE CHOICES CALIFORNIA
$34,000HEALTH & WELLNESS
SAN DIEGUITO UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
$28,016EDUCATIONAL
SAN DIEGUITO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$25,000SOCIAL SERVICE
ALABASTER JAR PROJECT
$10,000WOMEN & GIRLS
WALLOWA VALLEY HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION
$10,000HEALTH & WELLNESS
POETIC JUSTICE
$7,270WOMEN & GIRLS
NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE
$6,850ARTS, CULTURE
TRI-CITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
$5,600EDUCATIONAL
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
$5,500SCHOLARSHIP
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BEDSIDE CARTS AND EMCO MACHINE
