Providing expertise to leverage real estate donations to maximize philanthropic impact.
San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation stands out for converting donated property into cash support for nonprofits. Its real estate gift conversion program evaluates, accepts, and liquidates donated real estate on behalf of nonprofits, then transfers the proceeds to the nonprofit’s fund under a fund agreement. That structure makes real estate a funding source rather than an illiquid asset sitting on a balance sheet. The foundation’s recent record also shows a strong relationship with San Diego Foundation itself. Its two largest recent grants went to The San Diego Foundation for general support, including $7,291,183 in 2023 and $3,906,663 in 2025. Those awards point to a funder that moves substantial resources through established local institutions while keeping its work centered on the San Diego area. Beyond gift conversion, the foundation is tied to tax-smart philanthropy, planned giving, donor-advised funds, and nonprofit fundraising and capacity building. The overall pattern is less about issuing many small awards and more about using real estate transactions and fund agreements to channel larger philanthropic resources into local charitable work.
A central part of the foundation’s work is nonprofit development through real estate gift conversion. The Charitable Real Estate Foundation (CREF) program supports nonprofits by accepting donated property, liquidating it, and moving the cash proceeds into the nonprofit’s fund. That makes real estate a usable charitable resource. In education, the foundation supports scholarship access through the Community Scholarship Program and the Common Scholarship Application. One program connects students to 150+ scholarship opportunities administered by the foundation and partner funds, while the other provides awards that typically range from $1,000 to more than $5,000. The foundation also funds place-based community initiatives. Its 2026 Growing Green Spaces Grant Program supports community-led projects that promote community health and climate resilience by growing green spaces, and the 2026 Community Clean Energy Grants back local projects that expand access to clean energy and strengthen energy resilience across San Diego County.
$6.4M
$184K
-$674K
$6.6M
Most grants fall between $4.8M and $6.4M, with a median of $5.6M.
25th Percentile
$4.8M
Median
$5.6M
75th Percentile
$6.4M
JAMES HOWELL
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The foundation’s typical grant size is large: the 25th percentile is $4,752,793, the median is $5,598,923, and the 75th percentile is $6,445,053. That distribution fits a funder that makes substantial transfers rather than a high-volume small-grants program. The recent grants list shows repeat support to the same recipient over multiple years, with The San Diego Foundation appearing in both 2023 and 2025. The foundation is a charitable real estate vehicle rather than an operating grantmaker, and its real estate gift conversion program accepts unsolicited requests. Other listed programs vary on whether they accept unsolicited applications.
Grantmaking is local and entirely in California: 100% of grants in the data go to recipients in the HQ state. The recipient country distribution is also fully U.S.-based. Recent grants are concentrated in San Diego, and the program geography centers on San Diego County, including North County San Diego, Carlsbad, and region-wide initiatives across the county. One active program also reaches the Cali-Baja region through Northern Baja California.
Its core activity is converting donated real estate into charitable cash for nonprofits. The CREF program evaluates, accepts, and liquidates donated property, then transfers the proceeds to the nonprofit’s fund under a fund agreement.
The grant-size distribution is very large: p25 is $4,752,793, the median is $5,598,923, and p75 is $6,445,053. That suggests infrequent but substantial awards.
No. The data shows 100% of grants going to recipients in California, and the recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The active programs include nonprofit development through real estate gift conversion, scholarships for local students, green space and climate resilience projects, safe and stable housing for seniors, arts and culture in Carlsbad, clean energy, and binational coastal and water resilience work.
Yes. The San Diego Foundation appears in both 2023 and 2025 recent grants, with awards of $7,291,183 and $3,906,663 for general support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations that can enter a fund agreement to receive proceeds from donated real estate. Specific qualification reviewed by CREF; nonprofits lacking infrastructure to accept real estate can partner with CREF.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION | SAN DIEGO, CA | $6,380,721 | 2026 | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION | SAN DIEGO, CA | $3,906,663 | 2025 | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION | SAN DIEGO, CA | $7,291,183 | 2023 | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT |