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    1. Home
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    5. San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation
    San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation logo

    San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation

    ActiveCommunity Improvement
    SAN DIEGO, CAWebsite6192352300

    About San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation

    Providing expertise to leverage real estate donations to maximize philanthropic impact.

    Focus Areas

    Gifts of real estate / real estate donationsDonor-advised fundsNonprofit fundraising and capacity buildingTax-smart philanthropy and planned giving

    Who They Fund

    donors/estate ownersfinancial planners and estate attorneysrecipient nonprofit organizations

    Funding Style

    asset-based giving facilitationtax-efficient philanthropyplanned giving/estate gift structuringdonor education and advisory

    About San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation

    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.

    What San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation Funds

    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.

    How San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation Gives

    Financial Snapshot

    Annual Giving

    $6.4M

    Total Assets

    $184K

    Total Revenue

    -$674K

    Total Expenses

    $6.6M

    Typical Grant Size

    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

    Geographic Reach

    Local1 state funded
    Funding intensity
    Low
    High
    Headquarters

    Leadership

    JAMES HOWELL

    Deep Analysis

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    © 2026 Kindora. All rights reserved.

    Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceYour privacy choicesEnvironmental footprintSystem Status
    EIN (Tax ID): 33-0701029Latest Form 990: 2026Total assets: $184K4 filings on recordFind their full 990 filing →
    See If You're a Fit — FreeFree account · instant fit score · similar funders

    Topics

    real estate giftsestate planningtax planning for charitable givingphilanthropic gift conversion

    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.

    Where San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation Makes Grants

    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.

    Frequently Asked Questions About San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation

    What does San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation fund most directly?

    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.

    What size grants does it typically make?

    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.

    Does it give outside California?

    No. The data shows 100% of grants going to recipients in California, and the recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.

    What kinds of causes appear in its active programs?

    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.

    Do any recipients appear more than once in the recent grants data?

    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.

    Latest 990 Filing

    2026

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.

    Open Grant Opportunities

    Current and upcoming funding from San Diego Charitable Real Estate Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.

    Open nowCloses in 5 days (Oct 2, 2026)Award: $10K – $40K

    2026-2027 Safe & Stable Housing Fund Grant Cycle: Youth

    Safe and stable housingYouth well-being

    Who can apply: Applications are considered from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations whose work aligns with the funder’s mission and priority impact areas. Unless otherwise specified, applicants must be located within and primarily serve residents of San Diego County; this opportunity specifically serves youth living in North County San Diego.

    Deadline: Applications are due at 5:00 p.m. on October 2, 2026.

    View & apply
    Open nowCloses in 5 days (Oct 2, 2026)Award: $10K – $40K

    Safe & Stable Housing Fund Grant — Seniors (2026-2027)

    Safe and stable housingYouth well-beingHousing stability

    Who can apply: Applications are considered from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations whose work aligns with the fund's priorities. Unless otherwise specified, organizations must be located within and primarily serve residents of San Diego County. This cycle focuses on programs serving youth living in North County San Diego. The funder does not award grants to individuals.

    Deadline: Applications are due at 5:00 p.m. on October 2, 2026.

    View & apply
    Open nowRolling / open intake

    Charitable Real Estate Foundation (CREF) — Real Estate Gift Conversion for Nonprofits

    Nonprofit developmentFundraising supportAsset conversion

    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.

    View & apply

    Track these deadlines, get reminders, and see how well your nonprofit fits — free with a Kindora account.

    Create a free account

    Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.

    Recent Grants

    Most recent grants reported to the IRS.

    RecipientLocationAmountYearPurpose
    SAN DIEGO FOUNDATIONSAN DIEGO, CA$6,380,7212026FOR GENERAL SUPPORT
    SAN DIEGO FOUNDATIONSAN DIEGO, CA$3,906,6632025FOR GENERAL SUPPORT
    THE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATIONSAN DIEGO, CA$7,291,1832023FOR GENERAL SUPPORT

    SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION

    $6,380,721
    SAN DIEGO, CA2026

    FOR GENERAL SUPPORT

    SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION

    $3,906,663
    SAN DIEGO, CA2025

    FOR GENERAL SUPPORT

    THE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION

    $7,291,183
    SAN DIEGO, CA2023

    FOR GENERAL SUPPORT