Apply for a Grant
The Grant Process
Grant Process Timeline
- Early August — Letter of Intent form download is available on our website.
- August 28th — Letter of Intent form from the organization is due by 5:00 pm to Rancho Santa Fe Women’s Fund. NO EXCEPTIONS.
- November — Selected organizations will be asked to respond to a Request for Proposal (RFP).
- December — Proposals are due to the Women’s Fund office.
- March — Selected organizations are invited to move to the Site Visit phase during which members of the RSFWF will visit the organization to learn more about both the project and the organization, itself.
- April — Selected organizations are asked to attend a General Meeting and make a brief presentation about the project to the Women’s Fund membership. Voting by membership soon follows.
- May — Recipients are notified and grants are awarded.
Guidelines
- Only 501(c)3 organizations will be considered for funding.
- Management of the organization (and project) overseen by reliable, ethical and experienced personnel.
- Project plans need to demonstrate the ability to achieve results.
- No organization that discriminates in any way (age, race, national origin, gender, physical ability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief) will be considered for funding.
- Any organization which has received a grant is ineligible to apply during the next two grant cycles. This guideline is applied to the organization itself, as well as to a given project. For example, an organization which received a grant in the 2020-2021 grant cycle is ineligible to apply and receive a grant until the 2023-2024 grant cycle.
- SERVICE AREA – The geographic region from which RSF Women’s Fund accepts applications is clearly defined. While all programs throughout the eligible region are considered, priority shall be given to projects based in North County.
- Grant eligbility shall be determined by where the program operates or where the population served resides, not the location of the nonprofit’s headquarters.
- To qualify, the applying program must operate within the following boundaries: The Northern boundary shall be Camp Pendleton and south. The Eastern boundary begins in Fallbrook and follows State Route 76 eastward until it intersects with State Route 79. From there, it continues south along State Route 79 until it meets State Route 78. The boundary then follows State Route 78 westward through Ramona until it reaches Interstate 15, and continues south along I-15, extending west to include Downtown San Diego.
- North County is defined with the same North and East boundaries, but the Southern boundary shall be the Route 56 freeway.
Letter of Intent Details
Our Focus Areas for the 2026-27 Grant Cycle are:
Children and Youth Services
Women’s Services
Download the 2025-26 Letter of Intent Submission Guidelines.
After reviewing the Submission Guidelines, please complete the 2026-27 Letter of Intent (LOI) form by clicking on the link below. ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY NO LATER THAN AUGUST 28TH AT 5:00 PM.
Some Helpful Tips for Submission
Please be sure your project addresses the appropriate Focus Area and fits the criteria.
Complete the LOI Form online
Be clear and focused about how your organization would make the best use of the funds up to $75,000.
Avoid discussing several projects with us, only propose one project.
Don’t forget to check the appropriate Focus Area box on the form.
2026-27 Letter of Intent Submission Guidelines
Please download our Letter of Intent (LOI) submission guidelines before starting the online LOI submission.
Past Grantees
Over the past twenty-two years, the Women's Fund has supported 188 projects totaling close to $6.8 million in grants.
2026 Pooled Funds Award: $532,000
A Step Beyond — $60,000
Alzheimer’s San Diego — $40,000
Feeding San Diego — $21,000
Hopsice of the North Coast — $75,000
Rancho Coastal Humane Society — $50,000
San Diego Oasis — $50,000
Shelter to Soldier* — $35,000
The Agrarian Institute — $60,000
Univ. of CA Health Milk Bank — $75,000
Vista Community Clinic — $26,000
Words Alive — $40,000
* Gayle Gillies-Mize Award Recipient
2025 Pooled Funds Award: $518,000
Blue Star Families, San Diego Chapter — $30,000
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego — $48,000
Boys to Men Mentoring Network — $25,000
Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego — $75,000
Chicano Federation of San Diego County — $75,000
Classics4Kids — $30,000
Friends of San Pasqual Academy — $25,000
Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank — $25,000
Mitchell Thorp Foundation — $50,000
Pro Kids, First Tee – San Diego — $50,000
The Elizabeth Hospice — $50,000
USD Hahn School of Nursing — $35,000*
* Gayle Gillies Mize Award Winner
2024 Pooled Funds Award: $500,000
AMVETS of CA Dept of Service Foundation — $25,000
Center for Community Solutions — $23,000
ElderHelp — $35,000 *
Elementary Institute of Science — $25,000
Home Start, Inc. — $50,000
Interfaith Community Solutions — $75,000
Just in Time for Foster Youth — $50,000
Meals on Wheels Greater San Diego — $50,000
Project Next — $57,000
San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program — $75,000
Voices for Children — $35,000
* Gayle Gillies-Mize Award Recipient
2023 Pooled Funds Award: $442,446
ASYMCA — $30,000
Leap to Success — $50,000
Mama’s Kitchen — $35,000
New Entry Casa — $50,000
The Rosie Network — $54,000
San Diego Rescue Mission* — $60,386
Solutions for Change — $30,000
United Through Reading — $33,060
VETS-Beyond the Uniform — $25,000
Wounded Warrior Homes, Inc. — $75,000
* Gayle Gillies Mize Award Winner
2022 Pooled Funds Award: $400,900
Assistance League of San Dieguito — $15,000
Canine Companions — $50,000
North Coast Repertory Theatre — $15,000
Promises2Kids — $50,000
The Elizabeth Hospice — $25,000
Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego — $50,000
Community Resource Center — $50,000
Foundation for Women Warriors — $50,000*
GenerateHope — $50,000
Kids’ Turn San Diego — $45,900
* Gayle Gillies Mize Award Winner
2021 Pooled Funds Award: $303,241
Center for Community Solutions — $50,000
Fresh Start Surgical Gifts– $25,000
Girls on the Run SD — $13,500
Operation Hope — $34,500
Travis Manion Foundation — $20,000*
ASYMCA-Camp Pendelton — $50,000
ArtReach — $19,120.57
Interfaith Community Services — $19,120.57
Outdoor Outreach — $32,000
T.E.R.I., Inc. — $40,000
* Gayle Gillies Mize Award Winner
2020 Pooled Funds Award: $357,000
ElderHelp of San Diego — $23,750
Feeding San Diego — $50,000
Just in Time for Foster Youth — $34,000
Mama’s Kitchen — $50,000
Operation Homefront — $35,000*
Refuge for Women — $50,000
San Diego Rescue Mission — $39,000
Vision of Children — $21,750
Women’s Resource Center — $31,750
Zero8Hundred — $21,750
* Gayle Gillies Mize Award Winner
2019 Pooled Fund Awards: $292,500
A Step Beyond — $40,000
Boys and Girls Club of Vista — $25,000
Ocean Discovery Institute — $25,000
Voices for Children — $35,000
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation-San Diego — $25,000
Support the Enlisted Project (STEP) — $25,000
Vista Community Clinic — $37,500
Casa de Amistad — $30,000
Classic 4 Kids — $10,000
Coastal Roots Farms — $10,000
Promises2Kids — $30,000*
* Gayle Gillies Mize Award Winne
2018 Pooled Fund Awards: $280,700
Angels Foster Family Network — $50,000
Community Resource Center — $30,000
Emilio Nares Foundation — $25,000
Generate Hope — $50,000
Nativity Prep — $50,000
North County Lifeline — $50,000
Operation Hope/Vista — $25,700
2017 Pooled Fund Awards: $234,194
Kitchens for Good — $30,000
Lightbridge Hospice Foundation — $39,000
Palomar College Foundation — $27,152
Promises2Kids — $20,000
Project Concern International — $50,000
The Elizabeth Hospice — $18,042
Wounded Warrior Homes — $50,000
2016 Pooled Fund Awards: $251,190
A Reason to Survive — $50,000
Dress for Success — $10,000
Eric Paredes Foundation — $25,000
Girls Rising — $25,000
Mira Costa College Foundation — $20,000
Monarch School — $50,000
Reality Changers — $50,000
Tender Loving Canines — $21,190
2015 Pooled Fund Awards: $254,000
Armed Services YMCA at Camp Pendleton — $41,000
Just in Time for Foster Youth — $25,000
Mama’s Kitchen — $25,000
San Diego Public Library Foundation — $25,000
San Diego Rescue Mission — $50,000
Southern Caregiver Resource Center — $45,000
Veterans Ass. of North County (VANC) — $43,000
2014 Pooled Fund Awards: $258,000
Big Brothers & Big Sisters of SD County — $25,000
Boys & Girls Clubs of GREATER San Diego — $25,000
Casa de Amistad — $15,000
Cecily’s Closet — $30,000
Emilio Nares Foundation — $20,000
Mira Costa College Foundation — $23,000
New Haven Youth & Family Services — $30,000
North County Lifeline — $35,000
Outdoor Outreach — $30,000
San Diego Second Chance — $25,000
2013 Pooled Fund Awards: $250,000
Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito — $25,000
Cancer Angels of San Diego — $50,000
San Diego County Medical Society Foundation — $45,000
Scripps Health Foundation — $45,000
Vista Community Clinic — $50,000
Voices for Children — $35,000
2012 Pooled Funds Awards: $285,600
Interfaith Community Services — $25,000
Mira Costa College Foundation — $25,000
Monarch School — $32,000
New Haven Youth Services — $28,000
North County Trade Tech High School — $28,000
NTC Foundation — $37,600
San Diego Children’s Choir — $20,000
San Diego Public Library — $40,000
T.E.R.I., Inc. — $50,000
2011 Pooled Funds Award: $284,930
Accion — $ 31,000
CSUSM-ACE Scholars — $48,600
Reality Changers — $50,000
Urban Corps — $12,865
Angels Foster Network — $40,000
Burn Institute — $50,000
San Diego Blood Bank — $24,031
Senior Community Centers — $28,434
2010 Pooled Funds Awards: $260,055
ARTS (A Reason to Survive) — $40,000
Big Brothers & Big Sisters of SD County — $40,000
Armed Services YMCA at Camp Pendleton — $48,000
Escondido Creek Conservancy — $23,000
High Tech High North County — $16,055
Military Outreach Ministry (MOM) — $23,000
New Children’s Museum — $23,000
USD/Hahn School of Nursing — $47,000
2009 Pooled Funds Awards: $277,000
Cancer Angels of San Diego — $35,000
Child Abuse Prevention Foundation — $32,000
Interfaith Community Services — $30,000
Just in Time Foster Youth — $40,000
Monarch School — $37,000
San Diego ASYMCA — $30,000
T.E.R.I. — $30,000
Voices for Children — $43,000
2008 Pooled Funds Awards: $295,000
The Angel’s Depot — $45,000
Armed Services YMCA Camp Pendleton — $45,000
Canine Companions for Independence — $40,000
Fresh Start — $30,000
Juvenile Court Book Club — $45,000
San Diego Chamber Orchestra — $45,000
Scripps Hospital Health Foundation — $45,000
2007 Pooled Funds Awards: $230,160
Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego — $45,000
Burn Institute — $35,000
Fostering Opportunities Dollars for Scholars — $45,000
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation — $40,000
Kids Included Together, Inc. — $25,160
Neurosciences Research Foundation — $40,000
2006 Pooled Funds Awards: $165,000
Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside — $25,000
Cal State San Marcos — $15,000
CCHAT Center — $25,000
Community Resource Center — $25,000
Family Literacy Foundation — $15,000
Jewish Family Services — $25,000
Kiwanis Oceanside Pacific Foundation — $10,000
Vision of Children — $25,000
2005 Pooled Funds Award: $100,000
ASYMCA at Camp Pendleton — $25,000
Casa de Amparo — $25,000
San Diego Youth & Family Services — $25,000
T.E.R.I, Inc. — $25,000