Apply for a Grant
The Grant Process
Grant Process Timeline
- Early August — Letter of Intent form download is available on our website.
- August 30th — 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 geographical region from which RSFWF accepts applications each year is clearly defined. Preference is to be given to North County projects. Current boundaries for grant recipients are based on where the project operates or where the population who benefits from the program resides, not the non-profit’s headquarters. The Eastern boundary shall be west of the 78 freeway, the Northern boundary shall be Camp Pendleton and south, and the Southern boundary shall be Downtown San Diego. North County is defined with the same North and East boundaries, but the Southern boundary shall be the Route 52 freeway.
Letter of Intent Details
- Our Focus Areas for the 2024-25 Grant Cycle are:
- Children & Youth Services
- Women’s Services
- Download the 2024-25 Letter of Intent Submission Guidelines.
- After reviewing the Submission Guidelines, please complete the 2024-25 Letter of Intent (LOI) form by clicking on the link below. ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY NO LATER THAN AUGUST 30TH 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.
2024-25 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 years, the Women's Fund has supported 165 projects totaling close to $5.7 million in grants.
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 Recipient
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 Recipient
2021 Pooled Fund Awards: $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 Gilllies-Mize Award Recipient
2020 Pooled Fund Awards: $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 Recipient
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 — $50,000
- 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 — $20,000
- Classic 4 Kids — $10,000
- Coastal Roots Farms — $10,000
- Promises2Kids — $30,000*
* Gayle Gillies-Mize Award Recipient
2018 Pooled Fund Awards: $281,200
- 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 Funds 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
2013 Pooled Funds Award: $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 Awards: $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 Award: $230,000
- 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
2005 Pooled Funds Awards: $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