County officials and leaders of San Diego Foundation Monday announced the Partnership to Protect San Diegans, an initiative intended to protect safety-net programs serving local families as federal changes impact service.
San Diego County's Board of Supervisors approved the partnership in November as the Trump administration threatened to slash funding for Medicare/Medicaid, food benefits and more.
"The county is working to stretch every dollar by getting creative and partnering with our community in new ways. When Washington's dysfunction puts working families at risk, San Diego steps up," Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer said in a statement. "This partnership protects food assistance, housing stability, and healthcare for tens of thousands of our neighbors — while doubling the impact of every public dollar."
Nearly 400,000 San Diegans — including 125,000 children and 100,000 seniors — have lost or are at risk of losing food assistance due to federal funding changes and eligibility restrictions, according to county figures.
To try to balance lost funding, the public-philanthropic partnership includes two major parts.
The first is the Matching Stabilization Fund run by San Diego Foundation, which will "preserve up to $16 million in county-contracted nonprofit programs this fiscal year that may otherwise be affected by federal funding changes and budget cuts," according to a statement from Lawson-Remer's office.
A total of 67 contracts are eligible, including programs supporting seniors, people with disabilities, food assistance, recovery residences, domestic violence shelters, behavioral health, homelessness services and youth programs.
The second portion of the Partnership to Protect San Diegans is the county investing up to $4 million into the San Diego Unity Fund, created by SDF as a direct response to federal funding cuts. The foundation will match government funding to provide up to $8 million.
"For 50 years, San Diego Foundation has mobilized philanthropy to meet urgent community needs," said Mark Stuart, president and CEO of San Diego Foundation. "Through this partnership, we are bringing public and philanthropic resources together to ensure trusted local nonprofits can continue providing food, housing, and healthcare services that families across our region rely on every day."
Last month, The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego released a report finding a full 68% of the region's more than 13,000 nonprofits are seeing increased demand for services, but 81% report declines in funding from public and private sources.
"Our contractors are on the front lines every day — feeding children over the weekend, sheltering survivors of domestic violence, supporting seniors and individuals experiencing homelessness," said Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Elizabeth Hernandez. "This partnership ensures that their vital work continues without disruption."
The partners will continue to work on how to most effectively maintain the funding for the next year, according to Lawson-Remer's office.
