San Diego Foundation headquarters against a dusk sky. (File photo courtesy of the foundation)
The San Diego Foundation announced Tuesday that it will provide $1.5 million in grants to expand mental and behavioral health support for children and families in the region.
“San Diego Foundation is committed to supporting children and families furthest from opportunity to ensure they have a bright future and thrive in our region,” said Pamela Gray Payton, VP, Chief Impact & Partnerships Officer. “Our investment in this work with our nonprofit partners reflects the critical need in our community, both now and in the future.”
These grants will fund programs aimed at improving access to mental, behavioral, and early relational health services for families and children of all ages. The funding will focus on two key areas:
- Nonprofit service providers offering mental and behavioral health support through culturally responsive, trauma-informed care that promotes and destigmatizes access to services for children, youth, and their families.
- Strengthening the local workforce by supporting organizations that offer paid stipends to individuals pursuing careers in mental and behavioral health.
Nonprofit organizations operating in San Diego County are encouraged to apply. Strong proposals will prioritize the needs of young children, youth, parents, caregivers, and the providers who support them. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on March 28, 2025. For details or to apply, visit SDFoundation.org/apply.
Social-emotional skills are essential for healthy child development and serve as the foundation for lifelong mental well-being. However, children and families facing systemic barriers often experience higher levels of adversity, which can negatively impact social-emotional functioning.
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Chronic stress in early childhood is linked to learning difficulties, behavioral issues, and mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. In California, mental health concerns are the leading cause of youth hospitalization. The state also ranks last among all U.S. states and Washington D.C. in access to youth mental health care, based on parental self-reports.
A report from the San Diego Workforce Partnership projects that the region will need an additional 18,500 mental and behavioral health professionals by 2027. To address this workforce gap, the report suggests offering student stipends to help cover expenses such as transportation and childcare, making it easier for individuals to pursue careers in this critical field.
Diversity in the mental and behavioral health workforce remains a significant challenge. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), over 80% of mental health professionals in the U.S. are White, while only 5% are Black or African American. Many individuals of color struggle to find professionals who share their cultural experiences, and financial obstacles—including the high cost of graduate training and limited job opportunities—contribute to this lack of diversity.
Since 2017, the San Diego Foundation has awarded $7.6 million across 128 grants to nonprofits providing mental and behavioral health services to local families through its Early Childhood Initiative and Healthy Children & Families Initiative.
This effort aligns with Fifty & Forward, a multi-year grantmaking and fundraising campaign launched by the foundation in 2021 and publicly announced in 2024. The campaign aims to partner with donors to grant $500 million to local nonprofits supporting education, children and families, and environmental causes, while also raising $1 billion to help shape San Diego’s future. So far, $335 million has been granted to strengthen the community.
For more information on how to support this initiative, visit SDFoundation.org/50.
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