Our 15th annual Charitable Giving Guide, or Charitable Events Registry, as it has been known for the past 14 years, has a new look. We are expanding the content as it pertains to philanthropy: who is giving, who is getting, and how those dollars benefit our community.
The New Faces of Local Philanthropy
Adrienne Vargas
Overall charitable giving is increasing and online giving is showing dramatic increases. According to the University of San Diego Institute for Nonprofit and Philanthropic Research, there are 9,364 nonprofits in San Diego. Of these, 3,700 nonprofits have filings with IRS of $50,000 or more, accounting for $19.77 billion in assets, $13.77 billion in total revenue, and $12.52 billion in total expenses. Two thousand, one hundred and forty nonprofits have paid employees which generated $5.2 billion in wages. I spoke with representatives of major organizations in San Diego to get their views on the importance of philanthropy to their programs and services.
Bill Littlejohn, president of Sharp HealthCare Foundation, said, “Sharp HealthCare relies on philanthropic support to bring the very best that health care has to offer to those we serve each day. It allows us to create new patient programs, conduct research, build modern facilities, invest in our nurses, acquire state- of- the- art technology, and truly change lives. INSPIRE, our current $100 million campaign, will provide further advancements in these areas.”
The New Faces of Local Philanthropy
Michael Murphy
The San Diego Foundation 2014 giveBIG, an online giving event, was a huge success, raising more than $1 million in just 24 hours through 5,942 gifts that benefited 353 local charities. Adrienne Vargas, chief giving officer of the San Diego Foundation, said, “We have always known that San Diegans are generous. When we asked them to support this great cause, they certainly answered.”
“Philanthropy is all about investing in our community and in our future. Nonprofits exist due to the generosity and support of philanthropists who believe in these institutions and their abilities to effectively improve the quality of life in our communities by delivering important services and programs,” said Michael Murphy, managing director of the Old Globe Theatre. “The ways and reasons why San Diegans contribute are vast, but making a difference through charitable giving is what matters to everyone.”
Thanks to all who give of time, talent, and treasure to the many organizations in San Diego for the betterment of our entire community.
Joyce Glazer
Joyce Glazer
Joyce Glazer
Publication Director
The New Faces of Local Philanthropy
Bill Littlejohn
