Pride Community Grant Program

The San Diego Pride Community Grants program is a philanthropic initiative of San Diego Pride, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization known for its robust commitment to education, advocacy, and financial support for LGBTQIA+ communities. Since its inception in 1998, this program has distributed more than $3 million to organizations that serve LGBTQIA+ individuals, making it one of the most impactful and philanthropic Pride-related grant programs globally. San Diego Pride’s grantmaking approach centers equity and justice. Funding priorities are directed toward programs that serve marginalized populations within the LGBTQIA+ community, including youth, people of color, transgender individuals, people living with HIV/AIDS, seniors, and women. Applicants whose projects align with the organization’s Pillars of Justice and that meaningfully center the voices of community members living at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities are given preference during evaluation. Eligibility for the Community Grants program is open to organizations, groups, or coalitions that provide direct services or programming in line with San Diego Pride’s mission to foster pride, equality, and respect for LGBTQIA+ individuals. Applicants must either be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit or work with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Organizations with annual budgets exceeding $1 million are ineligible, as are initiatives not centered on LGBTQIA+ individuals or those that provide less than 50% programming for LGBTQIA+ communities. Grant funding is not available for individual aid, political campaigns, capital campaigns, endowment contributions, or fundraising event support. Funds awarded through this program must be spent during the 2025 calendar year, and recipients are expected to submit final reports in October 2025. The grants cycle typically opens in October, although exact dates vary year to year. Based on past practice, the 2025 grant cycle is anticipated to open in October. Applicants needing support with the application process can contact the San Diego Pride philanthropy team at philanthropy@sdpride.org, allowing 2–3 business days for a response. This support underscores the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and capacity-building for grassroots and community-led groups.