Hand to Hand Grant

Hand to Hand is a grant program administered by the Coastal Community Foundation in collaboration with the San Diego Foundation. Its mission is to make a tangible impact on the lives of women and girls in San Diego County by directing resources to programs that foster empowerment and self-sufficiency. Through this initiative, the funders aim to support organizations that create and expand opportunities for women and girls to thrive within their communities. The primary purpose of the Hand to Hand Grant is to support new programs or services or to expand and enhance existing programs that serve women and girls in San Diego County. Submitted requests must align with the funder's mission and should address at least one of the following focus areas: education and job training for women, programs assisting women re-entering the workforce, mentoring initiatives for women and/or girls, and health and wellness programs tailored to women and/or girls. Funding for this grant cycle ranges from $5,000 to $15,000 per award, with the grant period lasting one year beginning in November 2025. Grants will not be awarded to individuals, for special events, endowments, religious or political advocacy, research, capital campaigns, or programs operating outside of San Diego County. Additionally, the funder will not consider programs that will be completed before November 2025 or applications from organizations with branch or local chapter budgets exceeding $10 million. Preference will be given to organizations with budgets under $2 million. All applicants must be 501(c)(3) public charities that have been in existence for at least two years and are required to host a scheduled site visit if selected as a finalist. Applicants must submit their applications via the Foundant online system. The application process includes completing a form to confirm eligibility, followed by a detailed application that covers organizational information, project details, and financial documentation. Required elements include a project description, purpose, goals, outcomes, evaluation methods, population served, alignment with the funder's mission, and budget details. Applicants must also provide their organization's mission statement, history, annual budget, recent IRS Form 990, and details on staff, volunteers, and board participation. Evaluation criteria focus on how well the proposed project aligns with the mission of Hand to Hand and its focus areas. The application timeline is as follows: the request for proposals opens on May 30, 2025, and applications close at 5:00 p.m. PDT on July 15, 2025. Finalists will participate in site visits in September 2025, with awards announced on November 1, 2025. A grant celebration is scheduled for November 20, 2025, and final reports from grantees will be requested in October 2026. For any questions regarding the program or technical issues with the online application, applicants may contact Eve Childs at echilds@sdfoundation.org. No phone number is provided. The grant guidelines emphasize transparency and a clear structure, ensuring that applicants understand the requirements and expectations of the Hand to Hand Grant process.