The Kinship Fund’s Partner Grants are designed to foster long-term collaborations with nonprofit organizations operating in San Diego County. These grants aim to dismantle systemic barriers that have historically impeded youth from accessing opportunities and perpetuated cycles of poverty, educational inequity, and mass incarceration. With a dedicated focus on women and girls, the Partner Grants emphasize programs centered around whole-person well-being, resilience, and systems change.
Established in 2023 as an initiative of the Nancy Neffson and Wetmore Family Foundation, The Kinship Fund carries forward the vision of its founder, Nancy Neffson, to build a more equitable world for women and girls. Guided by values such as humility, honesty, and mutual accountability, the Fund intentionally redistributes power within philanthropy and prioritizes relationships over reporting. It seeks to learn directly from communities closest to the challenges being addressed, aligning actions with words in a trust-based grantmaking model.
Eligible applicants for the Partner Grants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) designation or those operating under a fiscal sponsor. The Fund welcomes grassroots and emerging organizations that align with its mission, and does not provide grants to individuals or for individual scholarships. A variety of grant types are available, including general operating support, capacity-building, seed funding for new initiatives, project support, matching or challenge grants, and innovation-focused awards.
The application process consists of two phases: an initial Letter of Interest (LOI) and, for selected organizations, a subsequent full proposal. For the 2025 cycle, the LOI phase closed earlier due to high interest. Organizations invited to submit full applications were required to do so by May 9, 2025. Selected applicants are to be notified on April 21, 2025. The Fund is committed to reducing the administrative burden of application and reporting processes and works to streamline timelines between application and award.
Grants are multi-year in nature and reflect the Fund’s commitment to sustained support. While the 2025 application window has closed, interested organizations may register on The Kinship Fund Grant Portal to receive notifications of future funding rounds. This approach underscores The Kinship Fund’s commitment to accessibility and continuous relationship-building within the San Diego nonprofit ecosystem.
Build trust-based relationships; streamline reporting and focus on alignment with fund values.
