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San Diego Seniors Community Foundation

EIN 81-4910505 · San Diego, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceGood86 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND ACTION TOWARD ISSUES IMPACTING SENIORS AND TO INCREASE PHILANTHROPY TO SENIOR-FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS. TOGETHER, WE CAN CREATE A FUTURE WHERE SENIORS ARE NO LONGER VULNERABLE BUT VIBRANT.

Income
$952,127
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
3.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
4
Volunteers
10
Highest pay
$100,920, cfo/coo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 27% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $1.0 million spent. THE SAN DIEGO SENIORS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (SDSCF) IS COMMITTED TO ENHANCING THE LIVES OF OLDER ADULTS. THIS YEAR, WE EXPANDED OUR IMPACTFUL INITIATIVES AND FORGED NEW PARTNERSHIPS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SENIOR IN SAN DIEGO FEELS SUPPORTED, VALUED, AND CONNECTED.LONGEVITY: IN 2026, THE SAN DIEGO SENIORS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LAUNCHED THE LONGEVITY INITIATIVE AIMING TO STRENGTHEN OLDER ADULTS' OVERALL HEALTH WITH INNOVATIVE LONGEVITY HUBS IN SAN DIEGO. AMID LOCATING A PHYSICAL LOCATION, SDSCF HAS NOT STOPPED PURSUING LONGEVITY FOR OLDER ADULTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LOWER TO MIDDLE INCOME SO ALL CAN HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PUBLIC HEALTH RESOURCES. WE HAVE AWARDED OVER $50,000 TO LOCAL SENIOR SERVING ORGANIZATIONS FROM RURAL REGIONS TO URBAN SAN DIEGO TO ASSIST OLDER ADULTS IN THEIR EVER-PRESENT NEEDS OF FINANCIAL STABILITY, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS, SOCIAL INTERACTION, AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. WE HAVE LAUNCHED PROGRAMMING FROM FALLS PREVENTION ACROSS SAN DIEGO COUNTY WITH OUR SAVING CLAIRE PARTNER THAT TRAINS COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES TO TEACH FALLS PREVENTION WITHIN OLDER ADULT COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED LONGEVITY PROGRAMMING WITHIN EXISTING SENIOR CENTERS INCLUDING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND BILINGUAL RESOURCE NAVIGATION. SDSCF HAS FUNDED WEEKLY ART WORKSHOPS THAT UNITE THREE SMALL, GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED COMMUNITIES. THROUGH ART-MAKING AND HANDWRITTEN JOURNALING, THE PROGRAM STIMULATES COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT, REDUCES SOCIAL ISOLATION, AND BUILDS NEW RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PARTICIPANTS. EMPOWERING SENIOR CENTERS:THE EMPOWER SAN DIEGO SENIOR CENTER CAMPAIGN REMAINS CENTRAL TO OUR MISSION. IN 2025, WE SUPPORTED MORE UNDERFUNDED SENIOR CENTERS THROUGH STRATEGIC GRANTS THAT EXPAND PROGRAMMING AND STRENGTHEN OPERATIONS. THESE CENTERS SERVE AS VITAL COMMUNITY HUBS WHERE OLDER ADULTS CONNECT AND THRIVE. WE'RE NOW INTEGRATING OUR SENIOR CENTER MASTER PLAN WITH SAN DIEGO COUNTY'S STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, WORKING TOWARD OUR VISION OF TRANSFORMING EVERY SENIOR CENTER INTO AN EXEMPLARY FACILITY THAT DELIVERS COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES TAILORED TO OUR AGING POPULATION'S DIVERSE NEEDS. NO SENIOR ALONE CAMPAIGN:OUR NO SENIOR ALONE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN A HEARTWARMING SUCCESS. WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE OVER 180,000 ELDER ORPHANS IN SAN DIEGO, SDSCF IS DEDICATED TO COMBATTING SENIOR ISOLATION THROUGH OUR VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES. IN EARLY 2025, WE SENT CLOSE TO 1,000 SENIORS TO THE SAN DIEGO SAFARI PARK FOR THE FIRST TIME. THIS INITIATIVE PROVIDED A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE FOR MANY OLDER ADULTS, COMBATING ISOLATION, AND BRINGING JOY TO THEIR LIVES. OUR NO SENIOR ALONE FOR THE HOLIDAYS WAS ABLE TO SERVE OVER 28 SENIOR CENTERS, ENSURING OLDER ADULTS HAD SOMEWHERE TO GO AND CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS TO REDUCE SOCIAL ISOLATION. IN SUMMER OF 2026, SDSCF SENT OVER 100 OLDER ADULTS TO THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FAIR FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME BY PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION AND FREE TICKETS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING SUCH EFFORTS, ENSURING THAT EVERY SENIOR HAS OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT AND ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. ELDER FRAUD PREVENTION AND FINANCIAL STABILITY:WITHIN SAN DIEGO, SENIORS LOST AT LEAST $140 MILLION TO ELDER-FRAUD SCAMS IN 2025, WITH NUMBERS CONTINUING TO RISE, AND THAT FIGURE INCLUDES ONLY REPORTED EVENTS. TO COMBAT THIS, SDSCF HAS IMPLEMENTED EXTENSIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING OF ELDER FRAUD PREVENTION AND FINANCIAL SECURITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FBI CITIZENS ACADEMY, WELLS FARGO, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. DURING THE 2025-2026 YEAR, WE EDUCATED OVER 2,500 OLDER ADULTS THROUGH OVER 20 ELDER FRAUD AND FINANCIAL STABILITY WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION IN SAN DIEGO, ORANGE COUNTY, AND LOS ANGELES TO IDENTIFY AND REPORT SCAMS AND FINANCIAL ABUSE. SENIOR CENTER MASTER PLAN, STATE OF SENIORS REPORT, AND THE SAN DIEGO SENIOR CENTER COALITION:SDSCF HAS CONDUCTED IN-DEPTH RESEARCH ON SAN DIEGO'S AGING SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE, RESULTING IN TWO LANDMARK REPORTS: THE SENIOR CENTER MASTER PLAN AND THE STATE OF SENIORS REPORT. THESE REPORTS HIGHLIGHT THE URGENT NEED TO EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN THE AGING NETWORK, WHICH CURRENTLY LACKS THE CAPACITY TO MEET BOTH PRESENT DEMANDS AND THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE OLDER ADULT POPULATION IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. IN MARCH OF 2026, WE LAUNCHED THE UPDATED VERSION OF THE STATE OF SENIORS REPORT WITH MEDIA COVERAGE AND LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND FUNDERS TO ANNOUNCE OUR LONGEVITY HUBS AND LONGEVITY PROGRAMMING AWARDING GRANTS TO THREE DIFFERENT SENIOR SERVING ORGANIZATIONS TO ASSIST IN OLDER ADULT SUPPORT ACROSS SAN DIEGO COUNTY.SDSCF ESTABLISHED THE SAN DIEGO SENIOR CENTER COALITION, A COLLABORATIVE OF SENIOR CENTERS AND AGING SERVICE PROVIDERS, FOCUSED ON BUILDING CAPACITY, ADVANCING EQUITY, PROMOTING COLLABORATION, SHARING INFORMATION, AND DRIVING ADVOCACY TO ENSURE ALL OLDER ADULTS ARE SUPPORTED.NATIONAL RECOGNITION AND COLLABORATION:OUR INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO SENIOR CARE IS BEING RECOGNIZED ON A NATIONAL SCALE. WITH GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM WELLS FARGO, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE FBI CITIZENS ACADEMY TO HOLD ELDER FRAUD PREVENTION SEMINARS TAUGHT BY FBI AGENTS. THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN EDUCATING OVER 2,500 SENIORS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF FRAUD. OUR PARTNER AGENCY, FBISDCAA, RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR OUR COLLABORATIVE WORK, HIGHLIGHTING THE POSITIVE IMPACT WE'VE MADE IN PROTECTING AND EMPOWERING SENIORS. OUR SENIOR CENTER COALITION HAS ALSO RECEIVED NATIONAL ATTENTION BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON AGING, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SENIOR CENTERS, AND OTHER STATES SUCH AS OREGON ARE NOW REPLICATING OUR MODEL IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE ALSO ATTENDED NUMEROUS INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES SUCH AS LONGEVITY VENTURE SUMMIT AND USA AGING WHERE SDSCF PRESENTED ON KEY OLDER ADULT ISSUES AND OUR CONTINUOUS WORK WITHIN THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE. INTERGENERATIONAL GRANTMAKING AND PROGRAMS:IN 2025, WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SEVERAL INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMS IN COMPANIONSHIP WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS LET'S PLAY A GAME AND GLAMOUR GALS. ADDITION

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2026.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2017.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego (San Diego, CA), EIN 95-2504044. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.