ESCONDIDO — The Escondido Community Foundation, a regional affiliate of San Diego Foundation, awarded $212,000 to seven local nonprofits at its Annual Grants Award Celebration on Sept. 26 at the California Center for the Arts.
Since 2007, the Escondido Community Foundation (ECF) has granted more than $4 million to more than 140 programs dedicated enhancing the Escondido community. The foundation also donated the community arch sign on Grand Avenue, valued at $1 million, a few years ago.
“This year’s focus was on getting people outside and enjoying all that Escondido has to offer with structures designed to welcome, educate and protect our residents,” said ECF Board Chair Jan Jones. “These grants will provide much-needed funds for our community organizations to build or revitalize community spaces.”
The 2024 grants include:
- $24,000 to Escondido Community Child Development Center Inc. to build a sensory-friendly playground at Boyce Preschool, providing a safe and enjoyable outdoor space for approximately 500 young children, their families and staff and nearby residents;
- $30,000 to Escondido Creek Conservancy to transform a section of Escondido Creek Conservancy’s Mountain Meadow Preserve into an outdoor classroom and event space featuring enhanced accessibility, including shade structures, misters, a water station, recycled eucalyptus benches, picnic tables, a dedicated teaching station, tracking station, a state-of-the-art kiosk and lighting;
- $40,000 to the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum for an updated hands-on Water Wise Exhibit, an interactive and engaging outdoor gathering space that includes a water play area;
- $18,000 to the San Diego Mountain Biking Association for the volunteer-led restoration of the Daley Ranch Trail to address dangerous trail conditions such as erosion, trail tread failure, downstream sediment runoff and unintended trail widening;
- $40,000 to the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority for the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead Pavilion to attract more visitors, leading to a significant increase in attendance at educational programs, community events and recreational activities, and provide a space for community events such as festivals, farmers markets and cultural celebrations;
- $27,000 to San Pasqual High School for shade structures at school athletic facilities, providing shade and wind and rain shelters for those playing soccer, field hockey, football, girls flag football, tennis and outdoor basketball or running track at the stadium; and
- $33,000 to The Friends of Daley Ranch – $33,000 to provide new and upgrade existing outdoor learning and recreation space at Daley Ranch to encourage family picnics and for use during seventh grade field trips, including bilingual informational signs.
