When Washington cuts funding and changes eligibility rules, families here don’t stop needing food, healthcare, or help making ends meet.

So instead of waiting around, we got to work — finding a smarter way to stretch every taxpayer dollar and help protect the services San Diegans rely on.

And we just signed the dotted line to move a new game-changing partnership into action.

Doubling Your Dollars

We officially launched the Partnership to Protect San Diegans last month — an innovative public-philanthropic initiative between the County and San Diego Foundation — to protect critical safety-net programs serving local families and do more with what we have.

Here’s the idea: Don’t just spend tax dollars — multiply them.

By pairing existing County funding with philanthropic dollars, we’re able to double the impact of the County tax dollars invested into this new matching fund, while also protecting critical services and keeping support flowing to the people who need it most.

A New Way to Protect Seniors, Kids, and More

Why does this matter right now? 

Because federal funding cuts and new eligibility requirements are putting real pressure on local families:

• Nearly 100,000 San Diegans are at risk of losing food assistance
  
  
• Another 400,000 residents face new hurdles just to keep their healthcare

When Washington makes decisions that hurt our communities, local governments are left holding the responsibility. We can’t control what happens in Washington — but we can control how we respond. And in San Diego, we’re choosing to act.

The Power of this Partnership

This partnership with San Diego Foundation is built around a simple principle: use every dollar wisely — and make it go further.

• A Matching Stabilization Fund administered by San Diego Foundation will preserve up to $16 million in nonprofit services this year
• San Diego Foundation will contribute $4 million to match a $4 million County investment in the San Diego Unity Fund — created by San Diego Foundation in direct response to federal funding cuts — will generate up to $8 million for food, housing, and healthcare programs
• More than $3 million in taxpayer savings this year — freeing up resources to stabilize essential services

That means more meals, more stability, and more care — without cutting services residents depend on.

Doing More With Less

Before asking taxpayers to do more, San Diego County is doing the hard work first — finding efficiencies, building partnerships, and making sure every dollar delivers real results.

Because protecting San Diegans doesn’t mean choosing between fiscal responsibility and compassion. It’s about delivering both.

When Washington cuts, San Diego gets creative — and steps up.