Price Philanthropies Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $16.4 million (2023)
Total Assets: $470 million
Grant Range: $1,000 - $2,600,000
Median Grant: $20,000
Geographic Focus: San Diego, CA (primarily City Heights)
Application Status: Not accepting unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: 7777 Fay Ave, Suite 300, La Jolla, CA 92037
Program Office: 4305 University Avenue, Suite 600, San Diego, CA 92105
Phone: (858) 551-2316
Website: www.pricephilanthropies.org

Key Contact: Jennette Shay, Vice President of Grant Making

Overview

Price Philanthropies Foundation was established in 1982 by retail entrepreneur and philanthropist Sol Price and his wife Helen. Today, the foundation is led by their son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Allison Price, continuing the family's legacy of improving life opportunities for underserved youth and families. With assets of approximately $470 million, the foundation distributed $16.4 million through 263 grants in 2023. The foundation makes grants primarily to San Diego nonprofits, with a special focus on organizations serving the City Heights community. In September 2025, Price Philanthropies joined Prebys Foundation and San Diego Foundation to form "United for San Diego," committing an additional $25 million annually to protect access to food, housing, and healthcare amid federal funding cuts—representing the most significant philanthropic collaboration in San Diego's history.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Price Philanthropies provides three types of grants:

General Operating Support: $1,000 - $2,600,000 (supporting organizational sustainability)
Program Grants: $1,000 - $600,000+ (funding specific initiatives)
Capital Grants: Varies (supporting infrastructure and facilities)

Recent Major Grants (2023-2024):

San Diego State University Research Foundation: $2,600,000
PriceSmart Foundation: $1,600,000
San Diego Unified School District: $894,000
Interfaith Community Services: $655,000
UC San Diego Health Behavioral Health Hub: $10,000,000 (multi-year commitment)
California State University San Marcos Mental Health Program: $10,000,000 (multi-year, three-year accelerated behavioral health degree)

Priority Areas

Education: School-based and school-connected programs in City Heights schools (Rosa Parks Elementary, Monroe Clark and Wilson Middle, Hoover High). Programs include School in the Park, academic support, and scholarships for high school seniors.

Mental Health: Launched in 2015, this initiative focuses on improving San Diego's mental health system of care for youth and families. Grantmaking prioritizes safety net programs serving primarily Medi-Cal, uninsured, and underinsured families. The foundation focuses on this area because 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, with 75% beginning by age 24.

Healthcare: School-based health centers at Rosa Parks and Central Elementary, Monroe Clark Middle, and Hoover High Schools. Investments in expansions of La Maestra Community Health Center, Mid-City Pediatric Clinic, City Heights Family Health Center, and Rady Children's Hospital Urgent Care.

Early Childhood Education: Programs and facilities supporting early learning and childcare.

Immigrants Rights: Organizations supporting immigrant communities, particularly in City Heights.

Housing and Community Development: The City Heights Initiative (created in 1994) provides loans to subsidize development of low-income housing, businesses, schools, and nonprofit centers.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation focuses almost exclusively on San Diego's City Heights neighborhoods and related citywide initiatives. Organizations outside San Diego County or those not aligned with the foundation's core focus areas are unlikely to receive funding.

Governance and Leadership

Board Leadership:

Robert Price, Chairman and President
Jennette Shay, Vice President of Grant Making

Robert Price serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of Price Philanthropies Foundation and the Allison and Robert Price Family Foundation. He was a founder of The Price Company (Price Club) and served as its CEO from 1976 until its merger with Costco Wholesale Corp. Robert Price rarely agrees to be interviewed and avoids the limelight, yet he remains determined to carry on his father's vision for a better society, believing that solutions created through interdisciplinary research and broad conversation offer the best path to developing effective public policy and practices.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Current Status: Price Philanthropies Foundation is not accepting unsolicited grant requests at this time. Current grantees may contact their program officer directly for further information.

For Specific Program Areas (when applications are open): Organizations seeking support for work in early childhood education, mental health, or immigrants rights may email the foundation to set up meetings to discuss opportunities.

For Other Areas: All others must submit letters of inquiry via the foundation's online application portal. Price responds to letters of inquiry within four months. After initial grant requests are reviewed, some applicants will be asked to submit a more comprehensive grant request.

Eligibility:

Must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Grantmaking is San Diego-based with primary focus on City Heights

Getting on Their Radar

Price Philanthropies operates primarily through established relationships and a deep knowledge of the San Diego nonprofit ecosystem, particularly in City Heights. The foundation has specific program officers who work directly with organizations in their focus areas.

Foundation-Specific Approaches:

City Heights Initiative: The foundation has been deeply invested in City Heights since 1994, providing loans and grants for community development. Organizations working in this geographic area are more likely to be on the foundation's radar.
Collaborative Partnerships: Price Philanthropies frequently partners with other major San Diego foundations (Prebys Foundation, San Diego Foundation) and educational institutions (SDSU, UC San Diego, CSUSM). Organizations connected to these collaborative networks may have opportunities for introduction.
Program Officer Relationships: For organizations working in early childhood education, mental health, or immigrant rights, the foundation explicitly encourages reaching out to set up meetings when applications are open, suggesting these program areas have dedicated staff who build relationships proactively.

Decision Timeline

When the foundation was accepting applications, they committed to responding to letters of inquiry within four months. Specific decision timelines for full applications are not publicly documented. Given the relationship-based nature of their grantmaking and focus on multi-year commitments, the foundation appears to work on longer planning cycles rather than rapid turnaround times.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly documented. However, the foundation's pattern of making multi-year grants and maintaining long-term relationships with City Heights organizations suggests they value sustained partnerships over one-time funding.

Application Success Factors

Geographic Alignment is Critical: Price Philanthropies focuses almost exclusively on San Diego's City Heights neighborhoods and citywide initiatives that serve similar populations. Organizations outside this geographic focus are unlikely to be funded.

Long-term Systems Change: The foundation invests in comprehensive, multi-year initiatives rather than short-term projects. Recent examples include the $10 million commitment to UC San Diego's Behavioral Health Hub (supporting development, construction, and first four years of operations through 2028) and the $10 million grant to CSUSM for a three-year accelerated behavioral health degree program.

Safety Net Focus: The mental health initiative specifically "concentrates funding on safety net programs that serve primarily Medi-Cal, uninsured and underinsured families." This focus on serving the most vulnerable populations extends across all funding areas.

Collaborative Approaches: The foundation values partnerships with other institutions. The United for San Diego collaboration demonstrates their commitment to coordinated philanthropic efforts. Organizations that can articulate how their work complements other City Heights initiatives or aligns with broader systems change may be more competitive.

Evidence-Based Programming: The mental health initiative focuses on "improved access, collaboration, early diagnosis and effective and compassionate treatment," suggesting the foundation values programs with clear outcomes and evidence-based approaches.

Educational Pipeline: From early childhood through higher education, the foundation invests heavily in educational opportunities for underserved youth, including direct operation of the Aaron Price Fellows Program for high school students and support for workforce development in behavioral health.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Geographic focus is non-negotiable: If you're not working in San Diego, particularly City Heights, this funder is not appropriate for your organization.
Relationship-based grantmaking: The foundation does not currently accept unsolicited applications and works primarily with organizations they already know. Building relationships through collaborative networks and program officer connections is essential.
Think long-term, think big: Recent grants show the foundation makes substantial multi-year commitments ($10 million+) to initiatives aligned with their priorities. Small, one-time project requests are less aligned with their approach.
Safety net populations are the priority: Demonstrate how your organization serves Medi-Cal, uninsured, and underinsured families—particularly youth and children.
Align with United for San Diego priorities: The foundation's recent commitment to food security, housing stability, and healthcare access in response to federal cuts represents a major strategic direction. Organizations addressing these needs for vulnerable San Diego families should emphasize this alignment.
Leverage educational partnerships: The foundation has strong relationships with SDSU, UC San Diego, and CSUSM. Organizations that can partner with these institutions or demonstrate educational outcomes may have strategic advantages.
Monitor for application reopening: While currently closed to unsolicited applications, the foundation's website and program officers should be monitored for when specific program areas may reopen to new applicants.

References

Accessed December 2025