Frequently Asked Questions

Founded through the generous and lasting gift of Conrad Prebys, the foundation awarded its first grants in 2020 and launched public grantmaking in 2021. 

Read more about our history here

Since beginning grantmaking in 2020 with a focus on responding to the COVID-19 crisis, Prebys has evolved toward more strategic, research-informed investments grounded in learning alongside the San Diego community.

Our 2023 Strategy Plan clarified four core priorities — arts and culture, youth success, health and well-being, and medical research — while maintaining flexibility to address urgent regional needs.

Currently, we are continuing to shift toward a more proactive, invitation-based approach to funding, with a focus on sustained efforts, partnerships, and community-driven solutions. Looking ahead, we are deepening our commitments through stronger partnerships to help build a more equitable and dynamic San Diego County.

For more information on our 2026 priorities, you can watch our top of the year webinar here.

Our learning priorities align with our strategic goals, which directly inform our grantmaking. They focus on understanding and addressing barriers to a healthy, resilient San Diego — where accessible and well stewarded green and blue spaces, vibrant arts and culture, and equitable opportunities for healing, well-being, and economic growth are available to all. 

We believe learning is strongest when it is shared. By learning alongside our grantees and community partners, we develop grantmaking and learning strategies that advance our mission and strengthen the broader San Diego community. 

Read more about our approach to learning here 

We define ​“impact” as lasting, sustainable change in systems and in how communities experience, navigate, and shape those systems — not simply positive results from individual or short-term interventions. We recognize that we do not own impact or the stories that demonstrate it; rather, we see ourselves as one participant in a broader ecosystem that helps make impact possible. 

Grounded in this understanding, our approach to measuring impact centers the lived experiences and knowledge of the people and organizations we support. Instead of placing the burden of proof solely on grantees, we partner with them and other community stakeholders to define meaningful short‑, mid‑, and long-term outcomes — the building blocks of impact — and to identify pathways for achieving them. We assess progress using a mix of qualitative and quantitative indicators, including observed shifts in policies and practices, resource flows, narratives, community feedback and lived experience, and other context-specific data. 

We believe learning happens through collaboration. By co-creating solutions and maintaining ongoing dialogue, we aim to build long-term partnerships that strengthen grantees and advance shared impact goals. 

Guided by Conrad Prebys’ legacy, the Foundation strategically invests in four key areas:

• Arts and Culture
• Youth Success
• Health and Well-Being
• Medical Research

Through our strategic plan and ongoing learning with community partners, we also make targeted investments in the broader ecosystem that supports these priorities — strengthening nonprofit capacity, catalytic leadership, and the civic infrastructure and dialogue essential to a thriving San Diego County.

Our funding is focused on initiatives that align with our core priority areas and pillars serving San Diego County. To stay focused and make the greatest impact, we generally do not fund: 

• Capital campaigns or building projects 
• Individual scholarships or tuition assistance 
• One-time fundraising events and sponsorships 
• Endowments 

In general, we award grants to organizations with 501(c)(3) status, those fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3), and tribal entities.

We fund organizations of all sizes, from large institutions to small volunteer-led organizations. Our funding is guided by alignment with our strategic priorities, the strength of the work, and the potential for impact not the size or budget of an organization.

At present, we do not typically award grants directly to individuals. Individuals are instead supported through partnerships and specific initiatives like the Prebys Leadership Awards.

We are a place-based funder focused on San Diego County and support organizations and projects throughout the region, including communities across North County, East County, South County, Central San Diego, and Tribal Nations.

Prebys awards grants aligned with its organizational goals and funding pillars through defined initiatives, which may include open or invitation-only opportunities, as well as through strategic conversations focused on regionwide issues of critical importance. In addition to grantmaking, the Foundation is making impact- and mission-aligned investments to put more of its assets in service of San Diego’s long-term well-being. 

We assess grants based on alignment with each initiative’s goals and criteria, opportunities to invest in underfunded and underserved communities, and our learning priorities. To ensure alignment, applicants are encouraged to read initiative details closely.

We may also consider populations served, geographic location, project design, strength of partnerships, and other factors, depending on the initiative. While there are no requirements around budget and history, organizational health is considered.

In general, the foundation does not sponsor events. 

Reporting varies based on program initiatives, timelines, learning questions, and other initiative-specific factors. In some cases, reporting may involve submitting a narrative detailing successes, challenges, and lessons learned, while in others, it may include site visits where foundation and community partners engage in dialogue to deepen their understanding of a shared project or initiative.

A key component of our approach is recognizing assessment and evaluation as tools for learning. These tools help us draw meaningful conclusions about our work to inform future decisions about continuing or adjusting strategies.

Please refer to Explore Grants for open opportunities, and subscribe to our newsletter for updates.

We invite feedback through designated channels like surveys as well as direct communication. You can also submit feedback through our Contact page.

Yes. 

Foundation staff contact every applicant during the application process by phone and email. Whether your request is funded or not, we are happy to provide feedback during our initial phone call or by scheduling a later time to speak.

Thank you for the important work you are doing! Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee funding beyond the term of an organization’s contract. Please reach out to your program officer with specific questions around renewal. 

Unless otherwise communicated, current grantees are eligible to apply for open opportunities on our grants page. 

The easiest way to connect with foundation staff is to visit our contact page. This will help us gather your information and identify who the right person might be for you to connect with is.

The foundation prioritizes San Diego County but evaluates exceptional cases. Reach out via our contact page for further review. 

If you are a current grantee partner, please contact your program officer for assistance. 

If you are a new user looking to create a Fluxx account, you can find instructions on our resource page. Please keep in mind, all registrations require approval which can take 2 – 3 business days.

You can learn more about our impact investing and Prebys Ventures through the following resources: 

• Impact Investing Approach
• Prebys Ventures Initiative Overview
• Prebys Ventures FAQ 

The Prebys logo and brand guidelines toolkit are available on our resource page. 

Prebys does not require partners and grantees to credit us or mention us in your communications. However, if you choose to mention Prebys in your communications, we encourage you to uplift your stories and program and mention Prebys at the end of your caption, newsletter, etc. 

Here are sample credit lines you may use: 

This {program/​project title} has been made possible in part by Prebys Foundation. 

The {program/​project title} is sponsored by Prebys Foundation. 

Our bi-weekly newsletter helps you stay connected to grant opportunities, community events, and inspiring stories from nonprofit partners and changemakers across San Diego County. 

Sign up here. 

We are legally both The Conrad Prebys Foundation and Prebys Foundation. In our everyday work and outreach, we go by Prebys Foundation, or simply Prebys, to be more approachable and forward-facing. 

Prebys is pronounced preh-biss. 

You can also check out this short video about common mispronunciations and the correct way to pronounce Prebys. 

We do not have a general grant opportunity timeline with traditional cycles like some foundations. Instead, our team works closely with organizations and partners to identify and invite projects that align with our strategic priorities.

As shared in our January 2026 webinar, most funding opportunities are not broadly open to applications.

When opportunities are open — either through the foundation or our partners — they are listed on our grant opportunities page.

To stay connected, we encourage you to:

• Subscribe to our newsletter and email updates for the latest opportunities and announcements
• Follow updates on our website and social media
• Submit an inquiry form to share your work

If you are a current or past Prebys grantee, there is no need to complete the inquiry form unless your organization’s work or focus has changed significantly. Current and past grantees, as well as applicants from 2023 onward, are already in our grantmaking system.

We value the relationships we’ve built with our grantee partners and stay in communication about ongoing work and future opportunities. If you have updates to share or would like to reconnect, we encourage you to reach out to your program officer — we’d love to hear from you.

The inquiry form is the best way for organizations that are new to Prebys to introduce their work to our team. It helps us track outreach, ensure equitable consideration, and connect you with the appropriate staff member.

After you submit an inquiry, you will receive confirmation that your inquiry has been received. Our team will then review your information to better understand your organization and how your work aligns with our priorities. 

For inquiries directed to Programs/​Grantmaking, our Programs team will provide a response, though not all submissions will result in a follow-up call or meeting. If there is strong alignment, a member of our team may reach out to learn more.

For inquiries directed to other areas of the foundation, response and follow-up may vary.

We appreciate you taking the time to share your work with us.

Beyond grantmaking, Prebys invests in leadership development and nonprofit capacity building; advocacy across the major pillars of our grantmaking in arts and culture, health, medical research, and youth success; civic revitalization efforts such as Balboa Park and downtown San Diego; multi-funder collaborations and regional partnerships; impact investing through Prebys Ventures; and efforts to attract new statewide and national resources to the region.

We see our role as more than a funder. We also work to convene partners, strengthen organizations, and help connect ideas, people, and resources to support a thriving San Diego region.

Prebys is continuing to focus its funding on areas where it can have the greatest long-term impact in San Diego County.

Our core program areas remain:

• Arts and culture
• Health and well-being
• Medical research
• Youth success

In addition, Prebys invests in key areas that support the region’s overall vitality, resilience, and well-being including:

• Civic revitalization — using arts and culture, including Balboa Park, to help reactivate downtown San Diego and the civic core
• Local news and nonprofit journalism
• Nonprofit leadership and capacity building
• The Tijuana River Valley, including efforts to address the ongoing sewage crisis
• Impact investing

Strong proposals clearly align with Prebys’ priorities and demonstrate the potential for meaningful, long-term impact in San Diego County.

We look for organizations and ideas that are grounded in community needs, show clear goals and outcomes, and reflect thoughtful collaboration or partnership when appropriate.

Before applying, we encourage organizations to:

• Carefully review the specific grant opportunity and guidelines
• Read through the grant FAQs and available resources
• Familiarize themselves with Prebys’ goals and areas of focus

We also encourage organizations to stay true to their mission rather than modifying their work or proposing projects outside their core expertise simply to fit a funding opportunity.

Clarity, focus, and alignment are key, helping us understand both the work you’re doing and the difference it aims to make.

Timelines for funding decisions can vary.

Because Prebys has moved toward a proactive, invitation-based approach, there is no single, fixed timeline for decisions. Each initiative, whether open or invitation-based, has its own timeline, which is shared directly with applicants.

If your organization is invited to move forward, a member of our team will communicate next steps and timing along the way.

• Submit an inquiry through our website
• Attend webinars and information sessions
• Follow our updates and sign up for communications

Submitting an inquiry is the best way to connect with our team. It helps us track outreach and connect you with the appropriate staff member.

You will receive an automated confirmation when your inquiry is submitted. For more details on what to expect next, please see ​“What happens after I submit an inquiry?”

Prebys focuses its funding on organizations and initiatives that serve San Diego County.

While we do not fund work across the border, we partner with organizations that do and support efforts that address issues impacting the region.

We may also engage in broader initiatives when there is a clear connection to benefiting San Diego County.

Yes. Prebys may provide general operating support when it aligns with our priorities and the goals of a specific initiative.

The type of funding varies by opportunity, so we encourage organizations to review the details of each initiative for guidance.

Yes. Prebys may offer multi-year grants when they align with our priorities and the goals of a specific initiative.

Funding structure varies by opportunity, so details on duration and support will be shared as part of each initiative.

Grant sizes vary widely depending on the initiative, scope of work, and potential impact.

Rather than a standard amount, funding is tailored to align with the goals of each opportunity and the needs of the project.

Prebys values collaboration and supports partnerships when they align with our priorities and the specific grant opportunity.

In addition to funding, we help foster collaboration by bringing organizations together, supporting shared learning, and encouraging partnerships that strengthen impact across San Diego County.