Learning

We know that no single model of organizational learning can perfectly capture the complexity of real-world work. 

Instead, we are committed to developing a framework that draws on best practices, but which is deeply grounded in the specific strengths, needs and realities of our organization and community. This approach puts a priority on agility, informed judgment, and collaboration, ensuring our processes are responsive and adaptable to the ever-changing landscape of San Diego.

We also recognize that learning is a dynamic process. It involves continuous questioning, exploring, and synthesizing new information to generate deeper understanding and spark innovation. As Peter Senge suggested in The Fifth Discipline, a learning organization is one where individuals of an organization continually question and expand their capacity to achieve the results they truly desire. A learning organization can also be characterized as being an environment where everyone encourages fresh thinking and shares collective aspirations. Our goal is to foster this type of learning within our organization and with our community partners.

What, then, does ​‘learning’ look like for the foundation?

Learning within our foundation includes a range of practices — such as engaging advisory groups, gathering grantee feedback, building learning communities and networks, pursuing applied research and thought partnerships, capacity building for both staff and grantees, using technology and data tools, and, most commonly, embedding a culture of ongoing assessment and evaluation. 

A key component of our approach is recognizing that assessment and evaluation are tools for learning, rather than merely a mechanism for compliance or top-down accountability. We want to draw reasonable conclusions about our work, allowing us to make informed decisions about continuing or adjusting our strategies. We are not looking to prove that our activities are the sole drivers of success. Instead, we aim to build confidence that we are making a positive contribution to our community. This perspective allows us to focus on learning from our efforts rather than proving impact through rigid and/​or irrelevant metrics.

Our commitment to learning also extends to our relationships with grantees. 

Too often, traditional evaluation methods treat grantees as mere sources of data, placing the burden of proof solely on them. We aim to shift this dynamic by treating grantees as partners in learning. Together, we will define and work towards achieving results, ensuring that evaluation practices serve our shared goals. We hope that this approach will help create an environment where funders and grantees learn and grow together.

In line with these principles, our evaluation practices are grounded in equity and cultural responsiveness. 

We believe that evaluation should be a tool for advancing equity by addressing systemic inequities at every stage, from planning and implementation. This means examining not only how our strategies affect diverse populations but also engaging communities to co-create solutions that address the root causes of these disparities. We are also expanding our definitions of validity and rigor, understanding that an overreliance on numerical data can sometimes hide deeper insights. By fostering shared learning and by creating evaluations in true partnership with others, we aspire for our evaluation processes to empower grantees rather than burden them.

Several emerging trends inform our approach. 

These include supporting and lifting up grantees’ own ​“measures of success” and using grant reports as complements to ongoing conversations rather than substitutes for deeper engagement. Our commitment to building and strengthening relationships means that we place a focus on building strong, lasting partnerships with grantees, rooted in mutual respect and humility. We believe that the best learning happens when funders and grantees work together, exchanging ideas and insights in a spirit of shared purpose.

Finally, our approach is built on the values of courage, excellence, agility, and integrity. 

We are committed to continuous learning through meetings, events, site visits, and research. We recognize that we don’t have all the answers, and our commitment is to remain flexible and open, adjusting our practices and partnerships as we discover what truly works, while also being receptive to/​learning from what does not. Our ultimate goal is to create a shared system of learning that supports not only our mission but also strengthens the broader San Diego community.