San Diego Tourism Marketing District
SAN DIEGO TOURISM MARKETING, based in San Diego, California, is listed as a public charity filing Form 990. It is the nonprofit corporation representing the San Diego Tourism Marketing District (SDTMD), which pools assessments from qualifying lodging businesses and allocates funding to marketing programs and services intended to increase overnight stays at assessed hotels in the City of San Diego.
San Diego Tourism Marketing District at a glance
In short: San Diego Tourism Marketing District gave $50.4M across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $2.7M), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $50,371,932
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +58.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,651,154
- -38.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $67,649
- Total assets
- $22,992,122
- -28.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to San Diego Tourism Marketing District
- How to Apply
-
The FY2028 general application is scheduled to become available September 18, 2026, and is due by 5 p.m. on November 13, 2026. Applicants are encouraged to attend a workshop before applying.
- Review Cycle
- November 13, 2026, for the FY2028 general application. The stated deadline for annual San Diego Tourism Authority funding requests is February 6, 2026.
- Deadline
- November 13, 2026, for the FY2028 general application.
- Next open deadline
- November 15, 2026 (SDTMD Tourism Marketing Grants (Annual Competitive Grants))
- Contact
Mailing address: 750 B Street Ste 1500, San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 209-6108
Website: https://sdtmd.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from San Diego Tourism Marketing District
Who San Diego Tourism Marketing District funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was San Diego Tourism Authority ($47.1M). Together the top 10 received $50.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 20 grants of 57 (35%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Funding is for events and programs that drive visitors to the City of San Diego and its district hotels with 70 or more rooms. The district’s boundaries coincide with the city boundaries.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
How San Diego Tourism Marketing District gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $21.0M (2021) to $51.5M (2024). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $50.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Tourism Authority San Diego, CA | PSA 1 | $47,139,653 |
| Sports SD Inc San Diego, CA | PSA 1 | $1,738,994 |
| Wonderfront Holdings LLC La Jolla, CA | PSA 1 | $249,435 |
| Thunderboats Unlimted Club Inc San Diego, CA | PSA 1 | $200,000 |
| San Diego Crew Classic San Diego, CA | PSA 1 | $156,500 |
| Padres LP San Diego, CA | PSA 1 | $150,000 |
| San Diego Bayfest LLC San Diego, CA | PSA 1 | $121,530 |
| La Jolla Historical Society La Jolla, CA | PSA 1 | $74,500 |
| California Police Athletic Federati San Diego, CA | PSA 1 | $71,000 |
| The Bon Temps Social Club of SD San Diego, CA | PSA 1 | $67,649 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $22,992,122 | $52,841,932 | $51,912,652 | $50,371,932 | 19 | $1,028,501 |
| 2024 | $32,195,113 | $53,796,685 | $52,810,528 | $51,492,095 | 12 | $756,983 |
| 2023 | $33,444,034 | $41,786,236 | $41,140,630 | $40,006,999 | 15 | $513,544 |
| 2022 | $25,387,973 | $27,784,986 | $27,629,835 | $26,525,681 | 10 | $117,964 |
| 2021 | $15,230,708 | $22,278,392 | $21,976,642 | $20,955,905 | 1 | $264,530 |
| 2020 | $21,579,574 | $39,210,244 | $38,612,377 | $37,254,176 | 17 | $626,920 |
| 2019 | $37,801,938 | $45,650,397 | $45,105,780 | $43,533,953 | 14 | $663,188 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states that it serves as a funding conduit for developing and implementing effective marketing programs and services that benefit assessed businesses within the district. Its stated purpose is to improve lodging room-night consumption in the City of San Diego. Funding recipients must demonstrate measurable return on investment, measured by incremental new room nights generated.
The annual competitive program supports tourism-generating events and marketing programs, including sporting events, cultural and arts festivals, and food and wine festivals. The district also identifies events during traditionally slower travel periods as a focus for promoting year-round tourism.
Examples of supported organizations include Sports San Diego, whose stated mission is to generate tourism, visibility, and economic impact for the region by producing the Holiday Bowl and other events; San Diego Crew Classic, which aims to stage a premier spring rowing regatta; and La Jolla Historical Society, which presents programs, exhibitions, and research on the region’s history and culture. Other 2025 recipients included Youth Tennis San Diego and the San Diego Diplomacy Council.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 19 grants totaling $50,371,932. Grant amounts ranged from $17,100 to $47,139,653, with a median of $67,649. The largest recipient was San Diego Tourism Authority, which received $47,139,653. Other notable 2025 grants included Sports SD Inc. ($1,738,994), Wonderfront Holdings LLC ($249,435), Thunderboats Unlimited Club Inc. ($200,000), San Diego Crew Classic ($156,500), Padres LP ($150,000), San Diego Bayfest LLC ($121,530), and La Jolla Historical Society ($74,500).
General applicants other than the destination marketing organization may apply during the annual fall application period. Applicants submit an application for specific sales and marketing programs, including organizational information, a proposed budget, and a narrative explaining how funds would be spent and the expected effect on lodging room-night revenue at assessed hotels. The district recommends attending an application workshop. Supplemental applications may be considered if funds are available; the district recommends a preliminary discussion with its Executive Director. The separate destination marketing organization application is for San Diego Tourism Authority only.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Colleen Anderson as Executive Director; Richard Bartell as Chair; Summer Shoemaker as Vice Chair; Scott Hermes as Treasurer; and Joe Terzi as Secretary. Other listed board members are Patsy Bock, Robert Gleason, Elvin Lai, April Shute, and Tom Tabler.
San Diego Tourism Marketing District is led by Richard Bartell, Chairman on every filing since 2019; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Richard Bartell
Chairman
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Colleen Anderson
Executive Di
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$233K (2020) → $281K (2025)
Joe Terzi
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Summer Shoemaker
Vice Chair
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Hermes
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elvin Lai
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
April Shute
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Tabler
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patsy Bock
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Gleason
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Ilsa Butler (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: C. Terry Brown (2019–2023) — Vice Chairman
- Former: Daniel Kuperschmid (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Alyssa Turowski (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Steve Cowan (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Vikram Sood (2019–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Tim Herrmann (2019–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Isla Butler (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Brian Hughes (2019) — Former Executive
- Former: Matt Greene (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $281K, to Colleen Anderson (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about San Diego Tourism Marketing District
How much does San Diego Tourism Marketing District give each year?
San Diego Tourism Marketing District gave $50.4M across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $51.5M across 12 grants.
What is San Diego Tourism Marketing District's typical grant size?
San Diego Tourism Marketing District's median grant in 2025 was $67,649, and its average grant was $2,651,154, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does San Diego Tourism Marketing District give grants?
San Diego Tourism Marketing District gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (13 grants), La Jolla, CA (2 grants) and El Cajon, CA (2 grants).
Does San Diego Tourism Marketing District give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on San Diego Tourism Marketing District's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "PSA 1" (19 grants).
Who are San Diego Tourism Marketing District's largest grantees?
San Diego Tourism Marketing District's largest 2025 grantees include San Diego Tourism Authority ($47,139,653), Sports SD Inc ($1,738,994) and Wonderfront Holdings LLC ($249,435), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 98% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is San Diego Tourism Marketing District?
San Diego Tourism Marketing District reported $23.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $52.8M.
What does San Diego Tourism Marketing District fund?
The organization states that it serves as a funding conduit for developing and implementing effective marketing programs and services that benefit assessed businesses within the district. Its stated purpose is to improve lodging room-night consumption in the City of San Diego. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from San Diego Tourism Marketing District?
The FY2028 general application is scheduled to become available September 18, 2026, and is due by 5 p.m. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is San Diego Tourism Marketing District's EIN?
San Diego Tourism Marketing District's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-2646009. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 10, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 28, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 23, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 27, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in San Diego Tourism Marketing District's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). San Diego Tourism Marketing District funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/san-diego-tourism-marketing-district-morg_3e521ce2c90d4be5a2a0453610020d8d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_262646009_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{San Diego Tourism Marketing District funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/san-diego-tourism-marketing-district-morg_3e521ce2c90d4be5a2a0453610020d8d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from San Diego Tourism Marketing District's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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