San Diego Tourism Marketing
San Diego Tourism Marketing encompasses two primary organizations working to promote tourism in the San Diego region:
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$23.0M
-28.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$50.4M
-2.2% YoY
Grant Count
19
+58.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2.7M
-38.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
San Diego Tourism Authority Mission: To drive visitor demand to economically benefit the San Diego region.
Primary Focus Areas:
- National and international marketing programs and online marketing strategies
- Convention center event sales and bookings
- Hotel meetings direct sales
- Destination stewardship and community partnerships
- Small business empowerment in the tourism sector
- Workforce development in tourism, particularly for underrepresented groups
- Sustainability and cultural preservation
Grantmaking
SDTMD allocates substantial annual funding for tourism marketing grants:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All areas within the City of San Diego, with regional promotion extending to San Diego County as a vacation destination and convention site.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
San Diego Tourism Marketing District (SDTMD):
- Total assets: $32,195,113
- Total giving: $51,492,095
San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA):
- Total revenues (2024): $58,534,473
- Total expenses (2024): $58,190,925
- Total assets (2024): $19,014,220
- Number of employees: 78
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $22,992,122 | $32,195,113 | $33,444,034 |
| Revenue | $52,841,932 | $53,796,685 | $41,786,236 |
| Expenses | $51,912,652 | $52,810,528 | $41,140,630 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,028,501 | $756,983 | $513,544 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from San Diego Tourism Marketing
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
SDTMD Board Chair: Richard Bartell
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLLEEN ANDERSON | EXECUTIVE DI | 40 | $281,278 |
| RICHARD BARTELL | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| PATSY BOCK | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ROBERT GLEASON | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SCOTT HERMES | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ELVIN LAI | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SUMMER SHOEMAKER | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| APRIL SHUTE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TOM TABLER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOE TERZI | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
SDTMD announced in July 2024 that it allocated $50.9 million in funding for marketing programs and events for fiscal year 2025, beginning July 1. This year's tourism marketing grants represent the second largest in the organization's history, following a record $52.5 million made available in FY2024.
$50M+ in Marketing Grants for Year-Round TourismThe funding allocation reflects the tourism industry's steady performance in San Diego over the past year. Board Chair Richard Bartell noted the organization's focus on building and nurturing a roster of engaging events that attract more out-of-town visitors to fill more hotel rooms.
$50M in grants go to San Diego Tourism Authority, Padres, Holiday Bowl &The San Diego Tourism Foundation, the official 501(c)(3) affiliate of SDTA, operates current initiatives including the Tourism Accelerator Program and focuses on three impact areas: small business empowerment, workforce development, and destination stewardship.
$50M+ in Marketing Grants for Year-Round TourismSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with San Diego Tourism Marketing on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities