Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation Grant

Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Thomas C Ackerman Foundation
Last Updated: January 16, 2026

Summary

The Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation Grant supports K-12 educational programs in San Diego, focusing on mathematics, sciences, arts, and music. Established in 1991, it aims to assist local non-profits in becoming self-sustaining. Organizations eligible for funding must have operated for over a year without prior funding from the Foundation in the last 24 months. The Foundation seeks to address funding challenges faced by local groups while fostering economic development in the community.

Overview

Background The Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation was founded on August 6, 1991, and funded with the substantial assets received from the Thomas C. Ackerman estate. The Board of Directors was assembled, fully constituted, and put into place, and initial guidelines and objectives for grant making were adopted. The purpose of the Foundation, as set forth in its bylaws, is broad based in focus and with a clear mandate that consideration is given to qualified organizations within the San Diego community which Mr. Ackerman expressed an interest in during his lifetime and illustrious career. The Foundation has a keen interest and focus on K through 12th grade education, arts, and music while fostering the continuing economic development of San Diego. There is a practical recognition that local San Diego based non-profit groups have a small universe to choose from in obtaining funding within our community and we seek to be a local solution to that challenge. The Foundation has developed a general policy to provide funds or incentive grants for projects which eventually become self-sustaining or for which other sources of funds may later be obtained. The Board does not provide continuous support for any project to the extent that the project becomes dependent on the Foundation for its existence. However, the Board may choose in some cases to make multi-year commitments where this need has been determined and is compelling.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The specific guidelines regarding eligibility are as follows:ONE: The organization supports or operates a formal classroom K through 12th grade program, of which the primary purpose, curriculum, or object emphasizes the teaching of mathematics or the sciences and/or the application of or development of skills related to art and/or the performing arts and music.TWO: The organization has been established and operated within San Diego County for more than one year and has not been funded by the Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation within the last 24 months.

Ineligibility

An application submitted by an organization or on behalf of any program that the Foundation, in its absolute discretion, determines for any reason not to be eligible, will be rejected.