The Nonprofit Institute at USD Presents Local Nonprofits with Prestigious Awards for Their Impact on San Diego County Communities

The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego today announced San Diego Food System Alliance as the 2024 winner of the prestigious Kaleidoscope Award for Good Governance during its 20th Annual Nonprofit Governance Symposium. This award recognizes, celebrates, promotes, and inspires excellence in nonprofit governance in the San Diego region.

San Diego Food System Alliance is a network of leaders in San Diego County— farmers, fishermen, food business owners, workers, organizers, policymakers, funders, and residents— committed to building a food system that works for everyone. There are more than 12,000 nonprofits in the San Diego region, each with its own board of directors. In order for the nonprofit sector to have maximum impact, each of these boards needs to function at the highest level. “We are quite pleased to honor the San Diego Food System Alliance for embodying governance practices that disrupt traditional paradigms of governance, emphasizing advocacy and a lived experience of equity,” commented Zachary Green, co-executive director of The Nonprofit Institute.

This year, The Nonprofit Institute also introduced an inaugural award for governance in the field of philanthropy called, the TRUST award of Excellence in Philanthropy for Governance Practices, Social Equity and Community Impact. The award spotlights the work of a public or private foundation board that aligns their mission with community needs, responsibly manages resources, upholds transparency, and contributes to long-term positive impacts in the areas they aim to address. The winner of this inaugural award is Alliance Healthcare Foundation, which works to advance health and wellness for people who face significant barriers to better health. 

“Our region benefits when we have a strong philanthropy sector to complement our vibrant nonprofit sector. The award committee found Alliance Healthcare Foundation to be most deserving of this honor and we are proud to have them as the inaugural recipient. Their governance practices demonstrated a strong commitment to learning from the nonprofits they support as well as an emphasis on integrating a variety of voices and perspectives into their grantmaking,” said Laura Deitrick, co-executive director of The Nonprofit Institute.

The Nonprofit Institute is housed in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego. The institute provides education, training and research to strengthen organizations that help meet community needs. The Nonprofit Institute’s work advances the University of San Diego’s commitment to academic excellence, expanding liberal and professional knowledge and preparing a diverse and inclusive community of leaders who are dedicated to ethical conduct and compassionate service.

About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is among the Top 20 Best Private Schools for Making an Impact according to The Princeton Review. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.