Nonprofit Administration and Management Commons^™

Burning Out: A Narrative Exploration Of The Adaptive Challenge And Scaffolds Built Toward Sustenance Among Immigrant Rights Activists In San Diego County, Anna C. Runion

Dissertations

Activist burnout has been identified as one of the greatest threats to social movement sustainability, and the lived experience of paid immigrant rights activists remains undertheorized. This narrative inquiry explored activist burnout among 10 San Diego County immigrant rights activists, revealing how this community understands burnout, what factors contribute to its production, and how activists sustain themselves within it. Using Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) narrative inquiry methodology, the researcher conducted in-depth individual interviews with ten activists representing a range of intersectional identities and roles. Narrative profiles were analyzed through holistic narrative reading, narrative reporting, structural and emergent coding, and cross-narrative …

Sandag’S Regional Climate Action Planning, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Brenda Castruita

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is the regional planning agency responsible for transportation planning, public transit development, and environmental planning in the San Diego metropolitan area.1 Beyond these focus areas, SANDAG aims to promote sustainable growth, enhance mobility, and improve the quality of life of local citizens through comprehensive planning and collaboration with local governments, communities, and various partners. SANDAG is governed by a Board of Directors made up of elected officials from each of the region's local city councils and County Board of Supervisors. In addition to developing plans for how people and goods will move …

2025 San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative Annual Report, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative is a network for public agencies that serves the San Diego region to share expertise, leverage resources and advance comprehensive solutions to facilitate climate change planning. By partnering with academia, nonprofits, and businesses, the SDRCC also works to leverage the profile of regional leadership. This is the 2025 San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative Annual Report.

2025 State Of Nonprofits And Philanthropy Annual Report, Tessa Tinkler, Cristina Sanchez-Kerr, Laura Deitrick, Eo Hanabusa, Bryan Cardenas, Timothy Nelson, William Piper

State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego

The 2025 State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego examines how federal policy changes, funding volatility, and rising community needs are reshaping the region’s nonprofit sector. Drawing on survey data from nonprofit leaders and employees, public opinion polling, and financial and employment analysis, the report provides an early assessment of the sector’s financial health, workforce capacity, and its role as a primary access point for services such as housing, food, education, healthcare, and the arts. It highlights mounting pressures on nonprofit infrastructure alongside the sector’s enduring strengths in public trust, collaboration, advocacy, and shared investment strategies that will shape …

Connecting Business Innovation & Climate Impact, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Alexander Pourfard, Aranza Ruvalcaba, Fowzia Farah

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The La Mesa Green Business Network (GBN) is a City-led initiative developed in partnership with the San Diego Regional Green Business Network to advance local climate goals by engaging the business community in practical, measurable sustainability actions. Launched in 2022 as part of La Mesa’s Climate Action Plan, the GBN addresses common barriers faced by small and medium-sized businesses such as limited capacity, resources, and technical expertise by providing free, industry-specific consulting, certification, and public recognition. Through tailored guidance on energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and transportation practices, the program translates citywide climate objectives into on-the-ground action while delivering …

Building Resilience Against Coastal Climate Risks, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Brenda Castruita, Marius Van Dongen, Brandi Upshaw

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The South Carlsbad Climate Adaptation Project (Project) is an initiative led by the City of Carlsbad (City) designed to address the growing risks of coastal erosion and sea level rise within the city. The Project focuses on a one mile segment of South Carlsbad Boulevard that runs directly along the coast and has experienced decades of coastal erosion, shoreline retreat, and recurring flooding–all of which are expected to intensify due to climate change. In an effort to protect critical infrastructure, natural resources, and public safety, the City has been evaluating the long-term viability of the current roadway and exploring various …

Amplifying Climate Action: San Diego’S Climate Action Plan (Cap) Dashboard, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Courtney Chinn, Marius Van Dongen

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The City of San Diego boasts a strong tourism and recreation industry, partly attributed to the City’s temperate climate. In recent years, extreme weather events tied to climate change have led to an even stronger focus on mitigation and resilience. In 2015, the City adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP), which was most recently updated in 2022. The CAP established the goal for the community to reach net zero emissions by 2035. In the fall of 2024, to boost the efforts of the CAP, the City of San Diego published their online Climate Action Plan platform, the CAP Dashboard. The …

Understanding California’S 2025 Energy Code, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Caroline Stillitano

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

California’s 2025 Energy Code is set to take effect in January 2026. Triannual updates to the Energy Code advance the state’s clean energy and climate resilience goals. For 2025, key updates include expanded heat pump requirements, electric-ready requirements, enhanced ventilation standards, and updated solar and battery storage regulations. These updates aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy costs, and improve public health in California. This case study outlines the main components of the 2025 updates to the California Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6), highlights expected impacts, and identifies financial incentives and programs available to support compliance and facilitate …

Understanding California's Climate Zones, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Caroline Stillitano

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

California’s diverse geography led the California Energy Commission (CEC) to divide the state into 16 Climate Zones, each reflecting local weather patterns and energy demands. These zones guide energy-efficient building standards by setting energy budgets tailored to regional conditions. This fact sheet explains the role of climate zones in shaping energy policy, using San Diego County’s four distinct zones as an example of how local climates influence building code requirements.

Building Climate Resilience Through Food Recovery, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Alexander Pourfard, Aranza Ruvalcaba

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

In an effort to combat GHG emissions from food waste, California passed Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) into law in 2016. The bill contains key provisions aimed at increasing edible food recovery. By rescuing food that would otherwise go to the landfill, California entities have been able to help save precious food and advance sustainable solutions to address climate change in their local communities. Since the food recovery requirements took effect in January of 2022, over 217,000 tons of unsold food have been recovered annually, providing more than 700 million meals to food-insecure Californians.

2024 State Of Nonprofits And Philanthropy Annual Report, Tessa Tinkler, Cristina Sanchez-Kerr, Laura Deitrick, Bryan Cardenas, Eo Hanabusa, Richard Hurt, Timothy Nelson, Connelly Meschen, Jon Durnford, Daniela Olguin

State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego

The 2024 State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current landscape of the nonprofit sector in San Diego County. The broader purpose of this report is to inform and inspire nonprofit leaders, employees, funders, and policymakers as they work together to strengthen the sector and enhance its impact on the community. By highlighting key trends, challenges, and opportunities, the report aims to support strategic decision-making and foster collaboration across the sector. The findings underscore the strength of the nonprofit sector in San Diego County in the face of ongoing economic and social pressures, while also …

2024 San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative Annual Report, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative is a network for public agencies that serves the San Diego region to share expertise, leverage resources and advance comprehensive solutions to facilitate climate change planning. By partnering with academia, nonprofits, and businesses, the SDRCC also works to leverage the profile of regional leadership. This is the 2024 San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative Annual Report.

Becoming A Leader “On The Job”: An Exploratory Study Examining How Internal Interim Leaders Build Their Leadership Capacity While Nonprofit Executive Directors Are On Sabbatical, Michelle Schneider

Dissertations

Nonprofit organizations have long underinvested in leadership development, potentially hindering their ability to fulfill their missions effectively. This study examined the use of nonprofit organization sabbaticals that give executive directors time away while building the leadership capabilities of the interim leader. This research explored the on-the-job leadership development of six individuals who served as interim leaders in southern California nonprofit organizations during their executive directors' participation in a 3-month, foundation-funded sabbatical program.

In this study, data were collected through in-depth interviews with interim leaders. A formative influences timeline technique was employed to center the participant's voice rather than the interviewer's …

How Can Faith Based Nonprofits Acquire And Retain New Donors From Generation Z?, Mariana Combariza

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Faith-based nonprofits, such as World Vision or Compassion International, are aware that their primary donor demographic is aging. As such, they face pressure to engage younger generations who will likely become their future financial supporters in order for their nonprofit work to be sustained. Although multiple qualitative studies have demonstrated the interest and desire that Generation Z has to donate to causes they believe in, further research is needed to understand their donation behavior and how it correlates to nonprofits’ marketing strategies. In this study, we use quantitative and qualitative data from over 243 randomly selected Gen Z college students …

Uplifting The Critical Value Of The Lgbtq+ Climate Workforce, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Brenda Castruita, Nicole Fassina

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

As the world faces unprecedented environmental challenges, the need for a robust and diverse environmental workforce has never been more critical. Historically, marginalized communities are at the forefront of these challenges and often bear the brunt of impacts from our changing climate. It is vital that the climate workforce reflects the diversity of our communities and is inclusive of individuals with lived experiences that can inform equitable and effective solutions. Among these marginalized communities, the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and others) community is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.¹ Research underscores how LGBTQ+ individuals …

Promoting Community Health And Wellness Through Arts And Nature-Based Interventions: A Literature Review, Tessa Tinkler, Laura Deitrick, Richard W. Hurt Iii, Connelly Meschen

Arts and Culture

This literature review covers two areas of nonprofit work that are traditionally underfunded yet potentially impactful for improving social determinants of health: engagement with the arts and connecting with nature.

The Port Of San Diego's Maritime Clean Air Strategy: Enhancing Public Health With Innovative Clean Air Strategies, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Gabriela Yamhure, Alexis Padilla

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The Port of San Diego (The Port), established in 1962 under the Port act, is the Maritime agency that manages and stewards the thirty-four miles of coastal working waterfront along the San Diego Bay. The Port develops and promotes commerce, navigation, recreation, a healthy environment and fisheries around the San Diego Bay, contributes billions to San Diego’s economy, and is home to international cargo and trade operations. In a concerted effort to lessen greenhouse gas emissions impact of operations on local, often underserved communities, the Port developed and is implementing a Maritime Clean Air Strategy (MCAS), an update to the …

Measuring Inclusive Leadership In Nonprofit Performing Arts Organizations, Thomas Abruzzo

Dissertations

Inclusive leadership is undoubtedly a practice to strive for, and few would argue against the value of leading inclusively. Yet, empirically, little is known about what constitutes effective inclusive leadership, especially in the context of nonprofit performing arts organizations. This sector is a particularly apt place to study and practice inclusive leadership because, in addition to the many benefits it provides, the nonprofit arts sector has problematic roots in terms of privileging a dominant social class by prioritizing certain art forms over others. For example, the popularity of the nonprofit form in the arts sector, when compared to for-profit or …

Nonprofit Leader Experiences In Sector-Bending After Lean Six Sigma Training: Tension, Concepts, And Changed Behaviors, Beverly Codallos

Dissertations

Government, business, and nonprofit represent three distinct types of organizations governed by different legal frameworks designed to facilitate collective action (DiMaggio & Anheier, 1990). The emergence of hybrid forms and increasing isomorphic pressures in the nonprofit sector (Bromley & Meyer, 2017; McCambridge, 2014) have challenged the traditional separation of organizational forms. This study explored the phenomenon popularized as sector-bending, “a wide variety of approaches, activities, and relationships that are blurring the distinctions between nonprofit and for-profit organizations, either because they are behaving more similarly, operating in the same realms, or both” (Dees & Anderson, 2003, pg. 16). This qualitative study …

Transformative Policies Supporting Equitable Workforce Progress, India Shiroma Perreira, Eo Hanabusa, Leaders 20/20

San Diego Regional Quality of Life Dashboard

As the need for Green Workforce jobs rises, it is essential that companies are transparent about pay. The California Pay Transparency Law (SB 1162) enforces job descriptions that explicitly outline employee compensation, which is also a step towards closing gender and race-based pay gaps. It also prohibits employers from using hiring practices that may be discriminatory against certain groups of people. SB 1162 builds honesty, trust, and equity in the workplace for job seekers today and for generations to come.

2023 San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative Annual Report, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative is a network for public agencies that serves the San Diego region to share expertise, leverage resources and advance comprehensive solutions to facilitate climate change planning. By partnering with academia, nonprofits, and businesses, the SDRCC also works to leverage the profile of regional leadership. This is the 2023 San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative Annual Report.

2023 State Of Nonprofits And Philanthropy Annual Report, Tessa Tinkler, Connelly Meschen, Jon Durnford, Laura Deitrick, Emily Young

State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego

San Diego County is home to a growing and dynamic nonprofit sector working on the frontlines to serve families and communities while also advancing innovative solutions to the region’s most urgent challenges. To support our community and regional leaders to be informed partners with the nonprofit sector, the 2023 State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy Annual Report provides relevant and current information on the health and impact of the sector. The report draws from over a decade of quarterly public opinion polling of San Diego residents and a survey of local nonprofit leaders, combined with the latest nonprofit data from the …

The Value Of Stem As An Educational Tool For Enhancing Cognitive Development, Leaders 20/20, Alessandra Olmedo Robles

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The focus of STEM education is to provide a holistic approach through hands-on, problem-based learning where students are able to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real world problems.

Advocacy On Facebook: A Content Analysis Of How Small Los Angeles- Based Npos Use Social Media To Engage Audiences, Wen Chen Denq

Dissertations

This dissertation examined the Facebook activities of seven small nonprofits in Los Angeles to understand their social media use and audience responses. Prior research has distinguished three broader engagement strategies used by Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs), including information provision (awareness-raising), action-related messaging (mobilizing), and community-building efforts (organizing). These strategies can play essential roles in drawing in audiences, but also in moving individual supporters toward greater levels of engagement by increasing donations or becoming more engaged champions for the cause. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of organizational Facebook messages and audience responses was conducted over 3 months. The NPOs included in this …

Why Reach Codes: Local Players Driving Statewide Building Standards, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Gabriella Medina, Darbi Berry, Gabriela Yamhure

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

Reach codes are local energy ordinances that employ various technologies, strategies, and integrated systems that go above California Building Standards Code (CA Building Code, Title 24) standards and support greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts. A reach code is a mandated energy performance requirement for the built environment, typically incorporated as part of a city’s climate action plan, local hazard mitigation plan, or climate adaptation plan. Not only do reach codes help local jurisdictions remain in compliance with state mandates, they enable local climate leadership by signaling support for the future direction of state Building Code standards. This blog provides a …

Utilizing New Technologies To Measure Therapy Effectiveness For Mental And Physical Health, Jonathan Ossie

Dissertations

Mental health is quickly becoming a major policy concern, with recent data reporting increasing and disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, increased substance abuse, and elevated suicidal ideation. One specific population that is especially high risk for these issues is the military community because military conflict, deployment stressors, and combat exposure contribute to the risk of mental health problems.

Although several pharmacological approaches have been employed to combat this epidemic, their efficacy is mixed at best, which has led to novel nonpharmacological approaches. One such approach is Operation Surf, a nonprofit that provides nature-based programs advocating the restorative …

Safeguarding From Scrutiny: Toward A Critical Consciousness Of Organizational Culture In Humanitarian Ngos, Andrew Henck

Dissertations

Humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (HNGOs) face a moment of reckoning brought on by decades of operational complexity and conceptual tensions between self-espoused values and external pressures as social change movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter demand organizational accountability. Humanitarian aid is being questioned systematically as most HNGOs continue reconciling with their colonialist origin stories from the Global North. Alongside a shrinking British foreign aid budget, and mounting pressures for proving value for money, HNGOs face a record number of natural disasters, energy crises, armed conflicts, and other major emergencies to respond to across the globe.

As the British aid sector …

Understanding Urban Heat Islands And Impacts, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Nicole Fassina, A-Bel Gong, Darbi Berry

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

Urban heat islands play a large role in aggravating climate impacts on water, electricity, and air pollutants, and affect vulnerable communities disproportionately. This blog calls onto historical redlining and disinvestment and urban development as direct contributors of socioeconomic disparities and includes a case study of one of our region’s most vulnerable communities.

Mobilizing Regional Action: Insights From The San Diego Region Coastal Resilience Roadmap, Civicwell, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

This case study details the process of developing the San Diego Region Coastal Resilience Roadmap with particular attention to how this process can be replicated in other regions throughout California – for coastal resilience, as well as other climate impacts and community priorities.

Understanding Binational Water Scarcity, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Avery Aquino, Darbi Berry

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

Water scarcity has become a growing concern in many regions around the world, including the San Diego, CA and Tijuana, MX border region Water is a valuable resource that sustains all life on earth, and the San Diego/Tijuana border region is no exception. With increasing population growth, urbanization, and changing climate patterns on both sides of the border, the demand for water resources has significantly outstripped its availability in this region. As a result, it has become essential tounderstand the extent and impacts of water scarcity, and to develop innovative and sustainable solutions that can mitigate its effects.