San Diego Regional Fire Foundation

What San Diego Regional Fire Foundation does

The San Diego Regional Fire Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 33-0386687) founded in 1989 and headquartered in San Diego, California. It is the only fire foundation supporting all fire departments throughout San Diego County, serving 43 local, city, tribal, state, and federal fire agencies and over 250 fire stations that collectively respond to approximately 700 emergency calls per day. Core programmatic activity falls into four buckets: (1) equipment grants to fire departments — turnouts, SCBA, oxygen tank compressors, Jaws of Life, ambulances, AEDs, radios, mobile data computers, extractors, fire engines; (2) Fire Safe Council support, currently funding 50+ community-based wildfire prevention councils (the largest concentration of any U.S. region); (3) youth workforce development including the 1904 High School Cadet Program, paramedic scholarships, fire academy scholarships, and Explorer Programs; and (4) firefighter health and wellness support including PPE decontamination equipment and mental wellness programming.

The foundation operates no proprietary technology products. Its "platform" consists of a website, social media presence, and a dedicated grant portal (sdrffgrants.org) used by Fire Safe Councils, fire departments, and scholarship applicants. Revenue is sourced entirely from philanthropy: individual donations (online and mailed), corporate and foundation grants, and government partnerships. Major disclosed funders include the San Diego River Conservancy, SDG&E, the San Diego Foundation, the Prebys Foundation, the McCormick Tribune Foundation, and numerous corporate donors across San Diego County. Distribution occurs through grant application cycles, direct equipment provision, and scholarship disbursements coordinated with community colleges and high schools.

Since inception, the organization reports $7M in cumulative equipment deployment to fire agencies and over $2.5M in 2025 alone, with a 36-year continuous operating history. Operations are highly lean: 1–10 employees, a single office, and a board of volunteer directors drawn from San Diego civic, fire service, and corporate leadership. Strategic positioning centers on filling public-budget gaps in rural and underserved communities that public funding alone does not cover.

Name

San Diego Regional Fire Foundation

Legal name

San Diego Regional Fire Foundation

Website

https://sdfirefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The San Diego Regional Fire Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1989, that provides firefighting equipment, Fire Safe Council grants, youth pathway scholarships, and firefighter health support to 43 fire departments and 50+ Fire Safe Councils across San Diego County, funded by individual, corporate, foundation, and government donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Safety Nonprofit Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fire & Rescue Services (Fire Suppression, Rescue) (BPAIAGAB), Wildfire Risk Assessment, Prevention & Suppression Services (IMAMAJAG)

Keywords

• Fire safety foundation
• Firefighter equipment grants
• Wildfire prevention programs
• Paramedic scholarship programs
• Fire safe councils

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation accepts donations from individuals passionate about firefighter support and public safety. Donation options include online credit card donations and mail-in donation forms.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Major donors including San Diego River Conservancy, SDG&E, San Diego Foundation, Prebys Foundation, and others provide significant funding for equipment, scholarships, and Fire Safe Council grants.
3. Government Partnerships: Partnerships with government agencies including San Diego County and CAL FIRE provide funding and support for regional fire safety initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The San Diego Regional Fire Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds fire safety across San Diego County by providing firefighting and medical equipment, PPE, communications gear, and other resources to all 43 fire departments in the region. It also supports more than 50 Fire Safe Councils with wildfire prevention grants, funds firefighter health and decontamination programs, and runs youth development initiatives including the High School Cadet Program, Explorer Program, and paramedic and fire academy scholarships.

Product overview

The San Diego Regional Fire Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that does not offer technology products in the traditional sense. Instead, it operates grant programs and community initiatives to support fire safety and emergency response across San Diego County. Its core programmatic services include: (1) Firefighter Equipment Grants providing fire engines, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), breathing apparatus, extractors, radios, Mobile Data Computers (MDCs), and other emergency equipment to fire departments throughout the county; (2) Fire Safe Council Support funding defensible space clearing, brush clearance, chipping events, wildfire preparedness education, and home hardening programs through over 50 community-based Fire Safe Councils; (3) Youth Development Programs including the High School EMT/Firefighter Cadet Program, paramedic scholarships, and Explorer Programs that prepare the next generation of first responders; and (4) Firefighter Health and Wellness Support including extractors for PPE decontamination, mental wellness programs, and cancer prevention equipment. The Foundation has provided over $7 million in equipment to 43 fire departments since 1989.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Firefighter Equipment Grants Provides fire engines, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), breathing apparatus, extractors, radios, Mobile Data Computers (MDCs), ambulances, AEDs, jaws of life, oxygen tank compressors, automatic vehicle locators, evacuation books, mass casualty kits, and other firefighting, medical, rescue, and communications equipment to fire departments throughout San Diego County, including 43 fire agencies and tribal fire departments.
• Fire Safe Council Grant Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $7 million of equipment provided to 43 fire departments since inception
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• San Diego River ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor funding partner supporting first responders and fire safety programs. Has approved over $35 million in grants for San Diego County wildfire and forest resilience projects since 2021. Supports Fire Safe Councils and equipment provision throughout the region.
• County of San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner providing support for fire services and disaster preparedness programs throughout the county.
• CAL FIREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState fire agency partner, including CAL FIRE Foundation, working with San Diego Unit on fire prevention and emergency response programs.
• Fire Safe Council of San Diego CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministrated by Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County. Provides programs and services for fire prevention, education, and safety throughout the county.
• Camp PendletonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilitary base with fire department that receives equipment support from the foundation.
• La Jolla Band of Luiseno IndiansmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner receiving fire engine, protective equipment, breathing apparatus, and support for new fire station design and construction. Fire department was hard hit by 2007 Poomacha Fire.
• Southwestern CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college partner for paramedic scholarship program, helping EMTs advance to paramedic careers.
• Palomar CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college partner for paramedic training and fire academy programs.
• San Diego County Fire ChiefscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with fire chiefs throughout the county to identify priority needs and scholarship opportunities for EMTs and firefighters.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CAL FIRE Foundation: State-level 501(c)(3) supporting CAL FIRE personnel, wildfire prevention, and equipment across California. Direct strategic partner of SDRFF and the most direct peer at a broader geographic scope, addressing the same mission of fire service support and community safety.
• Firefighters Charitable Foundation: National 501(c)(3) that provides equipment and funding to fire departments across the US, sharing the same grantmaking-to-fire-departments model as SDRFF but at a national rather than regional scale.
• National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: National nonprofit supporting surviving families of fallen firefighters and firefighter safety/wellness, with overlapping health and wellness program emphasis to SDRFF's mental wellness, PPE decontamination, and cancer prevention work.

Direct peers

• Los Angeles County Fire Department Foundation: Regional fire foundation supporting LA County fire service equipment, training, and community programs. Operates under the same nonprofit model as SDRFF, funding critical gear and prevention initiatives for a large multi-department county.
• Fire Safe Council of San Diego County: Direct operational partner that administers the 50+ Fire Safe Councils SDRFF funds. Closely aligned on wildfire prevention mission, with SDRFF acting as principal grantmaker to FSC programs throughout the county.

Emerging players

• Wildfire Research Center: National nonprofit advancing wildfire science and practitioner resources. Adjacent rather than direct - SDRFF supports Fire Safe Councils doing on-the-ground prevention, while Wildfire Research Center focuses on research dissemination.

Others

• San Diego Foundation: Large regional community foundation that is both a major SDRFF funder and a peer in the San Diego grantmaking ecosystem. Comparable 501(c)(3) structure with similar donor base and grant programs.
• San Diego River Conservancy: California state agency that has approved over $35M in San Diego wildfire and forest resilience grants since 2021 and is a major institutional funder of SDRFF. Comparable grantmaking scale and overlapping watershed protection focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sdfirefdn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQnuY92FAWwedaZ0UgqFkxg
• Facebookfacebook.com/SDRFF
• Instagraminstagram.com/Sandiegofirefdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Diego Regional Fire Foundation