Burnham Center for Community Advancement
Burnham Center for Community Advancement is a San Diego-based nonprofit civic engagement organization founded in 2020 that convenes cross-sector stakeholders across the San Diego-Tijuana region through community dialogues, working groups, and research reports on housing, workforce, Balboa Park, and community fabric.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Burnham Center for Community Advancement does
The Burnham Center for Community Advancement (BCCA) is a nonprofit civic engagement organization founded in 2020 by Malin Burnham, a San Diego civic leader known as 'Mr. San Diego,' and operated from its headquarters at 1100 Market Street in San Diego. The organization functions as a 'think-and-do tank' that convenes cross-sector stakeholders across the San Diego-Tijuana cross-border region to address regional issues including housing affordability, workforce development, Balboa Park sustainability, cross-border collaboration, and community fabric. BCCA delivers four interconnected service offerings: the Burnham Community Dialogues series (panel discussions on regional issues), Community Events Hosting (regional gatherings and festivals), Research Reports and White Papers (evidence-based policy guidance including the Balboa Park governance report and the CaliBaja nearshoring report), and Issue-Based Working Groups (Balboa Park, Workforce Development, Housing, Community Fabric). The organization also operates the OneSD initiative focused on bridging community divides.
BCCA is led by Co-Founder, President and CEO Tad Seth Parzen, supported by a small 8-person team including a Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director of Advancement, Senior Program Director, Senior Director of Communications, Project Manager, Events Specialist, Senior Burnham Fellow, and Executive Assistant. Revenue and operating budget are not publicly disclosed. The organization's financial base is anchored by a $20 million founding investment commitment from Malin and Roberta Burnham announced in April 2023, supplemented by donations via its website (Zeffy embed), event and dialogue sponsorships, and partnership contributions from organizations such as the Lucky Duck Foundation and the Institute of the Americas. BCCA markets its work through the Burnham Community Dialogue series, a Community Events page, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr), email, and an extensive partner and Community Advisory Board network spanning 35+ named regional organizations across government, business, education, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors. The organization was awarded the 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency by Candid (formerly Guidestar) in recognition of its accountability and transparency practices.
Burnham Center for Community Advancement firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Burnham Center for Community Advancement
- Legal name
- Burnham Center for Community Advancement
- Website
- https://burnhamcenter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Burnham Center for Community Advancement is a San Diego-based nonprofit civic engagement organization founded in 2020 that convenes cross-sector stakeholders across the San Diego-Tijuana region through community dialogues, working groups, and research reports on housing, workforce, Balboa Park, and community fabric.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Burnham Center for Community Advancement industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Civic Engagement and Community Development Nonprofit
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)
Keywords
Where Burnham Center for Community Advancement is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Burnham Center for Community Advancement business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: BCCA accepts donations through its website, featuring a Zeffy embed donation form. The organization was awarded the 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency by Candid, indicating reliance on charitable contributions.
- Partnership and Event Collaborations: The organization hosts events and dialogues that may involve sponsorships and partnership contributions from organizations like Lucky Duck Foundation and other regional partners.
- Founding Investment: Malin and Roberta Burnham announced a $20 million investment in April 2023 to secure long-term success of the organization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | General donation amounts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Burnham Center for Community Advancement product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BCCA is a nonprofit think-and-do tank that convenes San Diego-Tijuana regional stakeholders around pressing civic issues. Its core offerings include the Burnham Community Dialogues series, in-person community events, issue-based working groups (Balboa Park, Workforce Development, Housing, Community Fabric), evidence-based research reports and white papers, and the OneSD community-fabric initiative. Services are delivered free to participants through organizational partnerships and donor support.
Product overview
Burnham Center for Community Advancement (BCCA) operates as a civic engagement platform—not a traditional software product—with four interconnected service offerings: the Burnham Community Dialogues series for community discussions, Community Events hosting for regional gatherings, Research Reports and White Papers for evidence-based policy guidance, and Issue-Based Working Groups for collaborative problem-solving on regional challenges. The organization functions as a 'Think & Do Tank' bringing together community members, leaders, and organizations to address San Diego's most pressing issues including housing affordability, workforce development, Balboa Park sustainability, and cross-border collaboration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Burnham Community Dialogues A series of panel discussions and forums bringing together diverse perspectives from experts, community leaders, residents, and elected officials to address critical issues facing San Diego and the San Diego-Tijuana cross-border region.
- Community Events Hosting Hosting and promoting in-person community events — cultural festivals, career fairs, panel discussions, and community gatherings — across San Diego venues to support community connection and regional quality of life.
- Research Reports and White Papers Evidence-based research publications providing regional analysis and recommendations, including 'Preparing Balboa Park for its Next 100 Years,' 'Balboa Park Community Progress Report,' and 'Seizing CaliBaja's Nearshoring Opportunities: A Binational Call To Action.'
- Issue-Based Working Groups Collaborative working groups focused on specific regional issues including Balboa Park sustainability, workforce development, housing affordability, and community fabric rebuilding, bringing together cross-sector stakeholders for joint problem-solving.
- OneSD Initiative A proactive BCCA initiative to restitch fraying community fabric by elevating community connection above division and intentional conflict, including the co-presented 'Engage San Diego: Tough Topics. Real Conversations' events with OneSD on extremism and bridge-building.
Quantifiable outcome
- Co-led efforts to secure San Diego and Tijuana World Design Capital 2024 designation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Burnham Center for Community Advancement
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Burnham Center for Community Advancement technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Burnham Center for Community Advancement partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- San Diego World Affairs CouncilmajorPartnering on community conversations including 'Engage San Diego' events and cross-border discussions. Co-hosting events on Tijuana River crisis and other regional issues.
- OneSDcoreCo-presenting 'Engage San Diego: Tough Topics. Real Conversations' event on extremism and bridge-building. BCCA is proactively restitching community fabric through OneSD initiative.
- Lucky Duck FoundationmajorContributed to the Addressing Homelessness in San Diego dialogue. Special thanks noted for their contributions to the dialogue on homelessness.
- Institute of the AmericascorePartnered to host discussion on nearshoring opportunities in CaliBaja region. Released joint report 'Seizing CaliBaja's Nearshoring Opportunities: A Binational Call To Action.'
- GenslerminorPartnered on 'Designing the Future Workplace' dialogue in June 2023. Gensler served as event partner for the community dialogue.
- San Diego Workforce PartnershipmajorSpecial thanks to San Diego Workforce Partnership for collaboration on Workforce Equity Dialogue. Working group includes workforce development stakeholders.
- UC San Diego Design LabcoreCo-hosted World Design Capital 2024 celebration. UC San Diego Design Lab collaborated on the landmark binational designation for San Diego-Tijuana as World Design Capital 2024.
- Design Forward AlliancecoreCo-hosted World Design Capital 2024 designation celebration. Design Forward Alliance was part of the leadership team that planned and executed the World Design Capital 2024 program.
- San Diego Regional Economic Development CorporationmajorBoard member organization and partner. Works on regional economic initiatives including nearshoring and workforce development.
- Downtown San Diego PartnershipmajorPartner organization active in Downtown development initiatives. Multiple board and working group members from the partnership.
- San Diego Regional Chamber of CommercemajorPartner in regional initiatives. Board member representation and collaboration on policy discussions.
- United Way of San Diego CountymajorPartner organization represented on Community Advisory Board and working groups. Collaboration on community initiatives.
- USS Midway MuseummajorMalin Burnham was instrumental in bringing the USS Midway to San Diego. Board representation and collaboration on military legacy initiatives.
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery InstitutecoreMalin Burnham serves on board. Key institutional partner in San Diego's research and innovation ecosystem.
- Asian Business Association San DiegomajorJason Paguio serves as board member representing the organization. Partnership on economic development and business community initiatives.
- San Ysidro HealthmajorVeronica Dela Rosa serves as board member. Partnership on healthcare access and community wellness initiatives.
- Lifeline Community ServicesmajorLisette Islas serves as board member. Partnership on mental/behavioral health services and economic development programs.
- California State University San MarcosmajorDr. Patricia Prado-Olmos serves as Vice Chair and represents CSUSM. Partnership on workforce development and education initiatives.
- University of San Diego Kroc School of Peace StudiesmajorDr. Paula Cordeiro serves as board member. Andrew Blum previously led Kroc Institute. Partnership on peacebuilding and community dialogue initiatives.
- World Design Capital 2024coreBCCA co-led efforts to secure San Diego-Tijuana designation as World Design Capital 2024, the first binational region to receive this recognition.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Burnham Center for Community Advancement competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The San Diego Foundation: Regional community foundation serving San Diego and Imperial Counties, with comparable focus on civic engagement, donor-advised funds, and regional issue grantmaking. Closest direct functional peer to BCCA among San Diego-based community advancement organizations.
- San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce: Regional chamber convening business and civic leaders on policy and economic issues. BCCA has board-level representation and partners on policy discussions and regional initiatives.
- Downtown San Diego Partnership: Member-based nonprofit improving downtown San Diego through clean, safe, and vibrant programming. BCCA has multiple board members affiliated and overlaps on place-based and community-fabric initiatives.
- United Way of San Diego County: Regional nonprofit supporting health, education, and financial stability programs through cross-sector collaboration. BCCA has board representation and works on overlapping community well-being and workforce issues.
- San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation: Regional EDC convening business, government, and civic stakeholders on workforce, nearshoring, and economic competitiveness in San Diego. BCCA has board overlap and works on shared issues including workforce development and CaliBaja nearshoring.
- Design Forward Alliance: San Diego-based nonprofit promoting design as a driver of innovation and equity, co-led World Design Capital 2024 with BCCA. Deep operational overlap; BCCA's COO previously served as Director of Operations and Programs at Design Forward Alliance.
- Cleantech San Diego: Regional nonprofit cluster organization advancing San Diego's cleantech economy, co-founded by BCCA Project Manager Jim Waring. Similar membership-based, public-private convening model on regional issues.
- Institute of the Americas: Nonpartisan nonprofit focused on Western Hemisphere economic and political issues, with a strong CaliBaja binational program. BCCA partnered with IoA on the 'Seizing CaliBaja's Nearshoring Opportunities' report.
Broad incumbents
- The Aspen Institute: National nonpartisan policy and civic engagement organization that convenes leaders and publishes research on societal challenges. Comparable think-and-do tank model, though at national scale across many more issue areas.
- Living Cities: National collaborative of foundations and corporations working on urban issues including housing, workforce, and equity. Broader national peer for BCCA's cross-sector, working-group-driven model on regional community advancement.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Burnham Center for Community Advancement social profiles
Digital presenceBurnham Center for Community Advancement compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Burnham Center for Community Advancement financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Burnham Center for Community Advancement leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Burnham Center for Community Advancement funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Burnham Center for Community Advancement M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Burnham Center for Community Advancement
What does Burnham Center for Community Advancement do?
BCCA is a nonprofit think-and-do tank that convenes San Diego-Tijuana regional stakeholders around pressing civic issues. Its core offerings include the Burnham Community Dialogues series, in-person community events, issue-based working groups (Balboa Park, Workforce Development, Housing, Community Fabric), evidence-based research reports and white papers, and the OneSD community-fabric initiative. Services are delivered free to participants through organizational partnerships and donor support.
Is Burnham Center for Community Advancement a public or private company?
Burnham Center for Community Advancement is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Burnham Center for Community Advancement founded?
Burnham Center for Community Advancement was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Burnham Center for Community Advancement based?
Burnham Center for Community Advancement is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Burnham Center for Community Advancement make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are partnership and Event Collaborations and founding Investment.
Who are Burnham Center for Community Advancement's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The San Diego Foundation, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Downtown San Diego Partnership, United Way of San Diego County, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, Design Forward Alliance, Cleantech San Diego and Institute of the Americas. Broad incumbents are The Aspen Institute and Living Cities.
Does Burnham Center for Community Advancement have an API?
No public API is recorded for Burnham Center for Community Advancement.
What industry is Burnham Center for Community Advancement in?
Burnham Center for Community Advancement's product category is Civic Engagement and Community Development Nonprofit. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAFAC, Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government), with a secondary code of BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts). Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8600.