The San Diego River Park Foundation
Connect Create Conserve
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The San Diego River is a remarkable treasure. Considered both the birthplace of our region as well as a biodiversity hotspot of global significance. What would normally be a sense of civic pride for decades was largely ignored and suffered during the building booms that San Diego experienced. The San Diego River Park Foundation seeks to engage people in caring for this amazing system. We seek to foster new generations which see nature as something to benefit from - not destroy. Something that adds value, not something to be altered. We seek a world were everyone benefits from nature and everyone has access to it. We believe that by first inspiring people and then engaging them. Great things can happen. We believe that hope for survival of wildlife species at risks depends upon and engaged and informed public. Sadly, there are many challenges that nature faces from encampments, climate change, and development to meet a growing population. We set out to do something about it.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Trash Free River
Our goal is simple, to have a river which is free of trash and other pollution. We organize volunteers to document, map, and cleanup the river. We also collaborate with agencies, private landowners and managers, and others to address systemic sources of the trash we remove.
Our program has earned a national reputation of being effective and resourceful! We mostly utilize highly trained, dedicated volunteers for 2 - 3 targeted cleanups each week. We also have dedicated teams which 2 - 3 times per week document and map trash with a phone app we developed. The information is available on a public web portal.
To date our program has removed more than 3 million pounds of trash from the riverbed and nearby tributaries.
Recently with increases in encampments in the riverbed, we have worked to advocate for additional resources to assist these people that are experiencing homelessness.
Save the Source
Save the Source is our program to conserve the beautiful upper San Diego River through land acquisitions and management. We have acquired more than 2600 acres of strategic properties to conserve for their ecological, watershed, and scenic values. This programs also manages these lands.
We continue to pursue conservation of key properties and work to develop appropriate recreation programs to better connect people with this amazing area.
We have identified three core land acquisition targets for conservation which are essential so that the ecosystem of the river is connected to a larger regional and beyond preserve system for cougars and other wildlife. The San Diego River has a unique role in this system because of the way that it cuts across the County. We believe that protected lands needs stewards, people that are passionate protectors of the land. For these reasons we are advancing program as well as working with partners to provide appropriately placed recreation trails.
River Connections - A river long greenbelt
As the only non-profit with a river-long area of interest, since our founding in 2001 SDRPF has taken a leading role in advancing the 52 mile river-long park system. We completed the San Diego River Park Conceptual Plan in 2003 and work with public agencies and nongovernmental partners to advance this vision. In 2013 the City of San Diego adopted a River Park Master Plan for 17.5 miles of the River. We continue to be the leading advocate to complete the vision for this river-long greenbelt.
We focus on key projects such as completing the headwaters portion of a regional trail. We currently are building the River Center at Grant Park, which will be hub for the river in the most urban section of the river. It will also be home for our Cool River education program.
River Connections also creates opportunities for people to be engaged in creating community murals, installing signs and other activities.
Education and Engagement
We believe that experience is the best teacher. Our education and engagement programs are designed to provide hands-on experiences for people of all ages, foster a better understanding of the value of the San Diego River as an ecological, cultural, and recreational resource, and to encourage stewardship through emotional connection to the River. Several key components make this accessible to people of all ages and abilities:Hands-on education activities designed for youth ages K-8 emphasize the living things that rely on the River, such as bugs, fish, and plantsPreserves and native plant gardens along the River provide opportunities for the public to explore and care for the RiverTrail Connect: this interactive trail signage (developed with support from The San Diego Foundation) allows people of all ages to learn more about the River while in the field using their smart phone or mobile device.Murals and community art projects provide a unique experience and grow community ownership
Where we work
Awards
Outstanding Community Stewardship Award 2009
Association of Environmental Professionals
River Hero Award 2008
River Network
Environmental Justice Award 2004
Public Officials for Water and Environmental Reform
Clearwater Award 2010
Waterfront Center
National Award 2011
Take Pride In America
National Award 2012
Take Pride in America
Affiliations & memberships
San Diego Association of Nonprofits 2008
River Network 2002
External reviews

Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of acres of land protected
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Save the Source
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
An additional 80 acre acquisition was completed in 2022. Several other property acquisitions are in progress.
Number of invasive species removed from managed area(s)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Save the Source
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Acres of land managed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Save the Source
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total pounds of debris collected
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Trash Free River
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
This is the pounds of trash removed by our program in one year.
Number of lessons taught
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Education and Engagement
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Hours of volunteer service
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Education and Engagement
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The number of hours is still impacted by COVID shutdown of our volunteer programs. We anticipate it will take several years to rebuild our program.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We have a goal of connecting people with nature through the creation of river-long park system which traversed the San Diego Region. In doing so we can serve the more than 3 million residents of this community by providing safe, quality outdoor experiences. Studies show that being outdoors is healthy for the mind and the body.
Due to development partners and planning goals of past decades, the historic San Diego River is an underutilized regional asset. It suffers from neglect which has polluted, fragmented and threatened this globally signficant biological area. We believe that through greater access we can engage new stewards of our natural places, enhance the quality of life in San Diego, and health create a new appreciation for sustainable communities.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
1. Advancing formal plans for the River Park system by engaging each municipality along the River as well as the County and the National Forest Service to update corresponding plans or create new ones as needed.
2. To engage people by fostering understand and appreciation for the river so that a growing community voice advocates for a better future for the river and the communities it runs through.
3. Targeted land acquisitions to conserve critical wildlife corridors and iconic landmarks associated with the river as well as providing for trail and other access.
4. Creating signature projects to serve park deficient communities and to provide programs to heighten awareness and understanding of the river including the rich cultural heritage associated with it.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
1. We have a dynamic volunteer board of directors which are community leaders. They provide great networks of people to connect with to advance our mission. They are also experienced in business, including nonprofit, affairs which will provide appropriate oversight.
2. Through the national awards we have received we have developed connections across the Country which can assist us, serve as a knowledge base, and advance partnerships at the federal, state and local level.
3. We reach more than 10,000 people on a monthly or better basis through our publications.
4. We are fortunate to have a wonderful, dedicated base of staff and volunteers which are committed to our mission of creating a better future for the San Diego River and the communities along it.
5. We have a track record of success and more than a decade of work learning how to be more effective.
Future Resources and Tools
1. We need to develop better online mapping abilities to engage the public more in our mission
2. If we are successful in our fundraising efforts, we will open the River Center at Grant Park. This facility will give our programs their first base of operation. it will greatly enhance our capacity and visibility in the community and provide as many as 10,000 kids annually with hands-on nature education.
3. As more trails and access points are open to the River Park system, it will be able to serve more people which will provide greater awareness of our organization and our partners. As this is accomplished, we hope to be able to create more volunteer trail guides and patrols so that users not only gain knowledge but also a better sense of security.
4. We continue to strive for a clean, healthy San Diego River. This requires addressing the sources of trash and other pollution. We will continue to collect data about the health of the river to inform policy efforts and on-the-ground action.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
1. When we started the San Diego River was neglected, full of trash, inaccessible and largely ignored. We strongly believe that the River now has a voice through our organization. More than 20,000 people have now volunteered with our organization. More than 3 million lbs. of trash has been removed through our programs and even more has been removed through our advocacy with the support of public agencies and landowners. We know have been monitoring the river for more than 15 years and so we are able to document the healthy improvements as well as the ongoing challenges. This data collection provides a wealth of information as well as a valuable resource for others. The San Diego River Park Foundation is widely recognized as the leading voice and expert for the river.
2. Our land acquisition and restoration efforts have made significant progress. We have seen endangered wildlife species return to areas that we have cleaned and restored. We continue to see wildlife enjoy lands that were at risk of being developed that our Save the Source program has conserved. We are much closer to conserving our target of 80% of the lands we identified which needed to be conserve to provide for the sustainability of the river ecosystem through the project of critical habitat areas and wildlife corridors and linkages.
3. The City of San Diego this year adopted a river park master plan for 17.5 miles of the river, this is 1/3 of the total length of the river. This organization was the champion of this effort which took more than 10 years to accomplish. This single accomplishment secures the future of the river and the intent of the City to advance the vision of the River Park system.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
The San Diego River Park Foundation
Board of directorsas of 11/30/2023
Mr. Michael Schneider
James Peugh
James Ryan
Charles Berwanger
Cary Lowe
Phil Pryde
Barbara Palan
Alan Grant
Alta LLC
Bob Kain
Michael Schneider
Beth Bruton
Cynthia Irmer
Meena Westford
Judie Lincer
Richard Ledford
Simon Andrews
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/30/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.