Growth Without Access: Fundraising in San Diego’s Two-Speed Economy

San Diego represents just 1% of the U.S. population, yet it is the fifth-largest county in the country, with a regional GDP of approximately $315B. It leads the nation in patent density and NIH funding. Its core economic drivers, including defense, innovation, tourism, and healthcare, fuel a thriving regional economy. 

And yet. 

Forty percent of residents fall below the self-sufficiency wage. Over 335,000 San Diegans live in poverty. Housing affordability requires a household income of $241,000 to purchase a median home, a threshold accessible to dramatically different percentages of residents across racial groups. Federal grant funding has declined structurally and is unlikely to rebound. AI-driven workforce disruption is accelerating behind the scenes. 

San Diego is a region of strength and strain. Growth exists. Access does not. 

For nonprofit leaders and development professionals, the question is no longer whether these forces affect fundraising. It is how to respond strategically.