THE FOUNDATION AND GENERAL GUIDLINES

The Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation was founded on August 6, 1991.  By Spring, 1992, substantial assets had been received from the Thomas C. Ackerman Trust, funded as a result of Mr. Ackerman's death on February 13, 1991; the Board of Directors was fully constituted; and the guidelines and objectives for grant making were adopted. While the purpose of the Foundation, as set forth in its bylaws, is broad, the bylaws request that the Board of Directors consider for grant support those qualified organizations in the San Diego Community in which Mr. Ackerman expressed an interest during his lifetime or which address needs or provide programs which were of concern or interest to him.  Mr. Ackerman was always interested in education, Balboa Park and its many attractions, the support of outdoor recreational activities and continuing economic development of San Diego.

The San Diego focus of the Foundation is a result of the practical recognition that local San Diego County based groups have a very limited ability to obtain funding within our community, let alone outside of San Diego.

It has been the general policy of the Ackerman Foundation to provide funds or incentive grants for projects which eventually may become self-sustaining or for which other sources of funds may later be obtained.

It is a policy of the Foundation not to provide continuous support for any project to the extent that the project becomes dependent upon the Foundation for its continued existence.  The Foundation may make multi-year commitments on occasion.  Grants are not made to individuals.  Generally, the Foundation does not support conferences or symposia.  While occasional grant support is given to religious organizations, those grants are made for direct support of nonsectarian educational or service projects and not for projects which are of primary benefit to members of a particular religion or belief or which primarily promote a particular religion or belief.  The Foundation will not consider grants relating to human medical or biomedical research.