About Our Foundation

The Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation was founded on August 6, 1991, and funded with the substantial assets received from the Thomas C. Ackerman estate. The Board of Directors was assembled, fully constituted, and put into place, and initial guidelines and objectives for grant making were adopted. The purpose of the Foundation, as set forth in its bylaws, is broad based in focus and with a clear mandate that consideration is given to qualified organizations within the San Diego community which Mr. Ackerman expressed an interest in during his lifetime and illustrious career.

The Foundation has a keen interest and focus on K through 12th grade education, arts, and music while fostering the continuing economic development of San Diego. There is a practical recognition that local San Diego based non-profit groups have a small universe to choose from in obtaining funding within our community and we seek to be a local solution to that challenge. The Foundation has developed a general policy to provide funds or incentive grants for projects which eventually become self-sustaining or for which other sources of funds may later be obtained. The Board does not provide continuous support for any project to the extent that the project becomes dependent on the Foundation for its existence. However, the Board may choose in some cases to make multi-year commitments where this need has been determined and is compelling.