MiraCosta College Foundation has received a $100,000 grant from San Diego Foundation’s El Camino Fund. The funding will support the Latina/o Entrepreneur Advancement & Contracting Initiative (LEACI), which will expand and enhance the College’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) programs to focus specifically on Latina/o entrepreneurs.
The initiative will provide culturally tailored business advising, training, and government contracting support to Latina/o-owned startups, microenterprises, and growing businesses. LEACI is designed to strengthen entrepreneurship, create pathways for student-owned businesses, and advance economic mobility for students who face the greatest barriers to opportunity in San Diego County.
The El Camino Fund, launched with a $2.5 million endowment and administered by San Diego Foundation, invests in initiatives that bolster entrepreneurship and improve economic mobility. The 2025 grants total $627,500 and were awarded to nonprofits across San Diego County, including MiraCosta College Foundation, Southwestern College Foundation, Civic Community Partners, and others working to scale small businesses and create equitable access to entrepreneurial resources.
“San Diego’s entrepreneurial community is as diverse as it is dynamic,” shared Miguel Lopez, San Diego Foundation Senior Manager of Development. “Our charitable investments and partnerships with donors provide vital funding for the ideas and talents that build businesses and uplift entire neighborhoods and our region.”
With this investment, MiraCosta College will deepen its work to prepare students for long-term success as entrepreneurs and leaders, with a focus on communities that historically face systemic barriers to accessing resources, capital, and networks. “At MiraCosta College, we know that student success extends beyond the classroom,” said Shannon Stubblefield, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the MiraCosta College Foundation. “This generous support from San Diego Foundation’s El Camino Fund will help us provide real-world opportunities that empower our students to build businesses, support their families, and strengthen their communities. These funds directly impact student success by opening doors to economic mobility and long-term prosperity.”
The grant to MiraCosta College aligns with the findings of the State of San Diego Latinos Report (2024), which highlights persistent economic barriers faced by Latine residents, who make up 35% of San Diego County’s population. By strengthening entrepreneurship programs and providing culturally responsive resources, the Entrepreneur Advancement and Contracting Initiative seeks to address these inequities and prepare students for future-ready careers.
This work is part of San Diego Foundation Fifty & Forward campaign, an ambitious multi-year initiative to partner with donors and nonprofits to grant $500 million in support of education, children and families, and the environment, while raising $1 billion to invest in San Diego’s future.
This program was made possible thanks to grant support from the El Camino Fund at San Diego Foundation. San Diego Foundation inspires enduring philanthropy and enables community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region.
