San Diego Foundation Grants Nearly $1M in Binational Water Health Grants

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SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The San Diego Foundation Wednesday granted nearly $1 million in the Binational Resilience Initiative for 10 projects ranging from addressing Tijuana River pollution to restoring coastal habitats in the California-Baja region.
The $983,439 granted will also go to general water health projects and support research and education.
"The Tijuana River sewage crisis has affected our communities for far too long, and the need for action is urgent," said Pamela Gray Payton, vice president and chief impact and partnerships officer at San Diego Foundation. "Water and pollution don't stop at the border. Neither can our response. These investments bring organizations in San Diego and Baja California together to protect the health of our communities and the places we all share."
Projects include one between San Diego Coastkeeper and Proyecto Fronterizo de Educación Ambiental AC to streamline river data for scientists and the public in both the United States and Mexico.
"Water quality in the Tijuana River can change from one week to the next, and most people have no easy way to find out the current conditions and pollution levels," said Philip Musegaas, executive director of San Diego Coastkeeper. "Our project with Proyecto Fronterizo de Educación Ambiental brings together data collected on both sides of the border and makes it readily available, so a parent deciding whether to take the kids to the beach can make an informed decision."
Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and 4 Walls International were granted $145,000 to improve stormwater management and reduce flooding in the Tijuana River Valley through "green infrastructure, sediment control and floodplain restoration," a statement from San Diego Foundation read.
International Community Foundation serves as the grant maker to several of the participating Mexican organizations.
"The watershed and the coastline are shared resources on both sides of the border, and so is the expertise needed to protect them," said Marisa Aurora Quiroz, president and CEO of International Community Foundation. "Organizations in Baja California have been doing this work for generations. Funding them alongside their partners in San Diego is how we get long-term solutions that move us beyond one-off fixes."
Since the Binational Resilience Initiative began in 2022, it has awarded more than $4.5 million for 42 binational coastal and watershed resilience projects involving 68 community-based organizations in the United States and Mexico. It is supported by the San Diego Foundation, International Community Foundation, Resilient Cities Catalyst, and the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative.
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