The Center recently met the terms of a $100,000 challenge grant offered by local philanthropist and former Center board member Jim Ziegler. In an effort to help The Center’s endowment funds grow, Ziegler offered to provide a match of $1.50 for every $1 raised by The Center for its San Diego Foundation Endowment Fund, up to $100,000 over a three-year period.

The San Diego Foundation is an organization that manages more than 680 community funds in San Diego County and works to improve the area through charitable giving.

Ziegler created both the endowment and the challenge three years ago, and The Center met his challenge in early December, six months prior to the three-year mark. The endowment now totals approximately $167,000.

“The Center would like to thank Jim Ziegler for his incredible gift and his vision. Jim understands that The Center’s endowment funds secure our future financial stability by providing this organization with permanent ongoing support,” said Delores Jacobs, chief executive officer of The Center. “We deeply appreciate Jim’s generosity to The Center and our whole community. We are grateful to all those who help us meet his challenge.”

As with most endowments, money accrued from Ziegler’s challenge grant is invested in perpetuity, meaning that The Center began receiving funds from the endowment prior to the three-year challenge being met. With compounding interest and investments, the endowment will increase over time, and the income generated annually will be given to The Center indefinitely.

Nonprofits are generally funded through a variety of sources, from fund-raisers and individual donations to grants, endowments and, occasionally, government funding.

“I believe a successful nonprofit simply must have an active and growing endowment for it to be successful over the long term,” Ziegler said.

The endowment is part of “Endow San Diego,” a new initiative launched by the San Diego Foundation two months ago that also includes the Shaw Family Fund for the San Diego Repertory Theatre and the Frank H. Ault Scholarship Fund for college students majoring in accounting or finance. The initiative is comprised of organizations and individuals looking to increase endowment in the San Diego region between now and the end of 2007.