A statewide anti-hate grant program that has poured millions into San Diego nonprofits is staring at a financial cliff as state budget talks hit a make-or-break stretch this month. Local groups warn that if the money disappears, so do counseling, legal help and youth programs they have spent four years building.
Stop the Hate was launched in response to a spike in pandemic-era anti-Asian incidents and received an initial $110 million allocation in 2021. It has since grown into a statewide network that backs roughly 180 community partners, according to Stop the Hate CA. State award lists show the Border Region, which covers San Diego and Imperial counties, pulled in about $13.44 million for 27 local grantees, and Somali Family Service alone received $750,000 in the first rounds of funding, per state grant announcements. Many organizations used the dollars for direct services, mental health clinicians and community projects such as the Somali Family Service youth documentary Voice for Peace: A Call for Change, which the group highlights on its site.
Budget Fight Leaves Program in Limbo
The Stop the Hate program is set to sunset at the end of June unless the state restores funding. The Assembly’s budget plan included a one-time $30 million boost, while the governor’s May Revision did not set aside new Stop the Hate dollars, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. At the same time, the governor has steered more money into physical security grants, announcing $80 million in awards to nonprofit recipients under the state nonprofit security program. The administration argues that the move helps protect at-risk institutions, but advocates counter that security cameras and guards do not replace prevention work and survivor services. The Governor's Office framed those awards as an immediate safety response after recent attacks.
San Diego Leaders Warn of Immediate Harm
Local leaders told The San Diego Union-Tribune they fear that cuts would gut the region’s ability to respond to harassment and violence, saying the loss of state support would trigger layoffs and shrink services for survivors. Advocates argued the timing is especially fraught in the wake of the May 18 shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, an attack that left three people dead and where investigators found symbols and materials pointing to extremist ideology, according to coverage by the Los Angeles Times.
Where the Budget Stands and What Comes Next
California’s budget calendar leaves negotiators with little breathing room. The Legislature is required to pass a balanced budget by June 15, and the governor typically signs the Budget Act before the July 1 start of the new fiscal year. That means last-minute deals are possible, but they are squeezed by deadlines, according to the California Budget & Policy Center. Lawmakers moved a legislative budget package in mid-June and sent it to the governor, leaving a narrow window for final adjustments before fiscal year 2026-27 begins, according to analyses of the June budget actions.
Local Patchwork and Emergency Resources
Regional leads and philanthropic groups are already talking about short-term gap funding to keep caseworkers and clinicians on the payroll while Sacramento argues over the numbers. Catalyst of San Diego has urged local donors to step in so services do not fall off a cliff. The governor’s office has also pointed to victim resources, including CalVCB assistance for medical and funeral costs, as immediate support available to survivors while long-term funding decisions are sorted out.
For organizations that relied on Stop the Hate to build trust and deliver services, Sacramento’s budget debate is not just a fight over line items. It is a choice about whether to preserve the systems that help survivors, teach young people about bias and slow the spread of hateful rhetoric. As lawmakers and the governor haggle over final language, San Diego groups say they will keep pressing for a restoration that treats prevention and survivor services as core parts of public safety, not optional extras.
