By TFN Staff
TFN’s 2020 Annual Conference: Bridge the Divide offers plenty of opportunities to connect, network and socialize — and get a taste of San Diego’s local food scene.
Join us at a family-owned brewery nestled in the city’s Gaslamp Quarter for our Opening Night Reception and delve even deeper into the area’s cuisine at our annual dining extravaganza, Eat Here!, featuring local San Diego vendors.
Read on for more details — and hope to see you at #TFNSanDiego!Please note that there is a $30 fee for our Opening Night Reception and a $50 reception fee for Eat Here!, including food and beverages. (Or $75 for both events.) Be sure to indicate whether you plan on attending these receptions when you register for the Annual Conference.
![](https://www.fundersnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/eat-here-iowa-girls-1024x683.jpg)
Opening Night Reception
Monday, March 16 | 6 pm
Half-Door Brewing Co., 903 Island Ave., East Village
Join us for our Opening Night Reception at Half-Door Brewing Co., a family-owned Irish-style pub located in a century-old, Victorian-style residence about one block away from Petco Park. The bar brews and serves its own beers and has a wide selection of ales, IPAs, and more. Connect with old friends, make some new ones, and get to know the TFN team at our popular evening networking event. Our Opening Night Reception will feature appetizers plus wine and spirits (in addition to the brewery’s acclaimed beer selection). Half-Door Brewing Company is conveniently located in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, known for its historic charm, and offers plentiful dining opportunities for those who want to continue the evening with other conference attendees.
![](https://www.fundersnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/san-diego-HalfDoor_BuildingMedium_1207.jpg)
Eat Here! Local Food Showcase
Tuesday, March 17 | 6:30 p.m.
Building 177 (Liberty Station), 2875 Dewey Road
We are delighted to once again feature our annual dining extravaganza, Eat Here! These dinners began in 2003 as an effort to link the issues of sustainable agriculture/food with smart growth, urban renewal, rural development, land use, and transportation.
The dinner will feature local San Diego vendors serving tapas-style dishes — appetizers, entrees, and desserts — representing a diversity of cultures and points of entry into the food system and highlighting locally sourced fare. This year’s event takes place at Building 177, an event space at Liberty Station, formerly a Naval training center that welcomed its first Navy recruits in 1923. The City of San Diego gained ownership of the property in 2000, repurposing the site into a center for commerce, history, and arts. (Check out these historical Liberty Station videos here.)
![](https://www.fundersnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/san-diego-liberty-station-1024x683.jpg)
Registration & Lodging
TFN’s annual conferences bring together leaders in philanthropy from across the sector who are committed to creating communities that are sustainable, prosperous and equitable — and who are looking to grow their network and deepen their professional relationships.
Join us to learn ways to increase the impact of your grantmaking and connect with a network of national and place-based funders and leading practitioners.
Our conference will offer thought-provoking speakers, breakout sessions and mobile workshops. Registration is open to staff, directors, and trustees of all grantmaking organizations.
(Discounts available for members of San Diego Grantmakers, Southern California Grantmakers and Northern California Grantmakers.)
TFN’s 2020 Annual Conference takes place March 16-18 at the US Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego.
The landmark hotel is nestled in the city’s vibrant Gaslamp Quarter, known for its rich Victorian architecture and history. (And there are several local attractions and landmarks to enjoy nearby.) Be sure to book your room early in order to secure our TFN Annual Conference Rate.
![](https://www.www.fundersnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/usgrant-1024x576.jpg)
Stay Tuned!
Please be sure to check out our conference webpage for more information on registration, events, and updates on speakers and sessions, as well as updates on pre- and post-conference events for those who may want to lengthen their stay with us in San Diego. (And be sure to follow us on Twitter @funders_network for more #TFNSanDiego news.)
![](https://www.fundersnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/san-diego-gaslamp-bridge.jpg)