The Doan Foundation

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The Doan Foundation

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Community foundation creating pathways for creative futures in Southern California’s underserved communities.

Whether it be music, dance, fashion design, graphic design, tattoo art, sound engineering, barbering or any other creative career that has been inferiorized by society and deemed irrelevant- we welcome you and we applaud you for choosing to take the road only few have had the courage to take. One of our other goals as an organization is to one day be able to provide art supplies to K-9 Schools in the Southern California Area that lack the funds or the incentives to incorporate such programs or activities into their curriculum. We hope to do so much more as our organization grows and awareness grows for the importance of art in our children's lives and the significant role it plays in developing critical thinking skills and in helping to alleviate the overwhelming mental health crises that our Pre-Teens & Teens are facing daily on an exponential level as social media plays tug of war with their sovereignty.

11/04/2026

We are incredibly grateful to announce that Dr. Charles Lu of the Ivory Bridges Foundation and Founding Executive Director of Friends of Children has generously contributed an additional $5,000 to The Doan Foundation's Roots & Resilience Artist Grant Fund!

With 143 applications received this cycle, we were initially only able to support six artists. Thanks to Charles's generosity, we are now expanding our December 1 awards to 10 grantees, distributing a total of $10,000 directly to artists across Southern California!

Charles has been a supporter of each and every one of our events and programs. His generosity has extended across every aspect of our work, from our community celebrations and fundraising efforts to the programs that provide direct opportunities for underserved creatives.

For a small, entirely volunteer-run nonprofit, having someone consistently show up and invest in what we're building means more than we can adequately express.

Charles understands that meaningful community impact requires more than good intentions. It takes people willing to invest their resources, extend their trust, and help organizations like ours turn ideas into opportunities.

We are deeply grateful for his continued belief in our mission, his generosity, and his unwavering commitment to the communities we serve.

Thank you for standing alongside us every step of the way. Your support is helping us reach more artists, create more opportunities, and make a greater impact than we could have imagined.

143 applicants. 10 artists. $10,000 in direct support.

And countless possibilities for what comes next.

11/04/2026

Some of the stories we read through our scholarship applications are difficult to process. This one especially.

Imagine experiencing homelessness at just 16 years old, navigating an unstable home life, and still finding the strength to dream about your future.

What moved us most was this young artist's desire to become an art teacher. After everything they've experienced, they still want to dedicate their future to helping the next generation discover the same sense of expression and belonging that art gave them.

There are young people carrying burdens many of us will never see, quietly working toward a better future.

We hope these stories remind people why investing in our youth matters. You never know what someone has overcome just to get where they are today.

11/04/2026

CALL FOR PERFORMERS | CONVOY RISING 2027

Convoy Rising is returning on January 24, 2027, and we're looking for talented performers to help us celebrate the Lunar New Year and the rich cultural diversity of our communities.

From traditional cultural performances to contemporary music, dance, martial arts, and everything in between, we want to showcase the incredible talent within our communities.

We're especially interested in performances that highlight Asian heritage, culture, and tradition.

Sunday, January 24, 2027
Convoy District, San Diego
3 PM – 8 PM

Performance slots are limited. If you or your group would like to be part of one of San Diego's most exciting Lunar New Year celebrations, we encourage you to apply today!

Help us bring our communities together through arts, culture, and celebration!

11/03/2026

PARTICIPANTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED

Please check your email and confirm your attendance as soon as possible.

We have a long waitlist of creatives hoping for a seat. If your schedule has changed and you can no longer attend, please let us know right away so we can offer the opportunity to another creative.

We really want every seat filled.

If we do not hear back from you, we may need to move forward with someone from the waitlist.

Thank you for helping us make sure this opportunity does not go unused.

11/03/2026

Who says creativity can't become a career?

One of our scholarship applicants went from experimenting with homemade beverages and hand-painted nails to sewing clothing from vintage fabrics, with one of their creations reaching over two million views online.

Curiosity became a small business, a growing community, and the possibility of a future in design.

We love seeing young creatives discover that their talents have value beyond the classroom. That their ideas can become businesses, careers, and opportunities to inspire others.

There are so many ways to make a living through the arts. Sometimes, all it takes is the courage to try.

11/03/2026

The interest in becoming a vendor at Convoy Rising 2027 has been incredible!

We've already heard from so many businesses, artists, and community organizations wanting to be part of next year's celebration.

SPACE IS EXTREMELY LIMITED! With the amount of interest we're receiving, we strongly encourage everyone to submit their applications as soon as possible.

Don't wait until applications close to secure your chance to be considered!

📅 January 24, 2027 | 3PM-8PM

APPLY TODAY: doan-foundation.org/convoy-rising-2027

Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance.

11/02/2026

143 applications. Just six grants available.

One of the hardest parts of running a small nonprofit is knowing how much good is happening around us and realizing we don't have the resources to support it all.

There are people doing incredible things in our communities who just need someone to believe in them and give them a little support.

That's why we started Roots & Resilience in the first place.

Thank you to everyone who applied, and especially to our donors who make it possible for us to keep doing this work. Hopefully, as we grow, so will the number of people we can help. ❤️

11/02/2026

Imagine being just ten years old, trying to make sense of your world falling apart, and finding comfort in something as simple as a pencil and a sketchbook.

What moved us about this scholarship application was how this young artist turned something that once helped them survive difficult times into a dream worth fighting for.

Today, they're running a small art business, saving every dollar toward their dream of studying fashion design in Milan or New York.

There are so many young people carrying stories like this. So much talent, determination, and potential that we may never see if they aren't given the opportunity.

This is why we do what we do. Every young creative deserves a chance to see how far their passion can take them.

10/27/2026

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Thank you to everyone who applied for the first Creative Futures Lab.

We received 50 applications for only 20 available spots and are now reviewing submissions. Applicants came from a wide range of creative disciplines including digital media and content creation, photography, film and video, visual art, graphic design, writing, music, fashion, performing arts, podcasting, media, and more.

Unfortunately, we can only select 20 participants for this first pilot. If selected, you will receive an email directly from The Doan Foundation with next steps.

We also want to be transparent about something important. Although this first session is limited in size, we do not want the information shared inside the room to stay behind closed doors.

Creative Futures Lab will be recorded, and we plan to make content from the session available publicly after the event so other creatives can still learn from the conversations, lessons, and resources shared that day.

The whole reason we created this program was to break down some of the gatekeeping around creative careers and give people access to information many professionals had to learn the hard way.

We want everyone to succeed.

This is only the pilot. If the demand continues to be there, we plan to grow Creative Futures Lab and create more opportunities in the future.

Thank you again to every person who trusted us enough to share your work, goals, challenges, and creative journey with us.

Presented by The Doan Foundation
Made possible through funding from The California Endowment

10/26/2026

TICKETS ARE OFFICIALLY AVAILABLE!

How often do you hear of someone throwing a birthday party and choosing to give away every dollar raised?

Our dear friend and longtime supporter, Tom Bui, is celebrating his birthday BIG this year, and he has generously chosen to donate 100% of the event proceeds to The Doan Foundation and D**g Son Collective.!

Tom could have celebrated his birthday any way he wanted, but he chose to turn his special day into an opportunity to give back to the community. That kind of generosity speaks volumes about the person he is, and we couldn't be more grateful.

Every ticket purchased will help fund our cultural celebrations and community initiatives, allowing us to continue bringing people together through arts, culture, and community.

And of course, it wouldn't be a Tom Bui party without going all out! Expect live performances, DJs, delicious food, and plenty of surprises!

📅 Saturday, November 7, 2026
📍 Lotus Garden | San Diego
🍽️ Food included with admission

TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE! Scan the QR code on the flyer or visit the link.

We hope you'll join us in showing Tom the same love and generosity he's shown our Foundation.

Let's pack the house and celebrate a man who continues to show up for his community!

Address

San Diego, CA

Website

http://doan-foundation.org/

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