Business For Good Hired First CEO With New Grant
The San Diego organization brought on Melinda Casey to expand its advocacy and training after receiving $500,000.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Business For Good has appointed Melinda Casey as its first full-time CEO. The hire follows a $500,000 grant awarded by the Prebys Foundation to support the organization's collaboration with B Local San Diego.
Why it matters
The leadership change aims to bolster local policy advocacy and develop training for underprivileged entrepreneurs. The organization is focused on establishing a sustainable funding model before the current grant period concludes.
The Prebys Foundation provided a $500,000 grant in July 2026 to support the organization's expansion. Business For Good has operated in San Diego since its founding in 2017.
The players
Business For Good
A San Diego-based business association comprising non-profits, government agencies, and for-profit entities focused on policy advocacy.
Melinda Casey
The first full-time CEO of Business For Good, formerly the director of learning and engagement at the non-profit Words Alive.
Prebys Foundation
A philanthropic institution that provides grants to support community development and organizational capacity-building in the San Diego region.
B Local San Diego
A collaborative organization that requires for-profit businesses to meet specific social, environmental, and transparency certification standards.
The details
The grant funds the hiring of CEO Melinda Casey and facilitates a formal partnership between Business For Good and B Local San Diego. The combined entity will leverage B Local’s existing certification standards for social and environmental impact to structure new training programs for local business owners. Casey, who previously directed engagement at Words Alive, will now oversee efforts to scale these services and formalize the organization's revenue strategy.
Timeline
2017: Business For Good was founded.
July 2026: Prebys Foundation awarded the $500,000 grant.
October 12, 2026: Melinda Casey officially began her tenure as CEO.
October 29, 2026: Organization holds its Fall Fundraising Dinner in Encinitas.
Market Landscape
The organization's strategy follows the broader trend of local business associations adopting B Corp certification standards to measure social and environmental impact. This move marks a shift toward integrating private-sector accountability frameworks into regional policy advocacy.
Operators in the San Diego region should monitor the organization's new entrepreneurial training programs for potential access to resources. Business owners seeking to align with local social and transparency standards may find the new partnership between Business For Good and B Local San Diego to be an essential point of contact.
The takeaway
The move toward full-time leadership and strategic partnerships signals a professionalization of local business advocacy groups. Owners should track the launch of the upcoming entrepreneurial training programs to determine if they offer relevant support for their operations.
What happens next
The organization is scheduled to host a Fall Fundraising Dinner in Encinitas on October 29, 2026.
Further reading
For more information on how local groups secure and manage institutional funding, visit Philanthropy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Times of San Diego.
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