SAN MARCOS, Calif. (Sept. 1, 2026) — The David C. Copley Foundation has awarded TERI Campus of Life, a nonprofit serving the special needs community since 1980, a $1 million grant to help finish construction of its campus in San Marcos — pushing the organization more than halfway to its $15 million fundraising goal.
“This generous gift signifies an incredible turning point for TERI,” said Founder and CEO Cheryl Kilmer. “It helps us get more than halfway to our $15 million fundraising goal and advances our plans to break ground on the next phase of construction. We’re grateful for this powerful vote of confidence not simply in the buildings we are creating, but in the people, programs, and possibilities that will fill them.”
“The Copley Foundation is proud to support TERI Campus of Life as it expands its campus, creating a centralized location where all participants can access the programs they need,” says Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Koch at the David C. Copley Foundation. “The Campus of Life is a beautiful, peaceful environment providing individuals with a greater opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Like TERI, the Foundation believes every person deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential and is pleased to support programs that promote inclusion, foster independence, and enhance quality of life.”
The $1 million Copley grant also counts toward a 2:1 challenge grant from the Tomlinson Foundation, which matches every $2 dollars TERI raises with $1 dollar of its own, up to $3 million total. TERI has already unlocked the first $1 million of that match — and Copley’s commitment moves the organization closer to unlocking the second installment.
TERI Campus of Life is a state-of-the-art center on 20 acres in San Marcos that provides life-changing opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. TERI’s innovative programs give students and their families an improved quality of life through vocational opportunities, art enrichment, social clubs, therapies, residential care, life planning, and specialized education.
The campus is uniquely designed as a shared-use, open campus, where the public is welcome to enjoy TERI’s social enterprises — such as TERI Common Grounds Café and The Bornemann Theatre — while integrating the special needs community.
“Our model encourages partnerships and sets the gold standard for inclusivity and belonging for all,” adds Kilmer. “It’s a one-of-a-kind environment for learning, growth, achievement, joy and hope.”
TERI’s next phase of construction is slated to begin in 2027 and includes two new school buildings, allowing the organization to bring students currently housed in a leased building in Oceanside to its primary San Marcos campus. When complete, the campus will house all of TERI’s facilities, including Dr. Bronner’s Country Day School; The Learning Academy; The Technology Center; a Center of Innovation & Bornemann Child Development Center; the “Fit for Life” Sports, Fitness & Aquatics Complex; the Scott P.L. Gardener Sensory Garden; and the Merriam House Museum.
The campus currently has several buildings operating and serving program participants, including the Harriet E. Pfleger Equestrian Center, the Tom and Mary Tomlinson Vocational Center, and the Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation Performing Arts Center (which houses the Bornemann Theatre).
For more information about TERI, visit www.tericampusoflife.org.
About TERI
TERI (Training Education & Resource Institute) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1980 with the mission to change the way the world sees, helps, and empowers individuals with special needs — and their families. Dedicated to improving the quality of life for children, adults and seniors with developmental and learning disabilities, TERI provides lifelong specialized education, arts and enrichment opportunities, vocational training, residential services, and family support. Its 20-acre TERI Campus of Life in San Marcos, Calif., is a one-of-a-kind destination where connection and community intersect to celebrate all abilities.
About the David C. Copley Foundation
The Copley Foundation’s mission is to carry on the Copley family’s legacy of giving by funding nonprofit organizations making a difference in human services, military and veterans’ services, youth development, medical research, education, arts and culture, and animal welfare — particularly programs improving the lives of underserved communities in the San Diego area.
