Together, we can create lasting change in Santa Barbara County

Join Us in Creating Lasting Change

Together, we can make a difference for our neighbors, our families, and future generations.

You are a part of a tradition of building lasting change through the Santa Barbara Foundation. Just as we today feel the impact of the generosity of philanthropists of the past, your support has an indelible impact on our region today and creates positive outcomes that will continue to bear fruit many years into the future. Through your support, we build partnerships and strategically invest in initiatives that secure a safety net for our working families, support our most vulnerable populations, strengthen our social sector, and improve the lives of all who call Santa Barbara County home.

We I hope you will consider the Santa Barbara Foundation as your philanthropic partner and make a gift to our Community Engagement Fund today.

 

Select Highlights of Our Work

 

Food Resilience

A strong food system means healthier communities, less dependence on global markets, and more resilience when disasters like fire, drought, or flood (or even a pandemic) cause food shortages. Learn how we support our partners at the Santa Barbara County Food Action Network in aligning community resources and empowering food action leaders to build a stronger, more resilient local food system.

 

Supporting our Veterans

Five years ago, SBF set out to research how veterans were faring in our region and to identify opportunities to improve local services. In June 2021, this research culminated in the launch of the first Santa Barbara County Veterans Collaborative. The group convenes veteran-serving organizations to better support wellness of veterans and their families throughout the county. Read more about the collaborative.

 

 

Improving Access to Health Care 

Learn how Marian Regional Medical Center, with support from SBF, was able to launch a Family Medicine Residency Program and how these aspiring doctors have made an impact in the health and wellness of the Santa Maria community.

 

 

COVID-19 Relief

In response to the novel coronavirus, the SBF team launched the Community Disaster Relief Fund and worked tirelessly to connect resources, co-led & co-coordinated the COVID-19 Joint Response Effort, built a rapid response grant program, and led collaborations to help our community through these unprecedented challenges… Read More.

 

 

Saving the San Marcos Foothills

There are few communities as dedicated to preserving open spaces as Santa Barbara, as demonstrated by the Olympic efforts of the recent Foothills Forever campaign. Learn how Foothills Forever campaign leadership team, Channel Islands Restoration, members of the Chumash community, and many others stepped up to raise $20 million in three months to protect our vital native grasslands!

 

 

Caring for the next generation

Quality early childhood education can make an immense impact on a child’s life. But for families struggling to make ends meet or who are experiencing homelessness, accessing these often expensive services can be challenging. Learn how SBF is working with child care providers like Storyteller to provide services to vulnerable families.

 

 

Make an impact!

Our work cannot be achieved without you. Gifts to the Community Engagement Fund allow us to remain flexible and relevant as we strive to meet the most pressing needs of our community. With your support, we can continue to invest in organizations that are doing vitally important work and continue to build partnerships and coalitions to increase our collective impact. Make a gift today.