Community grants are grants the foundation makes in response to needs and requests from the nonprofits in our community. They are supported by the foundation’s endowment and donors, and are awarded through a rigorous process of research, planning, due diligence and evaluation. Foundation staff consult with community volunteers whose expertise ensures a balanced approach to the review process.
In addition to community grant programs, the foundation is a catalyst for community change and offers grant opportunities under our initiatives. Please visit our Landscape, Ecosystems, Agriculture and Food Systems (LEAF) Initiative and Community Caregiving Initiative pages to learn about these community initiatives. More information about these grant opportunities are below.
Our Community Grant Program Applications are now online! Please review the community grant descriptions below to see which is the best opportunity for you. Please see below for Initiative’s, Give Together, and Foundation Roundtable Grant Program Applications that are available in a fillable PDF.
Please note: Before starting your fillable PDF application, please download and save the application to your desktop using Adobe Reader. Edits made to the form in the browser will not be saved. Review Application & Submittal Procedures for further instructions.
Grant guidelines and applications will be posted as they become available. For more information, please reference our Eligibility Criteria & FAQs or contact the staff member listed on the initiative pages or on the grant opportunities below.
Express Grants are awards of up to $5,000 aimed at strengthening the organizational capacity and programmatic effectiveness of nonprofit organizations serving Santa Barbara County.
The Santa Barbara Foundation provides the Core Support for Basic Needs Grant Program that will be available to nonprofit organizations directly providing food, shelter and health care (including behavioral care). Funding can be used for operating expenses or costs related to sustaining and/or expanding service delivery programs to meet demonstrated demand.
The Santa Barbara Foundation offers Early Care and Education grants of up to $20,000 to increase capacity among nonprofit child care providers and integral direct service providers to meet the critical needs of our community’s youngest members. With focus on supporting providers in leadership and professional development, family engagement, and strategies that promote equitable access to quality childcare. Grants will be awarded to nonprofit child care providers serving children 0-5 years of age.
William and Lottie Daniel Fund Child Care Scholarships guidelines and applications will open in March. This community opportunity provides support to nonprofit organizations that provide quality child care for working families. Please continue to check the Santa Barbara Foundation website and social media for more updates.
Blood Research and Education Grants, offered through the Tri-Counties Blood Bank Fund, are available to support blood and blood-related products and services.
Invest in Youth Grants are available to support programs and experiences that promote the positive and healthy development of young people and help them achieve their fullest potential.
The Senior Programs of Santa Barbara Committee Advised Fund Program Grants are available to support programs and projects directed to the welfare of senior citizens in the cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria. Grants cannot be used for overhead, salaries, capital or building funds. Grant range: $2,000 to $15,000. Collaborative applications are acceptable.
The Senior Programs Fund also makes available each year a sum of $5,000 for its Express Grants, with the purpose of funding a limited number of one-per-year grants to a grantee of up to $1,000 each. Express Grants are available for a variety of activities in the following areas: small projects, short-term opportunities and sponsorships.
The Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts is now accepting grant applications for a single distribution of funds in 2018. Please submit all application materials by July 31, 2018. Grant requests for this round should not exceed $15,000. Starting in 2019, there will be two distributions. Additional information will be shared at the end of this year.
Community Caregiving Initiative Grants are available to pilot, develop, and bolster new projects and programs that build community capacity and systems for caregiver support—including work supported through this grant opportunity in the past two years. Competitive projects will address identified gaps and opportunities in existing services, exchanges, and connections that increase caregiver resiliency and competency.
Food Systems grants are to support projects that align with one or more of the 16 goals and related strategies of the Santa Barbara County Food Action Plan (SBFAP). The Plan was released in 2016 and project partners Community Environmental Council, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County and the LEAF Initiative are working to grow community capacity in order to create positive change in the local food system. Grant awards up to $20,000.
Contact our team to help you with your specific needs.
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