Santa Barbara Foundation Student Aid Programs

Recent Fleischmann and Spaulding scholarship award recipients. Image courtesy of Monie Photography.

In 1928, the Santa Barbara Foundation was established on the premise of strengthening the community fabric with philanthropic efforts to enrich the lives of residents living in Santa Barbara County. With this in mind, and in 1932, the Santa Barbara Foundation awarded its first student loans, $350 to two students. Since then, and thanks to the generosity of many donors, more than $40 million has been awarded to students. Last year, over 600 students received loans and scholarships totaling $1.7 million. The Santa Barbara Foundation recognizes the importance of education and the strength that it brings to communities. With increased access to financial, intellectual, and civic capital, the Santa Barbara Foundation will move closer to its goal of strengthening Santa Barbara County’s capacity to bring about and sustain vibrant communities.

For the past 15 years, the Santa Barbara Foundation has awarded scholarships and loans to local students through the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. Funds come from both organizations, but the management of the student aid programs is done by the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. This collaboration ensures that millions of dollars is efficiently distributed to the students of Santa Barbara County for student aid.

The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara (SFSB) accepts applications and collects loan payments on behalf of the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Student Aid programs. Contact the SFSB to request applications for loans, scholarships, and awards.