The Santa Barbara Foundation

Building Impact | Building Community | Building Philanthropy

Santa Barbara Foundation Founder
Max Fleischmann

The Santa Barbara Foundation was established in 1928 by Max Fleischmann and a forward thinking group who wanted to enrich the lives of people from Santa Maria to Carpinteria.

For more than eight decades, the Santa Barbara Foundation has been at the center of civic activity, a vibrant expression of its engaged citizenry, a solver of problems, a partner in philanthropy, and a critical supporter of community organizations and efforts.

There is hardly a nonprofit organization or essential community project that has not benefitted from the work of the Santa Barbara Foundation.

As we have grown, our goals have remained the same - turning community dollars into community change. Today, thanks to the unwavering generosity of our community, our assets have grown to exceed $280 million and we are the largest grantmaker in our county.

Explore the Foundation

Whether you wish to donate, create a fund, or establish a legacy, the Santa Barbara Foundation can help support your dream. Learn more about who we are.

Become a Donor
We make giving easy, meaningful, and effective by helping donors select well-run nonprofits addressing causes that are important to them. Learn more about becoming a donor.

Our Work
We help nonprofits operate at peak efficiency and get the most out of every dollar. We also identify critical community issues in our county and mobilize forces to address them. Learn more about our work.