Express Grants

Express Grants are awards of up to $5,000 to support nonprofit organizations serving Santa Barbara County. These grants are meant to support organizations by funding projects that improve organizational efficiencies and effectiveness. The Foundation may also consider funding new or innovative projects, joint/collaborative efforts that leverage community resources, and emergencies.

A student models a crown of Tilansias, an epiphytic plant at Ganna Walska Lotusland. Image courtesy of Lotusland.

Usage

Express Grants can be used for the following:

• Organizational development:
  • Exploratory collaborations and partnerships
  • Planning and research
  • Strategic planning
• Defined projects:
  • Program start-up
  • Program evaluation
• Leveraging community resources/match funding
  
  
• Small capital items and equipment
  
  
• Strategic marketing and outreach
  
  
• Unforeseen emergencies

Eligibility

• Organizations must be a 501(c)3 or use a fiscal sponsor with the 501(c)3 tax status. Applications that do not contain a valid EIN (tax ID) number will automatically be declined. SBF uses Guidestar.org to verify nonprofit EIN numbers. Be sure your organization’s contact information is accurate on this website, as SBF is obligated to mail award checks to the address associated with the EIN number on this website.
• Organizations can submit up to two applications for an Express Grant during a calendar year. Once an Express Grant has been awarded, an organization will be precluded from additional Express Grant requests for the remainder of the calendar year.
• An organization may submit more than two applications in a calendar year if the proposed project is a collaborative grant.  Click here to find out more about Collaborative Express Grants.
• Express Grant requests for the following will not be considered: one time events, religious-based programs, fundraisers, capital campaigns, and general requests that support the overall organization budget.
• Click here for basic eligibility requirements for all our grant programs.

Application Deadlines for 2013:

Express Grant applications are due the first Monday of each month. Exceptions are noted by an asterisk.