Putting Empathy into Action

The mission of the Santa Barbara Foundation is to mobilize collective wisdom and philanthropic capital to build empathetic, inclusive and resilient communities.

Since 1928, your community foundation has championed the philanthropic efforts of the people of Santa Barbara County, identifying the areas of greatest need and bringing together generous donors with those who do standout work in the nonprofit community. We are honored to have this position of trust and hope you will join us.

What We Do

For over 90 years, the Santa Barbara Foundation has been a catalyst for change. We analyze issues to identify challenges that burden people every day in Santa Barbara County. We convene community stakeholders to build coalitions and partner with nonprofits and other leaders working on the front lines. Together, we chart a direction and mobilize people like you to support the dynamic initiatives that makes this a better place, now and for generations to come.

  • Strategic Priorities
    Leading

    We convene people to listen, learn, invest time and resources, and cultivate ideas to solve big problems.

  • Strategic Priorities
    Grantmaking

    We strategically invest funds to enable the work of nonprofits through a rigorous process of research, planning, due diligence, and evaluation.

  • Strategic Priorities
    Philanthropy

    We create and manage funds for donors, inspire people to give, and develop strategic investment opportunities to stimulate civic action.

  • Strategic Priorities
    Social Sector Support

    We elevate nonprofits by offering opportunities to learn, grow, and become stronger.

Priorities for Impact

With the goal of creating a community foundation for the times, we recently led an exhaustive exploration into the needs of the widely varied constituencies that make up Santa Barbara County. Your donations make this work possible.

 

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Give Now to Our Strategic Priorities Fund
Learn More about Our Strategic Priorities

The Power of Investing Together

A major part of the Santa Barbara Foundation’s mission involves partnering with donors to invest their charity dollars in causes they’re passionate about. Our donors also entrust us with discretionary funds which we pool together and invest based on our deep knowledge of county issues. Explore our 2023 Annual Report to learn more about our investment in Santa Barbara County.

 

What’s New
with SBF?

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Supporting Children’s Mental Health: Quality Child Care Sets the Foundation

At the Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF), we understand that access to quality child care isn’t just a convenience, it’s a lifeline for the mental well-being of children and their families.  […]

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2025 Info Sessions and Grant Programs

Community Grant Program Info Sessions 2025 We invite you to meet the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Programs Department staff and learn about our 2025 nonprofit support and grant programs! All in-person […]

Partner with Us to Make Real Impact

For more than nine decades our specialty has been charitable giving. Partner with us as your Philanthropic Advisors if you're looking to: build a better community, help your client devise a giving strategy, or support your work as a nonprofit.