BY SAM WATERSTONE | MAY 23, 2018 | LEER EN ESPAÑOL
The Invest in Youth community grant program awarded $476,000 in grants to 20 nonprofit organizations that provide youth development programs in Santa Barbara County.
First offered in 2016 to support nonprofit organizations that provide critical developmental opportunities to young people throughout the county, the Invest in Youth program in 2018 focuses on nonprofit organizations with in-school, out-of-school, after-school, or summer programs serving school aged children (grades K-12) and transitional age youth (age 16-24) who are in transition from state custody or foster care in Santa Barbara County.
“The Santa Barbara Foundation is deeply committed to ensuring that our next generation of leaders have access to educational opportunities and professional growth,” said Santa Barbara Foundation Community Investment Officer Guille Gil-Reynoso. “The Foundation supports organizations that work with young people to positively influence their development, helping them become confident, responsible, and productive adults, while providing valuable life and career skills that extend beyond youth programming.”
The Foundation received 45 proposals from organizations across the county, ultimately selecting 20 grant recipients who were awarded up to $25,000 each. These grant recipients have demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence and the ability to run successful youth development programs in Santa Barbara County. Many of the selected organizations focus on expanding opportunities for leadership development, advocacy, and civic engagement, while others specialize in fostering healthy habits and improving social and mental well-being.
2018 Invest in Youth Grant Recipients
AHA! (Attitude. Harmony. Achievement.) – $25,000
Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara – $25,000
Camp Fire Central Coast of California – $25,000
Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) – $20,000
Central Coast Junior Golf (The First Tee Central Coast) – $25,000
Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara County – $25,000
Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley – $25,000
Future Leaders of America – $25,000
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria – $25,000
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara – $25,000
Girls Rock Santa Barbara – $25,000
Just Communities Central Coast – $25,000
Los Padres Council, Boy Scouts of America – $25,000
Pacific Pride Foundation – $25,000
Santa Barbara Education Foundation (What is LOVE) – $25,000
Santa Maria Valley YMCA – $25,000
Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program – $25,000
The Los Alamos Foundation – $6,000
United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County – $25,000
United Way of Santa Barbara County – $25,000
The Invest in Youth committee was comprised of nine community members including Santa Barbara Foundation Trustees Reverend Randall Day (Rector of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church), Danna McGrew (CPA with Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf, LLP), Jennifer Murray (Financial Services Professional at Morgan Stanley), and Ginger Salazar (Brand, Marketing, and Strategy Consultant). Five Foundation staff members made up the rest of the committee.
“To be concerned about our youth is right,” explained committee member Reverend Randall Day. “They and the communities they’re growing up in are seriously challenged. At the same time, we can be encouraged that, throughout Santa Barbara County, insightful, resourceful, and adaptive organizations are rising up to promote the health of young people, aid their development as leaders, and help them achieve full lives.”
For more information about education and youth development grant programs, please contact Guille Gil-Reynoso at ggil-reynoso@sbfoundation.org.
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