Focus
The Santa Barbara Foundation is committed to strengthening nonprofit organizations and building the capacity of the arts social sector through the support of Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts. Grants will be available to nonprofit organizations seeking to further their mission of providing quality performing art opportunities. Funding from the Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts has shifted and will be available to qualifying performing arts nonprofit organizations for general operating or programmatic support.
Priorities
Priority will be given to organizations that:
Important Note: The Foundation aims to promote in its grantmaking a balance of geographic spread, population served, organization size, applicant history with the Foundation, and organization’s mission alignment with the Fund. As such, these characteristics will also be considered at the committee level when prioritizing grant awards.
Types of Support
Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts Grants are available for a variety of activities in the following areas:
Funding Amounts and Duration
The maximum award for the Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts is $15,000. An organization can apply once per calendar year. Due to the increasingly competitive nature of the grant program, partial funding is likely to be awarded. The grant period is up to one year from the award. A final report is required and due within 13 months of the grant award, preferably no later than 30 days after the project’s completion.
Please visit the Eligibility Criteria & FAQs for a complete list of what the foundation does not fund.
Eligibility Requirements
Spring Cycle Timeline:
| February 6, 2026 | Application Opens |
| March 13, 2026 | Deadline for application Submission |
| April 2026 | Funds Awarded |
Fall Cycle Timeline:
| September 4, 2026 | Application Opens |
| October 9, 2026 | Deadline for application Submission |
| November 2026 | Funds Awarded |
Contact Information
For questions about the Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts Grants program and funding eligibility, or technical assistance, please contact Deanna Vallejo, Program Officer, at (805) 880-9385 Dvallejo@sbfoundation.org or Jessica Sanchez, Senior Director of Donor Relations, at Jsanchez@sbfoundation.org
| Criteria | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose & Strategic Use of Funds | Clearly articulates a well-defined request that is tightly aligned with the organization’s mission/programming and strategic priorities. Funding is explicitly tied to sustaining or expanding organizational capacity to respond to demonstrated demand for quality performing arts opportunities. | Describes a clear and appropriate use of funds aligned with organizational or programmatic needs. Shows a reasonable connection between the request and capacity to meet demand, though some elements could be more specific. | Identifies a general use of funds that aligns with mission, but the strategic rationale or link to capacity and demand is not fully developed. | Request lacks clarity or strategic focus. Limited explanation of how funds will strengthen capacity or respond to demand. | Purpose of funds is unclear, misaligned with TFPA priorities, or does not demonstrate a meaningful connection to organizational or programmatic need. |
| Financial Stewardship & Sustainability | Demonstrates strong financial stewardship with a clear, realistic plan for prioritizing activities if partial funding is awarded. Shows thoughtful planning for sustaining or stabilizing capacity beyond the grant period. | Provides a solid explanation of how funds would be prioritized if partially awarded and demonstrates responsible financial planning, with minor gaps in long-term sustainability. | Addresses partial funding prioritization at a basic level. Sustainability considerations are present but limited in depth or specificity. | Provides minimal or unclear information about prioritization or sustainability. Financial planning appears reactive rather than intentional. | Does not address partial funding prioritization or sustainability. Raises concerns about responsible use of funds. |
| Access, Equity & Community Reach | Clearly demonstrates sustained and/or increased demand for performing arts opportunities, identifies specific language, cultural, financial, or other barriers, and presents intentional strategies to dismantle those barriers for low-income and marginalized populations in Santa Barbara County. | Shows evidence of demand and describes efforts to improve access and reduce barriers, though some strategies or populations could be more clearly defined. | References demand and access challenges in general terms. Equity strategies are present but not fully articulated or clearly connected to community need. | Demand and access barriers are minimally addressed or described vaguely. Limited evidence of intentional equity-focused strategies. | Does not demonstrate demand, address access barriers, or articulate how underserved communities benefit. |
| Collaboration | Provides clear, specific examples of intentional collaborations with other organizations or partners that directly increase access to performing arts opportunities. Partnerships demonstrate shared planning, resources, or implementation and result in meaningful benefits for the communities served. | Describes collaborative efforts that support access to performing arts opportunities, with evidence of coordination or shared work. Partnerships are relevant and beneficial, though impact or structure may be less fully developed. | Mentions collaboration with other organizations or partners, but examples are limited in scope, depth, or clarity regarding how access is expanded. | Collaboration is minimal, informal, or loosely defined. Limited connection between partnerships and increased access to performing arts opportunities. | No meaningful collaboration described, or collaborations are not relevant to expanding access. |
| Impact, Learning & Cultural Competence | Identifies realistic metrics and feasible methods to assess impact and learning. Demonstrates authentic cultural competence through specific examples in staffing, volunteers, board composition, and/or programming that reflect the communities served. | Provides clear impact measures and some learning processes. Cultural competence is evident, though examples may lack depth or breadth. | Identifies basic metrics or indicators of success. Cultural competence is described, but largely at a values or aspirational level. | Impact measurement and learning are vague or underdeveloped. Cultural competence is minimally addressed. | No clear approach to measuring impact or learning, and no meaningful demonstration of cultural competence. |
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