The Fund for Santa Barbara

The Fund for Santa Barbara IG:
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The Fund for Santa Barbara is a 501(c)3 non-profit community foundation that advances progressive change by strengthening movements for Economic, Environmental, Political, Racial, and Social Justice in the Santa Barbara County region.

Let’s raise a glass for our Grantees! 🥂☀️The FUND’s Grant Awards Celebration is returning this summer on Wednesday, July...
06/05/2026

Let’s raise a glass for our Grantees! 🥂☀️The FUND’s Grant Awards Celebration is returning this summer on Wednesday, July 29.

Join us as we honor the recipients of our 2026 Racial Equity Grants and Movement Building Grants (announced in July). Whether you’re a grantee, supporter, community partner, or simply care about building a more just and equitable Santa Barbara County, this is a chance to come together with fellow changemakers, celebrate the organizations leading bold work across our region, and enjoy an inspiring evening of storytelling, conversation, and joy.

📍 Corque Hotel, Solvang�
🗓️ July 29 | 5–8 PM�
🥂 Hors d’oeuvres & beverages provided

RSVP at fundforsantabarbara.org/grant-awards-celebration

📣 SAVE THE DATE! The Youth Organizing Summit returns on Saturday, August 29, 2026.Join youth from across Santa Barbara a...
06/03/2026

📣 SAVE THE DATE! The Youth Organizing Summit returns on Saturday, August 29, 2026.

Join youth from across Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties for a day of workshops, speakers, conversations, and community-building focused on the issues impacting young people and the changes they want to see in their communities. Open to junior high and high school youth, as well as educators, organizers, and adult allies.

🗓️ August 29, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
📍 Santa Barbara City College, Leni Fe Bland Forum.

Free to attend. Meals, interpretation, and transportation support will be available. Registration and additional details coming soon!

A partnership of The Fund for Santa Barbara and The McCune Foundation.

When the team understands the assignment 🗳️😎 Shoutout to The FUND staff for showing up, making our voices heard, and ex...
06/02/2026

When the team understands the assignment 🗳️😎 Shoutout to The FUND staff for showing up, making our voices heard, and exercising one of our most important democratic rights: voting!

With so much at stake for our communities, our rights, and our future, every vote matters. If you haven't voted in today's Primary Election, there's still time!

🗳️ Vote by Ballot Drop Off: Return your completed ballot to a secure, official ballot drop box location or at the County Elections Office.

🗳️ Vote in Person: Santa Barbara County polling places are open today until 8:00 PM. You can vote in person, drop off your completed ballot, or receive voting assistance.

📍 Find your nearest vote center or ballot drop box at
countyofsb.org/1158/CVIG-and-polling-place-lookup

⚠️ Important: Avoid mailing your ballot today. Mail delays could prevent your vote from being counted. Instead, return your ballot to an official ballot drop box or vote center. If you must mail it, take it inside a U.S. Post Office and ask for a hand-stamped postmark. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked no later than June 2.

Save the date! Bread & Roses returns to Santa Barbara City College’s Great Meadow on Sunday, October 4th from 2–6 PM.Joi...
05/08/2026

Save the date! Bread & Roses returns to Santa Barbara City College’s Great Meadow on Sunday, October 4th from 2–6 PM.

Join us for an afternoon of live music, good food and drinks, inspiring speakers, and community as we celebrate the people, relationships, and movements shaping Santa Barbara County. For more than 30 years, Bread & Roses has brought together organizers, artists, advocates, and community members for one of the Central Coast’s largest annual progressive gatherings.

We’re also looking for Early Event Sponsors to help make this year’s event possible and keep it accessible to our community. Sponsors confirmed by July 31, 2026 will be recognized in our printed invitation. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities at fundforsantabarbara.org/bread-roses/

Deadline extended! Applications for the 2026–2027 Youth Making Change (YMC) Board have been reopened through Friday, May...
04/29/2026

Deadline extended! Applications for the 2026–2027 Youth Making Change (YMC) Board have been reopened through Friday, May 8 at 11:59 PM. If you are a teen ready to make an impact in your community, this is your chance.

Youth Making Change is a teen-led grantmaking and leadership program where young people take part in real decision-making—reviewing proposals, funding youth-led projects, and helping shape where resources go across Santa Barbara County. Each year, two YMC Boards award $15,000 to projects that support young people and address issues impacting youth in our communities.

Open to ages 13–19, regardless of background, identity, ability, spoken language, or academic status. Board members receive community service hours and a stipend.

Know a young person who should be part of this? Share this post with them. For questions, reach out to [email protected]. Learn more and apply at fundforsantabarbara.org/ymc-board

We’re excited to welcome Arcelia Sencion as Board President at The FUND for Santa Barbara! A Board member since 2023, Ar...
04/29/2026

We’re excited to welcome Arcelia Sencion as Board President at The FUND for Santa Barbara!

A Board member since 2023, Arcelia brings more than 30 years of nonprofit leadership in Santa Barbara County, supporting children, youth, families, and survivors of gender-based violence. She brings a thoughtful, collaborative approach grounded in listening, relationship-building, and a deep sense of responsibility, along with a clear belief that lasting change requires both systemic solutions and strong community support systems.

We also want to thank Eric Cardenas for three years of dedicated leadership as Board President. His steady guidance helped lead The FUND through pivotal and challenging times. When so much felt uncertain, he kept us grounded in our values, allowing us to meet the moment by supporting communities under attack, strengthening movements for justice, and ultimately tripling our grantmaking in 2025.

Please join us in thanking Eric and welcoming Arcelia in this next chapter of leadership!

Final Hours to Apply! If you’ve been thinking about applying to the Youth Making Change Board, this is your sign. Applic...
04/25/2026

Final Hours to Apply! If you’ve been thinking about applying to the Youth Making Change Board, this is your sign. Applications close tonight, Friday, April 24 at 11:59 PM.

Young people are already leading change in their communities. Youth Making Change (YMC) is a teen-led grantmaking and leadership program where young people play a direct role in supporting their communities—reviewing proposals, funding youth-led projects, and helping shape where resources go across Santa Barbara County. Open to youth ages 13–19, regardless of background, identity, ability, spoken language, or academic status.

Don't miss this chance make a difference, meet new friends, and grow your leadership skills! Apply now at fundforsantabarbara.org/ymc-board

Santa Barbara County is weighing a major investment in jail expansion at a time when critical community services are on ...
04/17/2026

Santa Barbara County is weighing a major investment in jail expansion at a time when critical community services are on the chopping block. There’s a clear alternative: scale back the project and invest in the services that actually support long-term safety and well-being.

Take action:
• Sign and share the petition bit.ly/limitjailfunding
• Show up: Friday, April 17 at 9 AM at the County Board of Supervisors Meetings in Santa Maria & Santa Barbara (or join virtually) to give public comment

Reminder! Applications are still open for the 2026–2027 Youth Making Change (YMC) Board.Youth Making Change is a teen-le...
03/17/2026

Reminder! Applications are still open for the 2026–2027 Youth Making Change (YMC) Board.

Youth Making Change is a teen-led grantmaking and leadership program that empowers young people to participate directly in philanthropy as decision-makers throughout an entire grant cycle. Each year, two YMC Boards—one in Santa Maria and one in Santa Barbara—award $15,000 in grants to youth-led projects that address the needs of young people across Santa Barbara County. YMC supports projects that take on the root causes of social issues impacting youth in our community.

Youth ages 13–19 who are interested in learning about social justice and advancing progressive social change are encouraged to apply—regardless of background, identity, ability, spoken language, or academic status.Board members receive community service hours and a stipend in recognition of their time and leadership.

🗓 Apply by Friday, April 24 at 11:59 PM. Visit fundforsantabarbara.org/ymc-board to learn more and apply. Questions? Email [email protected]

We’re proud to spotlight one of our Movement Building Grantees, Healing Justice Santa Barbara - HJSB, an organization th...
03/06/2026

We’re proud to spotlight one of our Movement Building Grantees, Healing Justice Santa Barbara - HJSB, an organization that works to uplift all Black/African-Americans to affirm that they are deserving of safety, love, equity, respect, and joy.

For years, HJSB has worked to tell the full truth of Santa Barbara’s Black experience—from porch interviews with elders, hours spent scanning archives and photographs, to producing documentaries, timelines, trolley tours, and advocating for historic landmark designations. Recently, they celebrated the release of their beautiful new children’s book, We Were Here, We Are Here: A Living History of Black Santa Barbara written by Simone Akila Ruskamp and illustrated by Reyna Iman, carrying this history forward for the next generation.

During this past Black History Month, HJSB brought local Black history into community spaces across Santa Barbara from Black History Trolley Tours with Santa Barbara High School and the University Club, to a walking tour with Midland School and a community presentation with Moms Demand Action. Their Black Historical Timeline exhibition was also on display at SBCC Umoja and the Santa Barbara Public Library, offering the public a chance to engage with the rich, and often erased, history of Black Santa Barbara.

HJSB also invests in young Black students and future leaders through the Black Student Alliance. Earlier this month, BSA students attended the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Expo, where they explored admissions opportunities and applied for scholarships.

From archival preservation to youth leadership and community storytelling, HJSB reminds us that preserving and sharing our histories is essential to building lasting movements for justice. We are proud to support their work!
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Is your organization working to build long-term power for social change in Santa Barbara County? If so, our Movement Building Grant pre-screening closes tomorrow, March 6, with request for proposals closing next Friday, March 13. Interested applicants should reach out to [email protected] to learn more.

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PO Box PO Box 90710
Santa Barbara, CA
93101

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