Santa Barbara Better Together Fund Provides Grants for Small Businesses in the City of Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, CA – The Santa Barbara Foundation announced today the launch of the Santa Barbara Better Together Fund Small Business Grant Program partnership with the City of Santa Barbara, to help those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Foundation partnership will support grants from the Santa Barbara Better Together Fund of up to $7,500 per grant to qualifying small businesses located within the City of Santa Barbara as they reopen and adapt to operating under proper public health guidelines due to COVID-19. Grant awards are available to eligible businesses until funds have been depleted.
The grant application is available from Monday, September 28 through Thursday, October 15. Please review the SBBT Small Business Grant Program guidelines for further details.
Learn more in English: https://www.sbfoundation.org/covid-19-business-community-resources/sbbt-small-business-grant-program-guidelines-santa-barbara/
Para aprender más en Español: https://www.sbfoundation.org/covid-19-business-community-resources/sbbt-small-business-grant-program-spanish-guidelines-santa-barbara/
”Small businesses are the economic engine in this community. Together with the Santa Barbara Foundation, the City is helping lift up this important sector of our local economy” said Mayor Cathy Murillo. “We thank the Santa Barbara Foundation and the Santa Barbara Better Together Fund for their support and partnership”.
The Santa Barbara Better Together Fund (SBBT) was set up at the Santa Barbara Foundation as a committee advised fund in March of 2020 with an initial $500,000 donation from Deckers Brands. The fund will help local businesses survive these uncertain times which in turn will help sustain our community.
The Santa Barbara Better Together Fund is made up of representatives from Deckers and Santa Barbara Foundation, and local experts. Distribution of the funds are voted on by the committee members. The Santa Barbara Better Together Fund provided its first grant in the amount of $125,000 to Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) for financial support to the small business community in Santa Barbara County through WEV’s ReStart Loan Program. Since August, the Santa Barbara Better Together Fund provided grant programs for small businesses in the City of Goleta, City of Carpinteria, unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County and Santa Maria and SBBT now wishes to do the same for the City of Santa Barbara.
“With so many local small businesses struggling due to the impacts of COVID-19, we knew that we needed to do something to help,” said Jackie Carrera, President & CEO of the Santa Barbara Foundation. “We are proud to support our business community through this collaboration with SBBT and cities throughout the county.”
About Santa Barbara Foundation
The Santa Barbara Foundation, the largest community foundation in the region and the county’s go-to resource for investment and capacity-building, strives to mobilize and elevate all residents to thrive. Nearly every Santa Barbara County nonprofit organization and essential community project has been supported by the Foundation during its 92-year history.
The Foundation is working to improve areas that affect quality of life in Santa Barbara County including childcare, workforce development, and workforce housing. The Foundation connects those who give with those in need – and all who dream of stronger communities. To learn more, please visit SBFoundation.org.
About the City of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is internationally known for its beautiful environment and its vibrant hospitality. However, the community has experienced significant and multiple impacts to its local economy. Over 4,300 resilient businesses and tens of thousands in the workforce are working hard to preserver through the pandemic. The City has responded with innovative approaches to support the business community and is entering into new partnerships to expand the reach of assistance to lift up businesses and the economy. To learn more, visit santabarbaraca.gov.