On May 13, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded a record, eye-popping $1.275 million to 10 local nonprofits. In line with the mission of this 1,451-member collective giving circle, the grants targeted critical needs of women, children and families in south Santa Barbara County.
At the annual Celebration of Grants event at the Lobero Theatre, the more than 500 guests enjoyed an outdoor reception before adjourning to the theater for the program. Grant recipients were announced and nonprofit recipients shared stories demonstrating the huge impact the funding will have on those they serve. Board Chair Carolyn Jabs related that hearing directly from the nonprofit leaders is one of the best parts of being a Women’s Fund member. Some of the grants were for gap funding, whose need arose from recent and in some cases, devastating, government funding cuts.
Grant recipients were:
- AHA Attitude, Harmony, Achievement: $150,000 (over two years) for in-school programs to help teens build emotional management, deep listening, and social skills.
- Angels Foster Care: $60,000 for a hybrid SUV to transport foster children to medical appointments, court hearings, and family visitations.
- Community Partners in Caring: $62,500 for staffing to train volunteers to transport and socialize with seniors and adults with disabilities.
- Family Service Agency: $200,000 (over two years) for a school therapist to provide mental health screenings, crisis response, and counseling to junior high and high school students.
- Friendship Adult Day Care Center: $82,500 for staff to transport members with dementia.
- Mission Scholars: $150,000 (over two years) for staff to provide mentorship, career coaching, and leadership workshops for low-income first-generation students.
- Planned Parenthood California Central Coast: $200,000 (over two years) to keep open its health center, which provides reproductive care.
- Santa Barbara Meals on Wheels: $100,000 (over two years) for its food delivery and wellness check services for homebound seniors.
- Santa Barbara Rescue Mission: $150,000 to remodel a storage space into an eight-bed dormitory for stabilization and trauma-informed care for women awaiting addiction treatment.
- Veggie Rescue: $120,000 for a refrigerated truck to transport surplus fresh and packaged food to its nonprofit partners.
A new Small Grant Pilot Program, which was seeded with $100,000, was announced. Vice Chair Lauren Trujillo explained that this program will make $10,000 and $25,000 operating support grants to nonprofits with annual revenues under $500,000. Unlike its traditional grant program, this program will accept applications. Details will be provided next month.
The Women’s Fund is funded by the pooled donations of its members. Known for the rigorousness of its work, the Research Committee labors for several months to produce a ballot of grantee options on which members vote.
Over the year, site visits to grant recipient organizations and educational forums enable members to gain more knowledge about community needs and the vital role nonprofits play in meeting those needs. In the last year, seven forums have been held, featuring grant recipients, clients, and subject matter experts, who collectively provide illuminating insights.
Expenses are kept low so 91 percent of funds raised go to the grants and another 4 percent to the educational programming. Membership is open to any woman at the individual level ($2,750 or more) or group level ($2,750 or more collectively from a group of any size). The Membership Committee helps prospective members find a compatible group or form their own group. Jabs shared that most of the 174 groups meet to discuss the ballot, and she has been struck by how much she learns in these meetings from other women sharing their experiences and perspectives.
Making a donation is the only requirement for membership, but many women choose to participate by joining one or more committees that together enable this highly impactful organization to function. Once again, this year, these bright, dedicated women delivered on their motto of “changing lives together.”
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