What Santa Barbara Foundation does

Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF) is a 501(c)(3) community foundation established in 1928 that serves as the philanthropic infrastructure for Santa Barbara County, California. The organization mobilizes charitable capital from individuals, families, estates, and corporations, stewarding it through donor advised funds, donor designated funds, field of interest funds, supporting organizations, and a portfolio of committee-advised and collective-giving funds (SB Better Together, Global Neighborhood Fund, Ojai Women's Fund, Santa Barbara Impact Network, Vow4Mal, Senior Programs of Santa Barbara). SBF then re-deploys this capital as grants to approximately 1,900 local nonprofits across twenty-plus strategic priority areas including behavioral health, food security, shelter and safety, child care, housing affordability, conservation, digital equity, the performing arts, youth mental health (4R), workforce development, and capacity building. The foundation operates two offices — a South County headquarters at 1111 Chapala Street in Santa Barbara and a North County office in Santa Maria — and serves a constituency spanning donors, professional advisors, corporate philanthropy partners, and grantee organizations.

SBF's service portfolio centers on a family of fund vehicles (Donor Advised Funds, Donor Designated Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Supporting Organizations) and strategic grant programs (Behavioral Health & Health Care, Food, Shelter and Safety, Child Care, Housing Affordability, Conservation/Environment/Public Trails, Health Equity Initiative, Digital Equity Coalition, Workforce Development, Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts, Youth Mental Health 4R, William and Lottie Daniel Child Care Scholarships, Small Capacity Building). It also administers two response funds — the Community Disaster Relief Fund (first activated during the 2018 Debris Flow and relaunched for COVID-19 in March 2020 and again for the 2025 LA County wildfires) and the 2024 Critical Needs Response Fund. The foundation's technology stack consists of three third-party cloud-hosted portals: a Spectrum-powered "My SBF" Donor Portal for fundholder self-service, a SmartSimple-powered Grants Portal for nonprofit application management, and a BoardEffect-powered board and committee governance portal. Donations are accepted via credit card, check, Donor Advised Fund, IRA rollover, stock, and wire through partner integrations with Wells Fargo Advisors (stock gifts), Montecito Bank & Trust (wire/ACH), and DAFdirect-enabled national sponsors (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, BNY Mellon).

As a community foundation, SBF's revenue mechanics are inverted from a for-profit: it does not sell goods or services at a margin. Instead, it raises charitable contributions and endowment/fund investment income, deducts a stewardship and administrative charge, and re-deploys the balance as grants. Donor relationships are cultivated through direct philanthropic advising (VP Philanthropic Services, VP Programs, Senior Director of Donor Relations, Director of Development), high-touch events (Catalyst Reception, Community Champions recognition at $1,000+ annual giving), and content marketing (newsletter, blog, State of Nonprofits report, Digital Equity Coalition Summit). Professional advisors — attorneys, estate planners, and financial advisors — serve as a parallel referral channel. The foundation's go-to-market combines a community-led convening model with event-driven donor engagement, direct-to-consumer online giving portals, and channel-partner relationships with national DAF sponsors and local collective-giving groups. The foundation's 2024-2028 Strategic Roadmap formalizes priorities ahead of its 100th anniversary in 2028.

Name

Santa Barbara Foundation

Legal name

Santa Barbara Foundation

Website

https://sbfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Santa Barbara Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation, founded in 1928, that mobilizes philanthropic capital, stewards donor advised funds and endowments, and grants to approximately 1,900 nonprofits across Santa Barbara County, California, ahead of its 2028 centennial.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation & Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Community foundation grantmaking
• Donor advised fund services
• Philanthropic advising
• Nonprofit grant programs
• Collective giving funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Maria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Charitable contributions and pledges: Unrestricted, restricted, and recurring gifts from individuals, families, corporations, and estates accepted via credit card, check, Donor Advised Fund, IRA rollover, stock, wire, and legacy bequests. Community Champions recognized at $1,000+ annually.
2. Endowment and fund investment income: Long-duration endowed funds (Donor Advised Funds, Donor Designated Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Supporting Organizations) invested under a published Investment Policy Statement to generate returns that fund annual grantmaking.
3. Donor Advised Fund / Agency Endowment management services: Stewardship and management of donor advised funds and agency endowments on behalf of fundholders and partner nonprofits, including grant recommendation workflows and statements via the My SBF Donor Portal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Santa Barbara Foundation is a community foundation that mobilizes philanthropic capital for Santa Barbara County by accepting charitable contributions from individuals, families, corporations, and estates, stewarding them through donor advised funds, designated funds, field of interest funds, supporting organizations, and committee-advised collective giving funds, and regranting that capital through strategic grant programs (behavioral health, food, shelter, child care, housing, conservation, performing arts, youth mental health, disaster relief, and workforce development) to approximately 1,900 local nonprofits. Donors and nonprofits interact with the foundation through three online portals (My SBF Donor Portal, SBF Grants Portal, and Board/Committee Member Portal) supported by personalized philanthropic advising from VPs of Philanthropic Services and Programs.

Product overview

The Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF) is Santa Barbara County's community foundation, founded in 1928, operating a portfolio of giving, grantmaking, and philanthropic-advising offerings rather than a single unified software product. Its core platform comprises three user-facing web portals — the My SBF Donor Portal (built on Spectrum), the SBF Grants Portal (built on SmartSimple), and the Board/Committee Member Portal (built on BoardEffect) — through which donors, nonprofits, and board members transact with the Foundation. Around these portals, SBF offers a family of fund vehicles (Donor Advised Funds, Donor Designated Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Supporting Organizations, and committee-advised funds such as the SB Better Together Fund, Global Neighborhood Fund, Ojai Women's Fund, Vow4Mal, and Senior Programs of Santa Barbara Committee Advised Fund) and a portfolio of strategic grant programs (Behavioral Health & Health Care, Food, Shelter and Safety, Child Care, Housing Affordability, Conservation/Environment/Public Trails, Health Equity, Digital Equity Coalition, Workforce Development, Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts, Youth Mental Health 4R, William and Lottie Daniel Child Care Scholarships, Small Capacity Building, and the Critical Needs Response Fund and Community Disaster Relief Fund). Corporate giving services, Donor Guides, and Collaboration for Social Impact capacity-building round out the service portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SB Better Together Fund: A Committee-Advised Fund at the Santa Barbara Foundation providing financial assistance for the small local business community and non-profits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Global Neighborhood Fund
• Ojai Women's Fund
• Vow4Mal
• Senior Programs of Santa Barbara Committee Advised Fund

Products and services

• Community Engagement Fund Unrestricted giving fund that the Santa Barbara Foundation strategically leverages for positive impact across Santa Barbara County, supporting basic needs, child care, housing, wellness, and nonprofit sustainability. Donors contributing $1,000 or more annually are recognized as Community Champions.
• Donor Advised Fund Easy-to-manage charitable fund that allows donors to give to causes they care about at their own pace, managed by the Santa Barbara Foundation and accessed via the My SBF Donor Portal.
• Donor Designated Fund Fund vehicle that allows donors to give to specific organizations they care about most, with the Foundation administering distributions to the designated nonprofits.
• Field of Interest Fund Fund vehicle where the donor chooses the area or issue to support, and the Foundation identifies effective grantees to deliver results in that area.
• Supporting Organization Fund vehicle that offers maximum flexibility without the need to set up and operate a private foundation, administered by the Santa Barbara Foundation.
• Critical Needs Response Fund Fund that provides timely, flexible support for nonprofits across Santa Barbara County facing financial disruptions or increased demand due to shifts in public funding, federal policy changes, or other emerging challenges.
• Community Disaster Relief Fund Fund activated in the aftermath of emergencies to support nonprofit organizations in short-term and long-term disaster recovery, in collaboration with SBC VOAD. Originally activated after the 2018 Debris Flow and relaunched in March 2020 for COVID-19, with subsequent reactivation for 2025 LA County wildfire response.
• SB Better Together Fund Committee-Advised Fund at SBF providing financial assistance for the small local business community and non-profits, originally seeded with a $500,000 contribution from Deckers.
• Global Neighborhood Fund Collective global giving group active since 2010 that has provided nearly $350,000 in grassroots grants to organizations in developing countries covering health care, clean water, education, and gender violence prevention.
• Ojai Women's Fund Field of interest fund of the Santa Barbara Foundation that pools resources of women in the Ojai Valley to support charitable projects in arts, education, environment, health, and social services.
• Vow4Mal Fund Field of interest fund at the Santa Barbara Foundation established in January 2014 in memory of Mallory Rae Dies, focused on education and prevention of drinking and driving.
• Senior Programs of Santa Barbara Committee Advised Fund Committee-advised fund that provides grants to Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria nonprofit organizations addressing senior citizen needs.
• Behavioral Health & Health Care Grant Program Strategic grantmaking program addressing behavioral health and health care needs across Santa Barbara County, funding nonprofits across multiple years.
• Food Grant Program Grant program addressing hunger and food insecurity in Santa Barbara County, with multi-year funding to grantees such as the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County.
• Shelter and Safety Grant Program Grant program supporting shelter and safety services for vulnerable populations in Santa Barbara County.
• Child Care Grant Program Grant program supporting safe, affordable child care across Santa Barbara County, complemented by William and Lottie Daniel Fund child care scholarships.
• Housing Affordability Program Initiative addressing housing affordability for working families in Santa Barbara County, guided by a 40-person advisory committee that commissioned a Housing Affordability report.
• Conservation, Environment and Public Trails Grant Program Grant program protecting habitats, expanding public trail access, and inspiring environmental stewards across Santa Barbara County.
• Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts Grant program supporting performing arts organizations throughout Santa Barbara County, including the Lobero Theatre, Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara Symphony, and Carpinteria Arts Center.
• Youth Mental Health Fund (4R) Fund supporting youth social-emotional health and mental wellness providers, including Recruit, Retain, Rest and Recuperation (4R) grants, supported by Carrie Towbes and the 4R fund.
• William and Lottie Daniel Fund Child Care Scholarships Scholarship fund providing child care scholarships to qualifying families across Santa Barbara County.
• Small Capacity Building Grant Program Capacity-building grant program for small nonprofits in Santa Barbara County.
• Collaboration for Social Impact Program that supports and elevates Santa Barbara County nonprofits through capacity-building workshops, leadership development, and technical assistance.
• Community Champions Recognition program for individuals contributing $1,000 or more annually to the Community Engagement Fund, with invitations to exclusive SBF events and the annual Catalyst Reception.
• My SBF Donor Portal Online donor portal powered by Spectrum that allows SBF fundholders to manage their Donor Advised Funds and Agency Endowments by recommending grant distributions, viewing statements, checking fund balances, and reviewing giving history.
• SBF Grants Portal Online grants portal powered by SmartSimple for nonprofits to access, complete, and submit grant applications to the Santa Barbara Foundation.
• Board/Committee Member Portal (BoardMax) BoardEffect BoardMax portal where Santa Barbara Foundation board and committee members log in for governance activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly $500,000 raised via SB Better Together Fund since 2020 (seeded with $500,000 from Deckers) to support small local businesses and nonprofit funding gaps during COVID-19
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Santa Barbara County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (SBC VOAD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisaster response collaborator with SBF's Community Disaster Relief Fund. SBF works directly with SBC VOAD to coordinate nonprofit response and recovery efforts in Santa Barbara County after emergencies. The fund was first activated following the 2018 Debris Flow and relaunched in March 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic.
• California Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partner for the Wildfire Recovery Fund supporting Los Angeles County fires; SBF refers Santa Barbara County donors interested in LA fire relief to donate through CCF's Wildfire Recovery Fund.
• Pasadena Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partner for the Eaton Canyon Fire Relief Fund supporting LA-area wildfire response; SBF directs interested donors to PCF for LA-area disaster relief.
• Philanthropy CaliforniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-foundation disaster response coalition referenced by SBF for 2025 California Disaster Response coordination.
• American Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisaster relief referral partner promoted by SBF on its Community Disaster Relief page as a vetted organization delivering vital aid during emergencies.
• Direct ReliefminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisaster relief referral partner promoted by SBF on its Community Disaster Relief page as a vetted organization delivering vital aid during emergencies.
• Pasadena HumaneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisaster relief referral partner promoted by SBF during LA County wildfire response for animal welfare support.
• Carrie Towbes (4R Fund)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor donor partnership underwriting the Youth Mental Health Providers Recruit, Retain, Rest and Recuperation (4R) Fund at SBF. Carrie Towbes and the 4R fund support youth-serving organizations' staffing needs to improve youth social-emotional health and mental wellness in Santa Barbara County.
• Ojai Women's Fund (OWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField of interest fund of the Santa Barbara Foundation. Pools resources of women in the Ojai Valley to provide meaningful financial support to charitable projects throughout the Valley (arts, education, environment, health, social services). Operated in partnership with ojaiwomensfund.org.
• Santa Barbara Impact NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of local partners (formerly Social Venture Partners Santa Barbara) connecting passion and purpose; strengthening nonprofits and enriching the social sector. Operates with SBF as a collective giving vehicle.
• Global Neighborhood FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBF-hosted collective giving group founded in 2010. Has provided nearly $350,000 in grassroots grants to organizations in developing countries covering health care, clean water, girls' education, economic empowerment, safe births, and gender violence prevention/treatment.
• Vow4MalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerField of interest fund at the Santa Barbara Foundation established in January 2014 in memory of Mallory Rae Dies. Focuses on education and prevention of drinking and driving.
• Senior Programs of Santa Barbara Committee-Advised FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommittee-advised fund at SBF providing grants to nonprofit organizations serving senior citizens in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria. Administered in coordination with Mary Robles and SBF's Senior Director of Donor Relations.
• Spectrum (Donor Portal technology provider)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology vendor powering the My SBF Donor Portal where SBF fundholders manage Donor Advised Funds and Agency Endowments. URL: donorportal-sbfoundation.spectrumportal.net.
• SmartSimple (Grants Portal technology provider)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology vendor powering the SBF Grants Portal where nonprofits access, complete, and submit grant applications. URL: santabarbarafoundation.us-1.smartsimple.com.
• BoardEffect (Board Portal technology provider)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology vendor powering the SBF Board/Committee Member Portal used by foundation trustees and committee members. URL: sbfoundation.boardeffect.com.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• California Community Foundation: Los Angeles-based community foundation and existing SBF disaster-response co-funding partner (Wildfire Recovery Fund). Directly comparable as a California community foundation operating donor advised funds, endowed fund vehicles, and countywide grantmaking programs at significantly larger scale.
• Pasadena Community Foundation: Pasadena-based community foundation and existing SBF co-funding partner on the Eaton Canyon Fire Relief Fund. Closely comparable as a Southern California community foundation managing donor advised funds, disaster response, and local grantmaking with a similar structure and donor experience.
• San Diego Foundation: San Diego County's community foundation operating DAFs, scholarship funds, and strategic grantmaking with countywide convening. Directly comparable in mission, fund vehicles, and grant program structure to SBF, though serving a much larger metro area.
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Large California community foundation administering DAFs, corporate advised funds, and major strategic grantmaking programs. Comparable operating model and product set to SBF; materially larger in asset scale but useful as a benchmark for what an expanded SBF could become.
• The San Francisco Foundation: Bay Area community foundation with deep DAF and grantmaking program structure directly analogous to SBF's. Useful comparable for understanding scale dynamics and donor segmentation, though operating in a fundamentally different and larger economic geography.
• Orange County Community Foundation: Orange County's community foundation administering donor advised funds, endowment, and strategic grantmaking. Comparable product set and donor experience to SBF, with overlapping California donor pools and similar regulatory environment.
• Ventura County Community Foundation: Adjacent-county California community foundation serving Ventura County with the same operating model as SBF (DAFs, designated funds, field of interest funds, grantmaking). The most direct geographic neighbor peer for SBF, frequently co-funding regional disaster response and convening.

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Charitable: The largest U.S. donor advised fund sponsor and a DAFdirect integration partner for SBF. Not a direct grantmaking peer but the dominant alternative for HNW donors considering DAFs, and a structural competitor for new donor-advised fund relationships.
• Schwab Charitable: Major national donor advised fund sponsor and DAFdirect integration partner for SBF. Operates at materially larger scale than SBF with overlapping donor base, representing both a partnership channel and a competitive threat for DAF assets.

Regional players

• Santa Maria Valley Community Foundation: Smaller community foundation focused on the Santa Maria Valley within Santa Barbara County. Conceptually overlaps SBF's northern service area but at a sub-county scale; potential collaborator rather than strict competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sbfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/sbfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Santa Barbara Foundation