James S Bower Foundation
ActiveMutual & Membership BenefitFunds Individuals
About James S Bower Foundation
The James S Bower Foundation concentrates its philanthropy in Santa Barbara-area health, environmental sustainability, and community-focused education/behavioral programs. Major gifts support local climate and food-systems work, advance care planning and patient/pediatric resiliency services, and university-led community initiatives and training. Grants are large and targeted, often funding program implementation, evaluation, and capacity-building for established local institutions.
Focus Areas
Local climate action and food systems advocacy (e.g., Climate Change 50th Anniversary Campaign; Food Action Network)Advance care planning and hospice/palliative care services in Santa BarbaraPediatric resilience and community health collaborativesUniversity-community public health initiatives and training (e.g., community fellows, TIPS substance-misuse training)
Who They Fund
K-12 students and youth (including teen centers and SEL programs)college‑aspiring/first‑generation studentslow‑income and rural communities (e.g., Lompoc, Cuyama, coastal communities)
About James S Bower Foundation
The James S Bower Foundation’s most distinctive recent gift is a $400,000 grant to Community Environmental Council Inc for the Climate Change 50th Anniversary Campaign, a signal of how heavily the foundation leans into local environmental work with population-level goals. That same approach shows up in support for climate action, food systems, advance care planning, pediatric resilience, youth education, and community health initiatives across Santa Barbara County. Grants often back implementation, campaign work, and capacity-building rather than one-off event support. Several of the largest awards go to Santa Barbara institutions with long-running community roles. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation received funding for advance care planning and pediatric resiliency work, while Hospice of Santa Barbara Inc was supported for advance care planning and patient care services. The foundation also funded university-community public health work through UC Santa Barbara Foundation for the PEAC Community Fellows Initiative and implementation and evaluation of TIPS training. In education, grants supported college access, mental health, and student support through the Santa Barbara Education Foundation. Environmental and community health priorities appear together in the foundation’s portfolio, with collaboration and systems change recurring across its grants.
What James S Bower Foundation Funds
Environmental work is a central thread. Community Environmental Council Inc received $312,500 for the Climate Change 50th Anniversary Campaign and Food Action Network, while Unite to Light was funded with $150,000 for piloting clean, reliable energy for global climate action. The foundation also supported conservation and land stewardship through The Land Trust for Santa Barbara for the purchase of Simon Ranch and White Buffalo Land Trust for the Jalama Canyon Ranch campaign. In health and care, the foundation backed Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation for the Cottage Advance Care Planning Program and Pediatric Resiliency Collaborative, and Hospice of Santa Barbara Inc for advance care planning and patient care services. Education and youth development also appear repeatedly: Santa Barbara Education Foundation received support for Mission Scholars, the Ollin Project, Innovate DP, and Kind Mind Program, while Carpinteria Children’s Project was funded for early childhood education and a family resource center. Community and civic initiatives include funding for The Voter Participation Center’s registration and voter mobilization work.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$3.2M
Total Assets
$89M
Total Revenue
$2.7M
Total Expenses
$4.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $15K and $65K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$65K
Geographic Reach
Local8 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for James S Bower Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime