The mission of the Santa Barbara Foundation is to mobilize collective wisdom and philanthropic capital to build empathetic, inclusive and resilient communities.
A $67.7 million 2025 grant to Wyatt Family Foundation, listed for supporting organization purposes, stands out in the Santa Barbara Foundation’s recent grant record. That size sits alongside a broader portfolio built around donor advised and designated funds, committee-advised funds, and direct grants to nonprofits. The foundation’s giving is anchored in Santa Barbara County organizations, but it also reaches statewide and national recipients through public and societal benefit, education, arts, health, housing, and food-related grants. The Santa Barbara Foundation’s recurring support for local institutions shows a long-running role as a regional grantmaker and philanthropic intermediary. Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History each appear more than once in the recent grants list, with awards spread across 2023 through 2025. Other grants support University of California Santa Barbara, Music Academy of the West, Congregation B'nai B'rith Corporation, and animal-focused organizations, indicating a mix of community services and field-specific investments. Across the recent record, the foundation uses substantial grants to support both operating needs and sector infrastructure.
Arts, culture, and humanities are a visible part of the Santa Barbara Foundation’s giving. Recent grants include $1,119,288 in 2024, $1,098,650 in 2025, and $1,086,250 in 2023 to Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts Inc, plus $840,510 in 2023 and $494,099 in 2024 to Music Academy of the West. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History also received $823,592 in 2023 and $501,971 in 2024. Education and youth development appears through scholarships and higher education. The foundation gave $1,271,700 in 2025 and $1,023,650 in 2024 to Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, as well as $1,000,000 in 2024 to University of Chicago and $756,340 in 2025 to Lewis & Clark College. Housing, food systems, and animal-related work also show up. Dignitymoves received $1,603,250 in 2024 for housing and shelter, Food & Water Watch received $2,151,000 in 2024 for food systems, and the Animal Legal Defense Fund received $689,100 in 2025 for environment and animals.
$107.7M
$503.6M
$121.6M
$120M
Most grants fall between $10K and $51K, with a median of $22K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$22K
75th Percentile
$51K
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Typical grants cluster in the five-figure range, with a p25 of $10,000, a median of $22,000, and a p75 of $51,015. The recent list also includes large outliers, which indicates a blend of routine grants and major institutional awards. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts Inc, Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Music Academy of the West, and Congregation B'nai B'rith Corporation. The foundation is a public charity and a mixed community foundation, and its recent record includes donor-advised or supporting-organization style grants alongside direct nonprofit support.
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in California, where 81% of grants go. Santa Barbara is the main recipient city in the recent list, with awards to Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts Inc, Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Humane Society, and Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Outside Santa Barbara, the foundation also grants in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Non-California recipients in the recent list include Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; Portland, OR; Jacksonville, FL; Covington, KY; and Golden, CO, but the overall recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Its recent grants cover arts and culture, education and youth development, housing and shelter, food systems, behavioral health, environment and animals, and public and societal benefit. Named recipients include Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts Inc, Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, Dignitymoves, Food & Water Watch, and the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Yes. 81% of grants go to recipients in California, and the recent list is concentrated in Santa Barbara and other California cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Cotati.
The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $22,000 at the median, and $51,015 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes larger awards that reflect major institutional and intermediary grants.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts Inc, Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Music Academy of the West, and Congregation B'nai B'rith Corporation.
It is a public charity and a mixed community foundation. The recent grants list includes committee-advised and donor-advised style activity, plus direct grants to nonprofits and organizations serving public and societal benefit.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Santa Barbara Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations experiencing impacts from disasters in Santa Barbara County should contact the Santa Barbara Foundation so it can evaluate the situation and determine whether the fund is appropriate.
Deadline: Rolling; requests are considered case by case.
Who can apply: Organizations dedicated to enhancing the welfare of senior citizens; limited to one grant per year.
Deadline: No application deadline; decisions within eight weeks from request.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations experiencing disaster impacts may contact the foundation for case-by-case consideration.
Deadline: Rolling; case-by-case
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WYATT FAMILY FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $67,749,150In-kind: publicly traded securities, lp interests | 2025 | TO FUND SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION |
| DECHOMAI ASSET TRUST | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $7,000,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND | COVINGTON, KY | $6,299,195 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| SANTA BARBARA, CA |
| $1,271,700 |
| 2025 |
| EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| FOOTHILLS FOREVER INCORPORATED | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $1,159,104 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS |
| SANTA BARBARA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $1,098,650 | 2025 | ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $890,993 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE | PORTLAND, OR | $756,340 | 2025 | EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND | COTATI, CA | $689,100 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS |
| SANTA BARBARA HUMANE SOCIETY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $618,221 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS |
| CONGREGATION B'NAI B'RITH CORPORATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $605,100 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $517,318 | 2025 | ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $427,763 | 2025 | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & HEALTH CARE |
| MUSIC ACADEMY OF THE WEST | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $403,321 | 2025 | ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES |
| SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $313,110 | 2025 | ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES |
| STATE INNOVATION EXCHANGE | MADISON, WI | $300,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $300,000 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS |
| LEXINGTON OBSERVER INC DBA LOCAL NEWS HUB | LEXINGTON, MA | $300,000 | 2025 | FOOD SYSTEMS |
| ASPCA | NEW YORK, NY | $255,500 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS |
| INSTITUTE FOR AGRICULTURE AND TRADE POLICY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $250,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| PEAC FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| RESOURCE MEDIA | BEAVERTON, OR | $250,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $220,750 | 2025 | EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| SANTA BARBARA ZOOLOGICAL FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $212,396 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $210,784 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| COMPASSION IN WORLD FARMING | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS |
| RURAL EMPOWERMENT ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY HELP | WARSAW, NC | $200,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| THACHER SCHOOL INC | OJAI, CA | $186,500 | 2025 | EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY | WASHINGTON, DC | $180,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| CANCER FOUNDATION OF SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $177,209 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| CRANE SCHOOL | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $176,875 | 2025 | EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| OCEANIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY | GREENBRAE, CA | $172,448 | 2025 | ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES |
| SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $170,207 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS |
| SANTA BARBARA COTTAGE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $167,859 | 2025 | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & HEALTH CARE |
| SANTA BARBARA PUBLIC LIBRARY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $164,200 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| LEADING FROM WITHIN | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $161,184 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| FAMILY SERVICE AGENCY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $160,708 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| SANSUM DIABETES RESEARCH INSTITUTE | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $152,231 | 2025 | HEALTH CARE |
| FUND FOR SANTA BARBARA INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $151,675 | 2025 | PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT |
| MISSOURI RURAL CRISIS CENTER | COLUMBIA, MO | $150,000 | 2025 | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & HEALTH CARE |
| UC SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $141,405 | 2025 | EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| CAMERATA PACIFICA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $140,000 | 2025 | ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES |
| ALL SAINTS BY THE SEA EPISCOPAL CHURCH | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $140,000 | 2025 | RELIGION, SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT |
| TRANSITION HOUSE | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $138,280 | 2025 | CHILD CARE |
| HEALING JUSTICE SANTA BARBARA | GOLETA, CA | $136,851 | 2025 | ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES |
| GANNA WALSKA LOTUSLAND | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $129,596 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS |
| SANTA BARBARA BOWL FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $126,000 | 2025 | ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES |
| SANTA BARBARA NEIGHBORHOOD CLINICS | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $124,125 | 2025 | HEALTH CARE |
| STORYTELLER CHILDREN'S CENTER INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $121,600 | 2025 | CHILD CARE |
| FOODBANK OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $118,843 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
WYATT FAMILY FOUNDATION
$67,749,150In-kind: publicly traded securities, lp interestsTO FUND SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION
SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION OF SANTA BARBARA
$1,271,700EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
FOOTHILLS FOREVER INCORPORATED
$1,159,104ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS
ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES
CONGREGATION B'NAI B'RITH CORPORATION
$605,100HUMAN SERVICES
SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
$517,318ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA
$427,763BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & HEALTH CARE
EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
RURAL EMPOWERMENT ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY HELP
$200,000PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
$180,000PUBLIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & HEALTH CARE
ALL SAINTS BY THE SEA EPISCOPAL CHURCH
$140,000RELIGION, SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
HEALING JUSTICE SANTA BARBARA
$136,851ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES
