12 Years of Changing Lives Together

Women's Fund donates more than
$5.6 million since 2004

If you missed the Women's Fund 12^th Annual Presentation of Grants Reception on April 25, it was an emotional event that delivered tears, laughter and inspiration!

In their heartfelt thanks, each of the seven 2015-16 grant recipients stirred us with their stories of how $470,000 in Women's Fund grants will change the lives of the most vulnerable in our community. Supported by their Women’s Fund grants, these remarkable organizations will help at-risk kids graduate from high school, increase the number of low-income children receiving free transportation to after-school and weekend activities, provide a covered shelter for after-school programs, as well as purchase a facility to ensure child care for Isla Vista families. They will build urgently needed low-income housing for seniors, attend to the medical needs of our homeless citizens inside a mobile clinic and teach construction trades to high school students through the creation of "tiny houses."

As Luann Miller, Executive Director of Isla Vista Youth Projects said: "...this significant Women’s Fund investment in the Isla Vista Youth Projects ensures our tenure in the community for generations to come. The most effective way to break the cycle of poverty is to provide support to children, their families AND the community in which they live."

For more information about the Presentation of Grants event, read the Noozhawk article by Women’s Fund member and local journalist, Gail Arnold.

Seven Nonprofits Receive Women's Fund Grants

The nonprofits receiving 2015-16 grants are:

The Academy for Success—$60,000 to expand a mental health program to reduce the number of high school dropouts in all three high schools.

Doctors Without Walls—$65,000 to purchase a fully outfitted mobile medical clinic for examining and treating homeless individuals.

Easy Lift Transportation—$55,000 to increase the number of rides available to low-income children for out-of-school enrichment activities.

Garden Court, Inc.—$100,000 toward a capital campaign to build "Gardens on Hope," a new low-income senior housing and services facility.

Isla Vista Public Improvement Corporation, IV Recreation & Park District—$65,000 to build a permanent covered outdoor center at Children’s Park.

Isla Vista Youth Projects—$75,000 toward the purchase of the Children’s Center that provides child care for children from low-income families.

TRADART Foundation—$50,000 to pay for some of building materials, appliances and the transportation trailer for three "tiny houses" being built at the three Santa Barbara high schools.

See our Photo Gallery for more photos and our Facebook album for some fun member photos.

This photo shows our 2015-16 grantees. Pictured from left to right: Kelly Choi, The Academy for Success; Luann Miller, Isla Vista Youth Projects; Maria Long, Doctors Without Walls; Chris Tucker, Garden Court, Inc.; Ernesto Paredes, Easy Lift Transportation; Frank Schipper, TRADART Foundation; Rodney Gould, Isla Vista Public Improvement Corporation.

Let's Grow Our Impact!

Let’s continue the momentum and grow our grants pool. The money we all contribute in 2016 will make up the grants pool that we'll award in spring 2017. As Nancy Harter, Women’s Fund Chair said, "we all wish we could give to just one more project, one more program… Well—we can do that! It’s up to us to make that happen. Invite a friend to join the Women’s Fund or make a small increase to your own membership contribution."

Join or Renew Today!