By Nick Welsh

When Sylvia Barnard dreams, watch out. Her dreams have a relentless habit of coming true.

For a long time now, Barnard has dreamt about launching a food truck operation that sells food raised and prepared by the clients living in one of many Good Samaritan homeless shelters run by Barnard. 

She can’t tell you when this dream first came to her. So long ago, she said, squinting into the past, she can no longer remember the details. But a while later, she remembered that it might have been inspired by Los Angeles’s Father Greg Boyle, whose…

Grants support nonprofit agencies addressing the critical needs of Women, Children, and Families in south Santa Barbara County 

SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is gearing up to distribute $1,375,000 to local nonprofits that address the critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County. Since 2004, nearly $13 Million has been awarded…

SANTA BARBARA, CA — The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is excited to announce the election of its 2026 Officers and Board of Directors, who will lead the organization in its ongoing commitment to support local nonprofit agencies. The 15-member board will be chaired by Carolyn Jabs, with Lauren Trujillo serving as Vice Chair, Megan Stichter as Treasurer, and Kerry Parker as Corporate Secretary.

Joining as the newest board member is Janis Salin, who will serve alongside continuing board members Katya Armistead, Roberta Collier, Jamie Dufek, Yonie Harris, Kathy Hollis, Lynn Karlson,…

15th annual Fashion Show & Luncheon will take place Nov. 29 at Rosewood Miramar Beach

Annette Shimada for St. Vincents Santa Barbara

November 9, 2025 | 9:00 am

When Alicia arrived at St. Vincent’s Santa Barbara homeless with young children, she never imagined that five years later she would return as a staff member, guiding other mothers through the same journey that transformed her life.

Yet that’s what happened when the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara invested $100,000 in St. Vincent’s since 2023, part of $270,000…

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A non-profit focused on helping mothers in need is hiring a bilingual coordinator in Santa Barbara.

Thanks to a grant of $80,000 from the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara, Mothers' Helpers will be able to cover the salary and benefits of a part-time, bilingual coordinator for Mothers’ Helpers’ storefront support center.

From Women's Fund of Santa Barbara:

Baby essentials can easily total $2,500 in the first six months of an infant’s life.

These costs place a…

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – It was a tragedy that changed a Santa Barbara woman’s  life forever. 

A traffic accident killed her fiance and landed her in the hospital.

It happened on August 9th 2016, when Leslie Salazar was a passenger in a car driving through the Santa Barbara Mesa. 

“I was in the car with my fiancée. The car was speeding. I jumped out of the vehicle," said Salazar.

20 minutes later, her fiancée who was driving under the influence crashed into a power pole, at more than 90 miles an hour killing all three people in the car.

An…

The Carpinteria Children’s Project (CCP) — a preschool for students ages 18 months to five years — has received a $100,000 grant from the Santa Barbara Women’s Fund, according to a press release sent out this week. 

CCP was one of 11 nonprofits to receive grant funding during a ceremony at the Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara on May 20. The grant will fund scholarships for preschool students enrolled in CCP’s Dual Language Immersion program. 

CCP Executive Director Teresa Alvarez said in a press release that CCP could not be more thrilled to be recognized by the…

With a membership of over 1400, The Women's Fund of Santa Barbara demonstrates the power of the people to do good, in this case, women. When 500 of the group, including their friends and supporters, gathered at the Lobero on May 20th, they celebrated giving grants to eleven local organizations totaling $1.25 million - a record, and a testament to collective giving.

"The Women's Fund of Santa Barbara is based on a very simple but durable idea - through collective giving, we can have an impact much greater than any of us could have alone," shared organization Board Chair Carolyn Jabs…

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara (WFSB) held its 21^st year anniversary event, “Celebration of Grants” at the Lobero Theatre on Tuesday, May 20. There were over 500 in attendance including members and their guests.

This year, the WFSB provided $1.25 million in grants to eleven local nonprofits, the funding provided by its 1,426 women members.

Pre-event…

On May 20, more than 500 community supporters gathered for the annual Celebration of Grants event at the iconic Lobero Theater to celebrate and learn about the vital projects funded this year.

Attendees sat spellbound as 11 nonprofit leaders revealed their award-winning work. Each one received a much-anticipated grant award from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara.

Inspiring stories of how these gifts will transform the incredible work of each organization gave deep meaning to the importance of this rare group of philanthropic women who are changing lives every day.

The…

The word of the evening? Transformative.

Transformative to attendees, volunteers, and staff; to local nonprofits; and, of course, transformative to women, children, and families in our community.

This transformative moment was the annual Celebration of Grants. On May 20, 11 nonprofits addressing critical needs in south Santa Barbara County were awarded a record $1,250,000 in grants.

As one of the largest giving circles in the U.S., boasting more than 1400 members and 265 volunteers, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has been transforming our community for 21 years. “…

A collective effort by 1,426 local women addresses the critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County.

The power of collective giving was on display on May 20, 2025 when the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara awarded an unprecedented $1.25 million in grants to 11 local nonprofits — showcasing the power of collective giving in the Santa Barbara community. This accomplishment was made possible through the generosity of 1,426 local women members who have combined their charitable contributions into a substantial grants pool.

On a spirited…

The power of collective giving was on display on May 20^th when the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded an unprecedented $1.25 million in grants to 11 local nonprofits —showcasing the power of collective giving in the Santa Barbara community. This accomplishment was made possible through the generosity of 1,426 local women members who have combined their charitable contributions into a substantial grants pool.

On a spirited evening at the iconic Lobero Theatre, more than 500 members, guests, sponsors, and community supporters gathered to celebrate and learn about…

A collective effort by 1,426 local women addresses critical community needs

The power of collective giving was on display on May 20th when the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara awarded an unprecedented $1.25 million in grants to 11 local nonprofits —showcasing the power of collective giving in the Santa Barbara community. This accomplishment was made possible through the generosity of 1,426 local women members who have combined their charitable contributions into a substantial grants pool.

On a spirited evening at the iconic Lobero Theatre, more than 500 members, guests…

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Women's Fund of Santa Barbara made a big announcement to help almost a dozen nonprofits in the community.

The organization awarded a record $1.25 million in grants to 11 local nonprofits.

The funding was made possible through the contributions of 1,426 local women members who pooled their charitable donations.

Over 500 Women’s Fund members, guests, sponsors, and community supporters gathered at the iconic Lobero Theatre to celebrate and learn about the funded projects.

From the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara:

Board Chair Carolyn…

Funding to Support Vital Programs for Women, Children, and Families in south Santa Barbara County

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is excited to announce a grants pool of $1,250,000. On May 20, at the Celebration of Grants at the Lobero Theatre, the money will be distributed to local nonprofits for programs addressing the critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County.

The record-breaking grants pool makes the Women’s Fund one of the largest collective giving circles in the country. Since its founding by 12 local women in 2004, the…

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is proud to announce the election of its 2025 Board of Directors, marking an exciting new chapter in the organization’s continuing commitment to support the local community. The 18-member board will be led by newly elected Chair Carolyn Jabs and Vice Chair Lauren Trujillo. Continuing in officer roles are Treasurer Kathy Dunlap and Secretary Sabina White.

Newly elected board members Katya Armistead and Margie Larkin join a dedicated team of continuing board members, which includes Roberta Collier, Sarah de Tagyos, Jamie Dufek, Yonie Harris, Nancy…

At a celebration luncheon held at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Hotel, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara received a Community Dividends® Award of $5,000 from Montecito Bank and Trust. The award recognizes the Women’s Fund for community enrichment through service, excellence, and compassion. Shown here are Suzi Schomer, Sr. VP, Montecito Bank & Trust and Carolyn Jabs, Board Vice-Chair of the Women’s Fund.

Each year, on the Monday before Thanksgiving, Montecito Bank & Trust hosts the Community Dividends® event, a time to gather with hundreds of nonprofits to celebrate…

Fall is traditionally a season for gratitude. And, for many people in Santa Barbara, it doesn’t take long for gratitude to turn into generosity. In Hope Ranch, a growing number of women regard the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara as an important part of their giving portfolio.

Many of those women met recently for a reception in Hope Ranch at the home of Stina Hans, a long-time Women’s Fund member. “Women’s Fund matters to me because it gives women a way to become more informed philanthropists, by pooling their charitable dollars and deciding together where those dollars will have the…

The Unity Shoppe distributes food, clothing, and basic necessities to people impacted by temporary poverty, natural disasters, and health crises. At their center on Chapala Street they were seeing the the number of people seeking food rising, outstripping the capacity of the center’s freezers and refrigerators. With a $75,000 grant from the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara, they purchased a new industrial refrigerator, four freezers, five dollies, six carts, and a six-month supply of eggs and frozen chicken. They expanded storage for perishable food by replacing failing equipment with new,…

Rebecca Barretto is a teen who visits the Santa Barbara police activities league every week.

“Basically, like my second home I’ve made a lot of friendships here and I’ve gained a lot of new skills and so many opportunities and just to be more involved with my community," said Barretto.

Barretto’s dream is to become an architect.

“Very excited ever since I was 5 years old I knew I wanted to be an architect. I used to rearrange my doll houses and I made my dad build me like a six story house for my dolls," said Barretto.

Now she’s collaborating with architect…

Grant recipients: Doctors Without Walls Executive Director Maggie Sanchez, CADA Executive Director Scott Whiteley, Casa Pacifica CEO Shawna Morris, Dignity Moves COO Freya Estreller, LEAP Executive Director Lori Goodman, City Net President/Executive Director Brad Fieldhouse, Unity Shoppe Board Chair Susan Rodriguez, SB Police Activities League Executive Director Judie Lugo, SB ACT Executive Director/Co-Founder Rich Sander, and PathPoint CEO Harry Bruell | Credit: Gail Arnold

On May 7 at the Lobero Theatre, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara announced the…

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has awarded $200,000 to the Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SB ACT) to support the new downtown Daytime Navigation & Workforce Development Center for people experiencing homelessness.

The grant was awarded at the Women’s Fund 20th Anniversary Celebration, May 7 at the Lobero Theatre.
The center, at 621 Chapala St., is a partnership between the city of Santa Barbara and SB ACT. Center services will include housing navigation, healthcare, behavioral health services, and basic needs, five days per week.

The center…

In a remarkable demonstration of collective giving, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara made history by awarding an unprecedented $1.125 million in grants to local nonprofits.

This groundbreaking achievement unfolded on May 7 at the iconic Lobero Theatre, where members and guests gathered to hear the announcement of 10 transformative grants.

The Celebration of Grants event not only marked a momentous year for the Women’s Fund, commemorating its 20th anniversary, but also marked a legacy of granting $11.6 million to local nonprofits since its inception in 2004.

This year'…

To listen to the interview with Women's Fund Chair, Jamie Dufek, and Vice Chair, Carolyn Jabs on "Education Today"

CLICK HERE 

Twenty years ago, a group of twelve women embarked on a mission to help women, children, and families in Santa Barbara. 

The small group wanted to support nonprofits for those most vulnerable in a big way. 

“We started with twelve women around a table … who had a vision for this kind of giving model in the community. And it’s one of those timeless models that works … that people get excited about," said board chair Jamie Dufek of the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara.

Over the years, the Women’s Fund grew into a powerhouse of sorts, increasing…

Board members Lauren Trujillo, Jamie Dufek (Chair) and Lynn Karlson (former Chair) 

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, an all-volunteer nonprofit that pools the donations of its 1,300 members to make large grants, will award a record $1.125 million this year to local nonprofits serving women, children, and families. While the organization has grown immensely in its 20 years, the underlying concept remains the same.

There are no fundraisers or paid staff. Instead, an intelligent, informed, dedicated group of women research local needs and invite selected nonprofits to…

Last year, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara (WFSB) posed a lofty goal to its members; to raise $1 million in funding for 2024 in honor of its 20th anniversary.

The team at the WFSB has just announced it met and exceeded that goal, with an estimated record-breaking grants pool of $1.125 million. Indeed, happy 20th Anniversary!

Their annual celebration of the 2024 grantees is scheduled for May 7 at the Lobero Theatre.

What’s new this year for the grantees is increased grant amounts due to inflation, increasing capital costs, the need to keep staff salaries competitive,…

Largest Grants Pool in 20-Year History of Helping Nonprofits Address Critical Needs of Local Women, Children, and Families

The Women's Fund of Santa Barbara, a philanthropic organization founded 20 years ago by 12 local women, is proud to announce it will award a record-breaking grants pool of $1.125 million as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. With this significant investment, the Women's Fund continues improving the lives of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County.

Over the past two decades, the Women's Fund has donated nearly $10.5 million to…

A local YMCA service for homeless young adults has made big strides since it’s opening day.

Last year, the Youth & Family Services YMCA in Santa Barbara opened its newest location, the Haley St. Navigation Center.

It now serves as the only day-time drop-in center for young adults up to 24 years old who are experiencing homelessness and housing instability in the city.

This year, the center is projected to serve over 180 young people in need, more than doubling the total number of clients served compared to last year.

Their hope is to continue growing as they…

Now celebrating its 20th year of combining charitable dollars into significant local grants, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara announced the election of its all-volunteer board of directors for 2024. 

Since 2004, the Women’s Fund has donated more than $10.5 million to 142 local nonprofits. The grants address the critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County.  

Newly elected to officer roles for the 1,300-member organization are Board Chair Jamie Dufek, Vice Chair Carolyn Jabs, Treasurer Kathy Dunlap, and Corporate Secretary Sabina…

Banding Together for Big Impact 

Banding together to parlay small donations into large — and often transformational — grants for worthy causes, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara “expects to award one million dollars or more in 2024, our largest grants pool ever,” shared Jamie Dufek, the all-volunteer board chair who leads this diverse “giving circle” of about 1,300 local women. Since its establishment in 2004, for the past 20 years, the Women’s Fund has been on a mission to educate and inspire women to engage in making lasting change in our community, and together they pool…

Mayor Randy Rowse, Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara Director Rob Fredericks and others cut the ribbon to the 28-unit Vera Cruz Village on Thursday, August 31, 2023. | Credit: Ryan P. Cruz

New Development Provides Permanent Housing for Low-Income, Disabled, and Formerly Homeless Residents

Twenty-eight individuals in desperate need of permanent housing now have a place to call home in downtown Santa Barbara.

On Thursday, August 31, the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara hosted a grand opening of the Vera Cruz Village, a 28-unit…

The project is part of a bigger plan to get people off the streets and into transitional housing with services, and then find them permanent homes.
 

Note: 

The Women's Fund was recognized from the podium at the grant opening of Vera Cruz Village and also in the program:

"Thanks to a generous grant from the Women's Fund to the Housing Authority's nonprofit affiliate 2nd Story Associates, all 28 Vera Cruz's studio units were completely furnished, including beds, side and dining tables, chairs and dressers."

 …

On May 9, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded an impressive $925,000 to 10 local nonprofits. As always with these annual awards, the grants targeted critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County.

This year’s recipients were 2nd Story Associates, Alpha Resource Center, Alzheimer’s Association CA Central Coast Chapter, Family Service Agency, Food from the Heart, Hillside House, Independent Living Resource Center, Legal Aid Foundation of S.B. County, S.B. County Immigrant Legal Defense Center, and St. Vincent’s. Six grants are for programs, four…

The highlight of the year for the 1,200 members of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is when they reveal which local nonprofits their members have selected to receive transformational grants.

This year, on May 9, hundreds of attendees watched spellbound in the Marjorie Luke Theater as each recipient was announced. Inspiring stories of how these gifts will transform the incredible work of each organization gave deep meaning to the importance of this rare group of philanthropic women. The Women’s Fund is changing lives every day.  

Jamie Dufek, board chair…

Hundreds of members of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara gathered on May 9, 2023 to celebrate the positive impact of collective giving and to award 10 large grants to nonprofits located in south Santa Barbara County.

The annual Celebration of Grants event, held at Santa Barbara’s Marjorie Luke Theatre, included a lively welcome reception followed by the announcement of each grant recipient that will share in a pool of member contributions totaling a record-breaking $925,000.

The event marks the 19th year that the Women’s Fund has been…

Storyteller Children’s Center hosted its 9th annual Lunch with Love at the S.B. Woman’s Club for more than 200 supporters. There was a reception on the sunny patio and then lunch inside, where guests were welcomed by Board President Michael Wasserman. He recognized some of the many public officials present, including Mayor Randy Rowse, Police Chief Kelly Gordon, County Supervisor Laura Capps, and City Fire Chief Chris Mailes.

Executive Director Gabriella Garcia explained how Storyteller provides high quality early childhood education to children who have faced adverse circumstances…

Imagine a safe space in the heart of Santa Barbara where local teenagers gather to discuss books, host poetry slams, create videos or simply hang out, without parents watching over their shoulders.

It’s a place where they can be themselves, explore their passions and collaborate.

This is just one of the visions that the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation hopes to achieve, with ongoing support from the City of Santa Barbara and the community.

As the new Michael Towbes Library Plaza nears completion this fall outside the downtown library at 40 W. Anapamu St., the…

Former Chair Lynn Karlson speaking at 2022 Celebration of Grants with current Chair Jamie Dufek
 

Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara provides $925,000 in grants to local organizations

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the rising costs of living, housing crisis and more, the volunteers with the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara have made it their mission to rise from these challenges.

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is a volunteer-led donor organization that, according to their website “enables women to combine charitable dollars into significant grants…

Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara Board Chair Jamie Dufek and Commission for Women (First District) Commissioner Geordie Scully

The Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara County has adopted a resolution recognizing the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara (WFSB) as the 2023 Commission for Women Service Award Recipient for the First District.

The Commission for Women promotes the equitable and equal status, and well-being of women in Santa Barbara County. First District Commissioner Geordie Scully presented the award to WFSB Chair Jamie Dufek. Das Williams, Chair of the…

The Women's Fund of Santa Barbara (WFSB) announced that its members will soon vote to distribute a record $925,000 grants pool to local nonprofits this year. This brings the collective giving organization’s total giving to more than $10.4 million since it was formed in 2004.

"We're delighted to be reaching this major milestone after another record-breaking year of generosity from our members," said WFSB Board Chair Jamie Dufek. "The needs in south Santa Barbara County are greater than ever, and as the Women's Fund heads into our 20th anniversary year in 2024, we do so with more…

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara announces the election of its all-volunteer board of directors for 2023.  A giving circle that enables women to combine their charitable dollars into significant grants, the Women’s Fund has donated more than $9.56 million to local nonprofits since 2004. The grants address the critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County.

Elected to officer roles for the 1,100-member organization are Board Chair Jamie Dufek, Treasurer Kathy Dunlap, and Corporate Secretary Sabina White…

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, a philanthropic giving circle, announced today its 2022 grants pool has reached $900,000, thanks to a record-breaking level of donations from its members. This is a $150,000 increase from the $750,000 awarded in 2021.

These funds will be used to award grants to local nonprofits in addressing the critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County. Including this year’s grants, the Women’s Fund will have granted more than $9.5 million in its 18-year history.

In March, the 1,163 members of The Women’s Fund will…

The Santa Barbara Public Library is reintroducing its bookmobile, now called Library on the Go, for the avid readers who have not been able to visit the library in person, largely due to the pandemic.

“With public health concerns over large gatherings likely to continue for some time, this model will also allow for expanded reach outside the library’s building,” said spokesperson Erick Mendez.

For the children of Santa Barbara, the arrival of the van is like a holiday. It’s loaded with custom book carts that can be pulled out and set up outside, with kids perusing rows of…

Nearly 50 Hope Ranch women are members of the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara, a volunteer-led, collective donor organization that enables women to combine their donations into significant grants addressing the critical needs of women, children and families in south Santa Barbara County. 

Santa Barbara Library Services Manager Molly Wetta watches patrons walk up to the doors Sunday and Monday, unaware that the central and eastside branches are closed, and press their faces to the glass, disappointed.

Santa Barbara library staff were faced with a tough decision this spring as they budgeted for the 2022 fiscal year: Cut hours or cut programming?

Staff members wanted to provide literacy courses and tutoring, so they sacrificed operating hours.

The city of Santa Barbara, impacted by the pandemic’s constraints, couldn’t offer departments the funding they…

At its May 5 virtual Celebration of Grants event, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded a record $750,000 to 10 local nonprofits. Members tuned in to see which of the organizations on the ballots they cast received the funds and to learn more about the work of these organizations. As in prior years, the grants were targeted at the critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County.

Grant recipients: (Clockwise from top left) United Boys & Girls Clubs Executive Vice President of Advancement Laurie Leis, Doctors…

Ten local nonprofit agencies were awarded grants totaling $750,000 from a record-breaking pool of member donations collected by the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara during 2020. The recipients were announced at the Annual Women’s Fund Celebration of Grants event held virtually on May 5.

The new grants bring the total amount awarded to local organizations to more than $8.6 million since the Women’s Fund was founded in 2004. Grants are targeted to address the critical needs of local women, children and families in Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria.

This year’s…

The Santa Barbara Public Library (SBPL) will be adding a mobile library branch — Library on the Go —and hitting the road this year, thanks to support from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation.

With the mission of providing a range of library services to South County residents, Library on the Go will deliver more than just books to those with limited library access.

Over the last three years, SBPL has made great strides in taking library programs and services into the community. With pop-up library programming at local…

We are excited to announce that next month our 2020 Women’s Fund members will vote to award the largest grants pool in our 17-year history – an amazing $750,000!

That’s three quarters of a million dollars from us—from you—to help local women, children and families as the community continues to cope with the effects of the pandemic and forge a path to recovery.

It Takes Time

Our researchers have worked diligently to finalize the ballot we’ll use to cast our votes. A larger grants pools means more nonprofits on the ballot than ever…

On the evening of January 28, more than 230 people attended the Women’s Fund's fourth virtual forum in its Grants in Action educational series. The forum focused on the topic of immigration and the work of the Santa Barbara County Immigrant Legal Defense Center (ILDC). 
It was moderated by Mikki Andina, a member of the Women’s Fund Research Committee and a retired anthropologist and public health nurse. You can watch the video here.…

2020 is not likely to make it onto anyone’s “My Favorite Year” list. But 2020 will make it onto the Women’s Fund list of most generous years. During this extraordinarily disruptive year of extraordinary need, Women’s Fund members—you—showed extraordinary generosity.

This past year, some of you “rounded-up” your donation or even doubled your usual contribution. We received unexpected gifts of $5,000 and even $10,000. We were thrilled to welcome 95 women as members – about half the number we saw in 2019 –…

The next few months will be busy for Women's Fund members! Here are the important dates leading to the selection of our new 2020-2021 grant recipients in March. 

• Friday, March 5 - Ballot Information Package emailed to all 2020 Women's Fund members. This important package includes the information you need to know as you consider planning for your individual or…

If you're interested in learning more about immigration policies and how they impact Santa Barbara, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is offering an online educational forum, Grants in Action: Immigrants’ Stories – America’s Promise, 5-6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28.

The forum will address the work of the Santa Barbara Immigration Legal Defense Center (ILDC) and how a $65,000 Women’s Fund grant to partially fund an immigration attorney has helped advance their work.

The forum…

Despite growing financial strain locally and globally, the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara has managed to take steps toward more affordable housing.

Rob Fredericks, HACSB Executive Director/CEO, said in a press release: “As we get to the other side of challenges, we are experiencing because of COVID-19, we can recognize some positive aspects. 

“The destructive impact of income inequality and disparities in health care and housing are now plainly visible. We…

Former actress and current philanthropist Rona Barrett made a special guest appearance at The Women’s Fund Grants in Action Educational Forum “Aging in Place Santa Barbara: Obstacles and Opportunities”  on December 8, 2020. The virtual event was attended by more than 200 members and guests. Ms. Barrett’s personal life story and experiences addressing the needs of aging seniors perfectly encapsulated the key messages of two agency leaders and an academic expert who spoke about strategies for healthy aging and how communities can support their seniors, as well as…

It’s hard to imagine much of a silver lining in the middle of a global pandemic that has dramatically impacted our lives. But there is one. In Santa Barbara, we’ve seen new and expanding partnerships of public, private and faith-based organizations rising to address the growing needs in our community – particularly among our most vulnerable populations. And the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is…

Addressing Women’s Fund Individual Members at a virtual coffee last month, Erik shared information about the dramatic increase in the need for food services, along with the need to reevaluate all of the Foodbank’s systems to ensure pandemic safety precautions. 

“We have been grateful during this critical time,” he…

On September 29, more than 100 Women’s Fund members virtually toured SEE International’s Santa Barbara Vision Care Clinic to meet the doctors and view the optometric equipment the Women’s Fund…

In the Spreading Sunshine group, Susan Torrey and her daughter Fia, and Jill Bender and her daughter Natasha are two examples. A third mother daughter pair, Theresa…

We are listening, adapting, and broadening!

1. Listening: this year, at the start of the process, members of the Research Committee conducted Listening Tours with more than 40 community…

A trip to the dentist is generally not anyone’s favorite activity; however, imagine what it would be like if you were a person who used a wheelchair. Transferring to a dental chair is extremely difficult; sometimes even impossible. It is also physically challenging for a dentist to attempt to care for a patient in their wheelchair due to the fixed height and inability to adjust the for the best working angles. 

In 2019, a Woman’s Fund grant of $70,000 purchased two compact wheelchair platforms for use in the Santa Barbara and Goleta Neighborhood Dental Clinics. The wheelchair…

Maria Vega joined the Santa Barbara Immigrant Legal Defense Center earlier this summer as the nonprofit’s first full-time staff attorney. She grew up in Santa Maria and attended local schools, then went on to UC Santa Cruz and the University of Idaho College of Law. Her experiences in the Northwest Justice Project and Colectiva Legal del Pueblo in Washington made her a natural fit for the Santa Barbara nonprofit.

“It’s like full circle for me,” Vega said. “I really worked hard to be here, and it is so rewarding to be welcomed back with open hands.”

While at UC Santa Cruz,…

A $50,000 Women’s Fund grant in 2019 provided an improved experience for the approximately 188 women who needed shelter every year as well as significant…

To all 491 members who responded to the Member Opinion Survey in June, thank you!! That’s a 44 percent response rate, which is great. Your feedback is essential to making sure we are meeting our mission to address the critical needs of the women, children and families in our community.

The 15-question survey explored:

• Issues you would like to see us research – you said healthcare, domestic violence, mental health, early childhood education and homelessness were top priorities.
• What you like about being a member – you said combining donations to have a…

Growing from a Field of Interest Fund held at the Santa Barbara Foundation, with only 67 members in 2004, to a nonprofit with over 1,100 members today, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has come a long way and made a significant impact in our community.

Growing from a Field of Interest Fund held at the Santa Barbara Foundation, with only 67 members in 2004, to a nonprofit with over 1,100 members today, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has come a long way and made a significant impact in our community. To date, the Women’s Fund has…

Our mission has remained the same, but the number of members has grown significantly from 2004 when a group of women created the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara. The 12 founders grew into 67 contributors that first year – including three groups. 

Jane Honikman, the captain of Caregivers, one of the three original groups, says the founders wanted to support local nonprofits that worked with women and children in the community; however, they wanted to forego the gala method of fundraising so popular at the time.

Jane helped initiate the concept of giving groups, as a way to…

The Santa Barbara Immigrant Legal Defense Center (ILDC) has hired Maria Vega as its first full-time staff attorney. Vega will lead the nonprofit’s efforts in providing legal representation to local community members facing deportation. 

Vega joins the ILDC with extensive experience in public interest and immigration law, after time at both the Northwest Justice Project and Colectiva Legal del Pueblo in Washington. She is a graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, where she was honored for her service to the community and her dedication to human rights work.Vega…

In the recent member survey, a majority of you said you’d like to learn more about the impact of Women’s Fund grants in our community. Grants in Action (GIA) events, being scheduled throughout the fall and winter of 2020 and 2021, are a great way to get more information.

Attending a GIA event, which includes both site visits and educational forums, helps you learn how the Women’s Fund grants impact the work of our grantees, expand your knowledge grantees’ work, and understand the critical issues affecting the lives of women, children and families. …

A bright spot in education in these challenging times, the Goleta Education Foundation is thrilled and grateful to announce receipt of a $65,000 grant awarded by the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara to create a STEAM lab at El Camino School. The existing computer center, with fixed seating and outdated equipment, will be transformed with flexible seating, interactive monitors, laptops, and tablets. The lab will also be equipped with digital media production equipment, a green screen, and video design and editing software. Hands-on learning will promote student competency in science…

At its 16th annual Celebration of Grants held on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded grants totaling $685,000 to nine local nonprofit agencies  The event marked the end of the 2019-2020 Women’s Fund grant cycle and honored its newest grantees, voted on by the membership of nearly 1,100 women. Since 2004, these generous women have been combining their charitable dollars into significant grants.  To date, nearly $7.9 million has been distributed to 111 local area nonprofit programs serving over…

These are difficult times. The coronavirus has impacted us all in so many different ways. Our hearts break for those who are enduring the virus, those exposed, and those living in areas where the numbers keep rising exponentially.

For 15 years we have been committed to helping the most vulnerable in our community—women, children and families struggling to get by. Today that work is more important than ever. So, what do we do in a crisis when critical needs change on a daily basis?

At this point, stay the course. We are known—and counted on—as a funder to local nonprofits on…

It’s been proven: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can lead to serious health problems and shortened lives.
On October 29, Women’s Fund members and guests gathered at the New Vic Theater to hear a riveting forum about a ground-breaking ACE study. We also heard how a collaboration between Women’s Fund grantees CALM, SB Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) and Isla Vista Youth Projects (IVYP) is creating a childhood safety net for ACEs victims and their families. 

An ACE score measures ten types of childhood trauma: physical, emotional and…

At their eighth annual Table of Life Gala In September, 2019, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara honored the Women’s Fund “which typifies the powerful impact of women taking collective action for the common good.”  

In 2018, the Women’s Fund awarded the Foodbank a grant of $95,000 for a new refrigerated truck. 

In honoring the Women’s Fund, the Foodbank said, "With more than 1,000 members, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has been one of the most potent forces in local philanthropy for 15 years. The Women’s Fund conducts a rigorous application,…

Out of California’s 58 counties, Santa Barbara ties with Orange for the second highest child poverty rate. Grim statistics show that homeless children are three to four times more likely to become homeless adults. These are among the startling facts shared by local experts on September 26 when the Women’s Fund hosted an information-packed evening entitled Homelessness and the Working Poor: Creating a Bridge to Hope.

This forum was the first of an expanded series of Grants in Action programs featuring our 2018-19 Women’s…

Generosity characterizes many of the families that live in Hope Ranch. "We know we're fortunate to live here," says Denise Lilly who has lived on Camino Medio for ten years. "And it feels natural to give back." Like many other women in the Ranch, Lilly supports a variety of local nonprofit organizations but she is especially drawn to the Women's Fund, an organization she joined three years ago. "There's a sense of sisterhood because women are coming together to fund important projects in our community. I take pride in being part of that."

The idea for the Women's Fund germinated in…

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County will host its 8th Annual Table of Life Gala, 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Montecito estate of Betsey and John Moller.

The 2019 event will benefit local college and university students facing hunger and homelessness, and will honor the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, which (worth noting on the eve of the 2020 centennial of the 19th Amendment guarantee of women’s right to vote) typifies and advances the powerful impact of women taking collective action for the common good.

“The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara identifies food and…

Public Defenders and Family Service Agency Give Clients a Voice Through Holistic Defense
At 40 years old, Jessica is learning to live a new kind of life. She grew up in Santa Barbara helping her mom steal things from stores and being verbally and physically abused by her family. “I grew up so sad,” she told the Independent. Jessica (not her real name) was still a bright kid who got good grades, but nevertheless had to juggle holding down a job, watching her younger siblings, and tending to the house. “By 17, I wanted to retire,” she said.

She moved in with an…

We asked Captains Caryl Bowman and Judi Brooks to explain why and how they started the new W2D2 group last fall.
What prompted you to start a group?
We both have been Women's' Fund group members for over five years. We wanted to invite additional friends to join us, but we prefer a smaller group that can meet in a member's home, get to know each other well and bond. Ultimately we decided to leave the group we were in and start a new one before the year-end deadline so we could vote in the spring as our new group.

How did you select the…

1000-member Organization Gives $585,000 to Area Non Profits

On May 1, more than 450 members and guests of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara gathered at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort for their 15th annual Celebration of Grants, where $585,000 was awarded to nine area nonprofits.

A volunteer-led, collective donor group with nearly 1,000 members, the Women’s Fund combines its members’ donations into large grants focused on the needs of women, children and families in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria. The organization holds no fundraisers – all funds come…

Santa Barbara, CA – On Wednesday, May 1, 2019, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded grants totaling $585,000 to nine local nonprofit agencies at its 15th annual Celebration of Grants reception. This event marks the end of the annual Women’s Fund grant cycle and honors its newest grantees, voted on by the membership of nearly 1,000 women.

In celebrating the organization’s 15th anniversary, Steering Chair Shelley Hurst also announced the Women’s Fund will begin operations as an independent nonprofit on January 1, 2020.  Since it began in 2004, the Women’s Fund of Santa…

As part of our strategic plan to leverage our growth and maximize our community impact, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has thoroughly researched the viability of becoming an independent nonprofit. The question that guided our research was clear—would the community benefit from the Women’s Fund becoming an independent nonprofit? Ultimately, the answer was yes, an emphatic yes.

Therefore, we have applied for our tax-exempt status and plan to begin operating as an independent nonprofit on January 1, 2020. We do this with the full support of the Santa Barbara…

On September 19, the Women’s Fund received the 2018 Kiwanis Community Collaborative Award for our support of Teen Court. In May 2018, CADA – Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, received a $75,000 Women’s Fund grant to provide mental health support to help prevent possible reoffending and incarceration of Teen Court youth.

In the photograph: Pictured (left to right) Marsha Gray, President of Kiwanis; Jill Frandsen, Director of the Daniel Bryant Center; Shelley Hurst, Women's Fund Steering Chair; Sabina White, Women's Fund Researcher; Eduardo Cue, Teen Court Program Manager

On January 24, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara hosted a reception for new and prospective members to meet others and learn more about this volunteer-led collective donor group of 900 Santa Barbara-area women. Held at Garden Court and sponsored by Mission Wealth, the evening began with a lively reception. Then Membership Chair Lynn Karlson welcomed the 130 guests and shared how the Women’s Fund supports the critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County. Areas of support include early child development, education, domestic violence, employment skills, food…

New suggested minimum and voting thresholds for 2019 membership

With growth comes many opportunities—more dollars to grant to local nonprofits, more women engaged as knowledgeable philanthropists. Growth also has its costs—namely in increased expenses to manage a larger organization. 

Effective January 1, 2019—​and for the first time in 15 years—we are increasing the suggested minimum contribution for Women’s Fund membership from $250 to $275 and raising the voting threshold from $2,500 to $2,750 (one vote per $2,750…

Pictured here are Kendall Pata (upper right) and four members of SB4EVA with some children from the United Boys & Girls Clubs during the site visit at the Carpinteria center.

To get to know one of our newest membership groups, SB4EVA, we interviewed Group Captain Kendall Pata.

What is the one word you would use to describe the Women’s Fund?
Effective. Easy. Empowering. Do I have to choose just one? Plus, I seem to like alliteration.

Why did you join the Women’s Fund?
I learned about the Women’s…

On September 24, about 240 members and guests of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara gathered at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort to hear presentations by their most recent grant recipients on the impacts of the $535,000 in grants bestowed last spring.

An all-volunteer, collective donor group with nearly 900 members, the Women’s Fund combines the donations of its members into significant grants focused on the critical needs of women, children and families in south Santa Barbara County. Over the course of nearly a year, its Research Committee conducts in-depth…

On May 2, 2018, more than 400 members and guests of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara gathered at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort (formerly Fess Parker) for their 14th annual Presentation of Grants, where they awarded $535,000 to seven area nonprofits.

An all-volunteer, collective donor group with nearly 900 members, the Women’s Fund combines the donations of its members into significant grants focused on the critical needs of women, children and families in south Santa Barbara County. Such a large turnout reflected the high level of interest members have in helping…

Seven local nonprofits have received a total of $535,000 in grants from the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara, bringing the organization's total contributions to the community, since it began in 2004, to more than $6.6 million.

The grants have gone to 93 local nonprofit programs impacting more than 97,000 women, children and families in Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria.

The $535,000 grants pool was also the largest solely-member funded pool in the organization's history. The presentation was made during an event last week at Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.

Domestic Violence Solutions (DVS) for Santa Barbara County has announced the completion of its new emergency shelter playground.

“DVS is incredibly grateful for the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, the generosity of its members, and its tremendous impact in the community,” said Charles Anderson, executive director of DVS.

This project, sponsored by a grant received from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, improves the aesthetics, safety and enjoyment of the present shelter facility by fully replacing a 25-year-old institutional-grade playground.

Helping children who have…

To get to know this new membership group, Health Cares, we interviewed Sabina White and Leslie Mathers-Winn.

Some years ago, Sabina started a group, Compassion in Action, and this year she reached out to her UCSB friends and Health Cares was launched. Her good friend, Leslie, agreed to be captain. Sabina, a member of three groups now, gave us some information about her experience with the Women’s Fund.

I first heard about the Women’s Fund in 2013 through a friend who was a member of a group. When I asked her how to join, she was a little uncertain,…

On September 26, members and guests of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara gathered at the The Fess Parker to hear presentations by their most recent grant recipients on the impacts of the $485,000 in grants bestowed last spring.

An all-volunteer, collective donor group with about 750 members, the Women’s Fund combines the donations of its members into significant grants focused on the critical needs of women, children and families in south Santa Barbara County. 

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara will host the Site Visit Kick-Off, 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at The Fess Parker. The annual event, now in its 13th year, features progress reports from the local nonprofits that received $485,000 in Women’s Fund grants this past spring.

Grantees will describe to Women’s Fund members and their guests the impact the grants have had on their organization and their clients.

Laurie Tumbler and Shelley Hurst of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara paid the Sunset Rotary a visit this week to review how the Fund serves the communities from Goleta down to Carpinteria. The volunteer-driven collective donor group has funded more than $6 million to various organizations since 2004—close to $1 million of that right here in Carpinteria. The following local organizations have received grant funds: Carpinteria Children’s Project, Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, Community Action Commission (Senior nutrition), Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (Dahlia Court and Casas de…

An AHA! initiative called Peace Builders was recently expanded into four junior high schools—Santa Barbara, La Colina, La Cumbre, and Goleta Valley—after receiving a grant from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara. The Peace Builders program consists of interactive workshops and bimonthly meetings that promote camaraderie in the classroom as well as empathy and curiosity among students and their peers, said Melissa Lowenstein, Programs Coordinator and Facilitator. “The idea is that we really want to empower the kids and have it be their program."

First, a little background—in May 2016, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara gave TRADART Foundation a $50,000 grant, earmarked for materials to build three Tiny Houses on the campuses of Santa Barbara’s three high schools—Santa Barbara, San Marcos and Dos Pueblos. To ensure the sustainability of the program, upon the completion of the Tiny Houses, they are to be sold and the proceeds used to fund the construction of three more houses.

Once construction on the houses began, it was clear to the Advanced Woodworking and Construction Technology project instructors that completion of…

Every year after the Presentation of Grants, the Women’s Fund Steering Committee Co-Chairs change, and a new year begins under their leadership. This year our co-chairs are Shelley Hurst and Laurie Tumbler. Laurie returns after having served last year with Nancy Harter, and Shelley is brand new to the position.

So that you can get to know them better, we caught up with them at a local café during one of their frequent meetings.

First we asked them some questions about their new positions as Steering Co-Chairs. Here are their responses:

What are…

We wanted to get to know D'Penguineer Friends, so we intreviewed Group Captain, Parm Williams.

What inspired you to join the Women’s Fund and when did you join?
Jo Gifford, a Women’s Fund founding member, asked me to join the Women’s Fund in 2004. I joined in 2005 as part of a two-member group with Sarah de Tagyos. Our group name was “PS”—for Parm and Sarah—not very creative, but it worked for us! We both were so impressed with the Women’s Fund that we volunteered for committees right away. I chaired the Membership Committee from 2005 to…

On May 8, 2017, 345 members and guests of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara gathered for the 13th annual Presentation of Grants Reception at the Fess Parker Doubletree hotel. Grants totaling $485,000 were distributed to area nonprofits for eight programs: the Accelerated Reader Program, AHA! (Attitude, Harmony, Achievement), Casa Pacifica, Channel Islands YMCA (for Noah’s Anchorage), Domestic Violence Solutions, PEAC (Program for Effective Access to College), Peoples’ Self-Help Housing, and St. Vincent’s.

We wanted to get to know this group better, so we interviewed Group Captain, Karen Feeney.

Why and when did you join the Women’s Fund?
I decided I wanted to join the Women’s Fund after having had the opportunity to observe the organization as a sponsor. I work for Allen Construction, and Barbara Hauter Woodward, a former Allen client, asked the company if we would support the Women’s Fund by sponsoring the buses for the annual Site Visit, which we gladly did. I was immediately impressed by the mission and work of the Women’s Fund. Barbara invited me to…

To get to know East Beach Walkers, we interviewed Co-Captains, Lalla Brutoco and Pat Fulmer.

Why and when did you join the Women’s Fund?

Pat: I first heard of the Women’s Fund and its good works shortly after moving to Santa Barbara, but was under the impression it was a very exclusive organization. In 2011, I met Barbara Hauter Woodward at Susan Case’s house and was pleased to gain a new understanding about women working to make a difference in our beautiful community—and having a good time doing so. We were all…

The success of the Tiny House project at the three participating local high schools—Dos Pueblos, San Marcos and Santa Barbara—falls significantly on the shoulders of two instructors—Caleb Chadwick at Santa Barbara High and Chris Mollkoy at Dos Pueblos. Caleb teaches in both the construction and the Academy for Success programs.

Eighty-nine of Caleb’s students have made significant progress toward the completion of their Tiny House, and we recently had the opportunity to visit with him and view the construction site. It’s impressive. As the photos depict, walls have…

On September 29th more than 200 members and guests of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara gathered at the Fess Parker Doubletree Resort to hear from six of the seven nonprofits that the Women’s Fund collectively awarded $470,000 last Spring. 

At the event, each grantee gave a short update on the use of the funds and then participated in a lively panel discussion moderated by former grantee liaison Carla Whitacre. A couple of the participants shared stories about how funding from the Women’s Fund had benefited their organizations far beyond the direct benefit bestowed by…

Supporters of Doctors Without Walls - Santa Barbara Street Medicine (DWW) gathered at Gauthier Wear Art on July 21 for a “launch party” for its new mobile medical van. The van, made possible by a $65,000 grant from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, will enable the nonprofit to greatly expand the healthcare services it provides to homeless and low-income individuals.

It has come to our attention that there may be some confusion about qualifications for membership in the Women's Fund. So, let's set the record straight.

MYTH #1: You must be invited to join. False!

FACT #1: The Women’s Fund is open to every woman.

There are absolutely no restrictions.

MYTH #2: Membership in the Women’s Fund costs…

Click on this link to listen to the KCSB interview with LuAnn Miller, Executive Director of Isla Visa Youth Projects, a 2015-16 grantee. She spoke with Lisa Osborn about how IVYP plans to use our $75,000 grant.

Pictured above at the April Presentation of Grants reception are: Bettie Weiss, Charmaine Rogers, Kathy Nobis, Vicky Lorelli, Ellen Rauch, Shareen Khatapoush, Janet Booth, Marianne Wetzel (behind Janet), Kim Holmquist and Theresa Harris.  Other members are Christine Hoehner, Robin Riblet, Dana Hoffenberg, Eden Slone, Betsy Teeter and Karen MacDonald.

Group Captain Marianne Wetzel filled us in on her motivation to begin a new Women’s Fund Group. Marianne recently joined the Women’s Fund Membership Committee as the New Member Liaison. In that role, she will be contacting…

Late last month, Santa Barbara High School (SBHS) received a lumber delivery for its inaugural Tiny Homes program. Over the 2016-17 school year, Advanced Woodworking and Construction Technology students will build a 230-square-foot house, complete with a bathroom, kitchen appliances, solar panels, and a loft big enough for a queen-sized bed....Seed money for this debut, Chadwick said, came from a $50,000 grant from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, on top of lasting support from the TRADART Foundation for career development. “TRADART has really kept all our woodshops open…

At its 12th annual Presentation of Grants Reception at The Fess Parker on Monday, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded $470,000 to seven local nonprofit organizations.

An all-volunteer, collective donor group with 668 members, the Women’s Fund combines the donations of its members into significant grants focused on the critical needs of women, children and families in south Santa Barbara County.

Over an eight-month period, its research committee conducts in-depth research of programs at local nonprofit organizations and submits a ballot of organization…

A tradition began years ago establishing that, on April 5, California’s First 5 chapters would join together and visit their legislators in Sacramento. Tuesday is First 5 Advocacy Day, when the nonprofit focused on preparing children for kindergarten addresses its concerns to elected officials.

The message this year will be the same as the last: Santa Barbara County needs more quality child-care slots.

Since the majority of a child’s brain development occurs before they reach kindergarten, First 5 has been working to ensure more quality child-care options exist…

Pictured (left to right): Cynthia Owen, Cecia Hess, Joyce Tamborello, Bonnie Tanase Cairns, Kathryn Padgett,Robin Martinelli and Julie Franke.

Other members of the group include: Jorgia Bordovsky, Gray Felstiner, Dale Hromadka, Nina Hunt, Mary Maxwell, Fran Piacente, Carol Poundstone Olson and Carol Simon.

To get to know this group better, we asked Co-Captains Dale Hromadka and Julie Franke some questions:

Why did you join the Women’s Fund? The emphasis is on women and children and in addition, it is a wonderful way to learn more about…

“Changing Lives Together” was at the heart of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara’s 2015 Site Visit program, held Thursday, October 29, at the First Presbyterian Church.  More than 200 Women’s Fund members and guests gathered to learn how $460,000 in recent Women’s Fund grants are changing lives for local women, children and families. 

“The Women’s Fund is a unique all-volunteer organization where women combine our charitable dollars to make large, impactful grants to local nonprofits,” said Women’s Fund Chair Nancy Harter.  “We’ve donated more than $5.1 million to…

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara will host a site visit kick-off from 3–6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015, at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara.

This annual event features progress reports from the seven local nonprofits that received Women’s Fund grants this past spring. For the first time, there will be a keynote speaker at the event: County of Santa Barbara District Attorney Joyce Dudley.

“Joyce knows that prevention and early intervention strategies are key to changing lives,” said Women’s Fund Chair Nancy Harter. “For more than a decade, the Women’s Fund…

$100,000 surprise gift to Women’s Fund Endowment – and more!

Great news!   Women’s Fund member Jackie Inskeep made July seem like Christmas when she surprised us with a $100,000 gift to the Women’s Fund Endowment. 

In making her generous donation, Jackie applauded the work of Women’s Fund volunteers, saying “I am so pleased and proud of the women who make the Women’s Fund possible.”  She added, “I made the gift because I am confident that intelligent…

How long have you been in Santa Barbara and what brought you here? Family and job—the usual—brought us to SB in 1982.  At the time, I had regrets about moving here from the Bay Area. Needless to say, it worked out.

What is the one word you would use to describe the WF? Powerful!

When and why did you join the WF?  I joined in 2009. I knew about the WF but had no idea that I didn’t need an invitation to join and that they offered group opportunities.

What do you do…

Seven local nonprofits received a total of $460,000 in grants from the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara on Monday afternoon at the Montecito Country Club, bringing the organization's total contributions to the community, since it began in 2004, to more than $5.1 million.

"The Women's Fund is an all-volunteer organization based on a simple, creative model—women combining our charitable donations so we can make a larger impact in the community than most of us are able to do on our own," Women's Fund co-chair Sallie Coughlin said. "We give large grants, frequently for…

The power of collective giving and its effect on communities was the emphasis of The Women’s Fund of Smith County’s Seventh Annual Power of the Purse Celebration Luncheon. More than 300 women attended the event on Tuesday at the CrossWalk Conference Center at Green Acres Baptist Church. The event, which had a theme of “In Harmony with Philanthropy,” featured Carol Palladini, founder of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara as the keynote speaker.

 As founder of The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara and that city’s Woman of the Year honoree, Ms. Palladini said she wanted to share…

If you build it, the saying goes, they will come. On Saturday, the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy showed off its newest handbuilt creation, the Capital Campaign Donor Wall, and people came indeed—the people whose generosity gave the award-winning educational experience the ability to build the Elings Center for Engineering Education on the Dos Pueblos High campus. Sandy Seale, DPEA Foundation president, proudly noted that all the metal panels on the wall were handmade by students and staff in the DPEA’s own machine shop. DPEA founder and Director Amir Abo-Shaeer addressed…

On October 30, 2014 the Women's Fund was honored for giving a transformational grant of $150,000 to the Dos Puebles Engineering Academy in 2008. Amir Abo-Shaeer, Founder and Director of DPEA is pictured with Parm Williams, a longtime Women's Fund member and researcher in 2008.

Women's Fund founder, Carol Palladini, to speak at Women's Fund of Smith County, Power of the Purse Luncheon on October 28, 2014.

Carol Palladini said she plans to tell the story of The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara and some of the interesting things about the organization’s 10-year journey during the upcoming event.

The luncheon, which is put on by The Women’s Fund of Smith County, is open to all women. Betsy Brush Hahn, The Women’s Fund of Smith County coordinator, said the annual luncheon provides an opportunity for the organization to celebrate women’s giving, talk…

Annual site visit allows members to hear firsthand how their recent contributions totaling $550,000 are helping local nonprofits

The mood was particularly festive at the 10th annual Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara site visit on Wednesday as more than 200 members of the organization were greeted with the news that founder Carol Palladini had received the prestigious Woman of the Year Award from the Santa Barbara Foundation and Noozhawk the day before. 

Hundreds of friends and supporters gathered at the Four Seasons Biltmore to recognize Steve Lyons and Carol Palladini for their long-standing commitment to volunteerism and the significant impact they have had throughout the community.

Women's Fund of Santa Barbara Celebrates 10 Years of Collective Giving
If simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, then the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara has distinguished itself as one of the most sophisticated giving groups on the Central Coast. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the Women's Fund has steadfastly held to a single vision: to change lives together.

An award of $90,000 from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara will go to SBCC’s Single Parent Achievement Program to provide child-care support for low-income single mothers, allowing them to attend college.

"Thanks to this generous grant from the Women's Fund, SBCC is able to expand the Single Parent Achievement Program, providing one full year of exceptional child care,” said Vanessa Bechtel, executive director of the SBCC Foundation.

On May 19, 2014, the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara was honored at the Girls Inc. of Carpinteria Women of Inspiration Luncheon. In 2013, the Women's Fund gave a transformative grant. 

The grant funded a year of training for one first- and one second-year cohort (50 girls) participating in the year-round, coordinated five-year Eureka! Program.

This UCSB summer program is designed to expose young women from disadvantaged backgrounds to the university experience and to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

Women's Fund of Santa Barbara marks decade of 'Changing Lives Together.' The organization distributes $550,000 in grants to nine local nonprofits, with members' contributions to date totaling $4.7 million.

On Monday, April 28, 2014, the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara awarded grants totaling $550,000 to nine local nonprofit agencies at its 10th Annual Presentation of Funds Luncheon.

For many girls, the prospect of attending college seems like an unattainable dream. But thanks to Girls Inc. and its innovative Eureka! program, cohorts of lucky young women are learning the steps necessary to make that dream a reality.

There is no compelling reason as to why girls do not enter the fields of science, technology, engineering or math at the same rate that boys do, except for a possible lack of support from family or community along the way. The Eureka! program is designed to provide girls with that added bit of encouragement, and a whole lot more, to…

By any measure, the Women's Fund appears to be thriving. Ten years ago, it had 68 members who gave away $140,000. Today, its membership has swelled to nearly 600, the vast majority belonging to groups with names like "Instead of Shoes" or Benevolent Babes." Now, it gives away roughly half-a-million a year. Typically, the grants are pretty beefy, ranging in size from $50,000-$100,000. Over the years, the fund has given away $4.1 million to 55 groups. Of that, more than a million came in the form of matching grants provided by Ofalea Foundation and Betty Elings Wells. Santa Barbara…

Nearly 200 members and guests of the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara witnessed the power of collective philanthropy...see page 12 for the full story.

Ninth annual site visit highlights the work of local nonprofit organizations benefiting from $525,000 in contributions.

It's often said that seeing is believing, and that was certainly the case for more than 150 members of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara last Thursday as they toured local nonprofit agencies to see what their most recent $525,000 in grants were doing to help the community.

The annual site visit included tours of three nonprofit facilities — …

Victoria Juarez, Executive Director, and Craig Price, Board Trustee of Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, attended the Women’s Fund annual awards luncheon to accept a $50,000 grant for the Girls Inc. Eureka! project, a five-year program for girls beginning the summer before eight grade and continuing through the twelfth grade.

"The Women's Fund of Santa Barbara is thrilled to be supporting the Eureka! Program of Girls Inc. Carpinteria," said Sally Tannenbaum, member of the Women's Fund. "Our members believe the program is compelling and look forward to hearing success stories of girls from…

Fueling efforts to provide specialized transportation services to the entire Santa Barbara community, Easy Lift Transportation will now significantly expand its Children’s Accessible Transportation program thanks to a $65,000 gift from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara. 

Presenting the check at Easy Lift’s board retreat on May 30 was Women’s Fund Research Committee members Sallie Coughlin and Debby Ciambrone.

The 17th Annual Wildlife Sanctuary Awards was held at the Biltmore on April 7, 2013. The event is sponsored by the SB Wildlife Care Network which rescues and rehabilitates both birds and mammals. The Women's Fund, CALM and the Garden Club were presented with awards by Irene Macias, the director of the SB Library.

"Each year the Wildlife Sanctuary Awards are presented to those whose generous donations of time, energy, and financial support have made a difference in our community, 'our sanctuary'. We are honored to celebrate those women, men, and institutions that have contributed so…

On October 13, 2012, the Women's Fund received the Santa Barbara Education Foundation's 2012 HOPE Award, given annually to honor those who are champions of public education in our community.

The Friends of the Santa Barbara Public Library received $65,000 from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara to expand the number of Early Literacy touch-screen computer stations available in the library system 19 to two. The new educational computers for young children will be installed in the Goleta, Eastside, Montecito, Carpinteria and Central libraries this year. 

The Early Literacy computers from AWE (Advanced Workstations in Education) have child-friendly menus, about 30 English and 30 Spanish learning games, touch-screens and…

Philanthropist Betty Elings Wells surprises the group with a $250,000 matching grant pledge for the next giving cycle.

The power of collective giving was out in full force Monday when more than 300 members of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara gathered for the Eighth Annual Presentation of Funds Luncheon, doling out $520,000 to support the work of eight local nonprofits. The new grants bring the total contributions by the Women’s Fund to the community to $3.6 million.

Seeing the impact of their gifts in action was a gift in itself for more than 100 Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara members who toured local nonprofit agencies last week. The visits were a way for Women’s Fund supporters to see how their most recent $565,000 in grants—for the 2010-2011 giving cycle—were addressing critical needs in the community.

The Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County presented its fourth annual "Heroes for Justice" awards on May 14, 2011 to a full house at the DoubleTree Hotel.

The Women's Fund of Santa Barbara was the non-profit selected to receive this prestigious award.

The Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County presented its fourth annual "Heroes for Justice" awards on May 14, 2011 to a full house at the DoubleTree Hotel. The Women's Fund of Santa Barbara was the nonprofit selected to receive this prestigious award. Pictured with Parm Williams are: Superior Court Judge Frank Ochoa (honoree), Ellen Goodman (Executive Director of the Legal Aid Foundation), Allan Ghitterman (honoree) and Sylvia Barnard (Executive Director, Good Samaritan Shelter of Santa Maria - honoree).

Six organizations are selected to receive awards funded in part by a matching grant from philanthropist Betty Elings Wells.
 

“If there is a theme to this day — and to this past year — it is growth,” Steering Committee chairwoman Sarah de Tagyos said in welcoming more than 300 members of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara to the Seventh Annual Presentation of Funds Luncheon on Monday. This year, the fund awarded $565,000 to support the work of six local nonprofit organizations: the Carpinteria Children’s Project at Main, the Channel Islands YMCA, the …

At the 2010 annual Mistletoe Ball, the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara was honored for its $85,000 grant to Catholic Charities of Santa Barbara for installation of solar panels on the agency's food pantry, lowering energy costs and thus increasing their Foodbank budget to feed low-income families.

During a time of economic uncertainty and lower trends in charitable giving, one longtime Santa Barbara philanthropist is leading the way and demonstrating her belief in the power of collective giving, through the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara.

Betty Elings Wells, a member of the Women’s Fund since 2005, has committed $250,000 in a 2-for-1 match for every dollar the Women’s Fund raises above $350,000 by December 1. As of May 1, Women’s Fund members…

Philanthropy pool unites 400 women and makes a $2.5 million difference in the nonprofit community.

“Low-key, yet high-impact” is an apt description for both the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara and its founder, Carol Palladini. Formed in 2004 around the idea that rather than spending their energy planning elaborate fundraisers, women could work together and pool their donations to help meet the community’s most critical needs, the group has already given more than $2.5 million to 33 nonprofit agencies in the Santa Barbara area.

The six-year-old Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded a hefty total of $365,000 in grants to five local nonprofit agencies, focusing this year on organizations that provide shelter. In a ceremony at the El Paseo Restaurant on Monday, February 8, Casa Esperanza Homeless Shelter was awarded the largest grant, at $90,000; followed by Catholic Charities ($85,000); Domestic Violence Solutions ($75,000), St. Vincent’s of Santa Barbara ($75,000) and Sarah House, a hospice residence for low-income individuals ($40,000). Founding board chair Carol Palladini expressed gratitude to the Women’s Fund’…

Seeing the impact of their gifts in action was a gift in itself for more than 100 members of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, who toured local nonprofit agencies last week to see what their $725,000 in grants were doing to improve the community.

Future Leaders of America was the proud recipient of a coveted and competitive grant award from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara this week. Fund representatives Tish Gainey and Parm Williams presented a $65,000 check at the nonprofit organization’s board meeting Monday. Representatives from all area high schools, SBCC, Future Leaders of America executive director Angeles Arroyo and board members were on hand for the ceremony.

A record $725,000 in grants is made by the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara to the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy and nine other organizations.

In a climate of economic uncertainty, the tendency is to stand pat rather than step forward. The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara didn’t get the message.

On Tuesday, more than 250 women — and a smattering of men — packed themselves in to El Paseo Restaurant to learn who got what when the fund’s 2008 grants were announced. The 5-year-old pooled investment organization has been growing steadily, from 79 members doling out $140,000…

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has announced its leadership for 2009. Rachael Ross Steidl and Fleurette Barsom-Janigian have been named co-chairwomen of the oversight committee, and Stina Hans and Tish Gainey have been named co-chairwomen of the research committee.

The Women's Fund received the Light of Hope Award from Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the children they serve at their November Forgotten Children event. The inscription reads: "We appreciate your vision, patience, and generosity for our casa at CASA." In 2006, the Women's Fund granted $180,000 for CASA's new headquarters, which are now completed.

At the annual Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Shining Star Luncheon in 2007, the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara received one of two "Shining Star" honors. The Women's Fund gift came at a critical time when the Center moved to new headquarters.

The old quarters were overcrowded and in extremely substandard condition. Finding a place was difficult because many landlords would not rent to this type of agency. Therefore, when the current location was found, SBRCC needed to immediately take the lease, with no funding for remodeling or furnishing for the interior spaces in place.

Our gift…

At the 2007 opening of the Twelve35 Teen Center, the Women's Fund was honored as "Best Executive Producer" for donating equipment and furnishings to the Santa Barbara Teen Center! The Library/Study Room is dedicated to Harriet Miller, WF member and former city mayor. We can feel good knowing that our gift is keeping many teens off the street and out of harm's way.