We're at $480,000 in 2010 Women's Fund memberships, pledges and contributions with just weeks to go before our December 31 deadline.

• Thanks to the Betty Elings Wells grant, every dollar donated to the Fund by December 31 will be matched 2-for-1.

• Thanks to generous underwriters who have paid all our 2010 expenses, every dollar donated goes into our grant pool that members will direct when we vote early next spring for which agencies will receive our funds.

But you can't vote if you don't join by December 31, 2010. So join now (click here) or send a check to the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara c/o Santa Barbara Foundation at 1111 Chapala, SB 93101. If you have questions, please contact us at info@womensfundsb.org.

The Research Committee

So when it is time for members to vote next spring for the agencies that will receive our 2010-11 grant pool, how will we know that the proposed grantees are worthy?

Because for the past nine months the WF volunteer Research Committee has been working diligently to find the most outstanding programs to put on the Women's Fund ballot. There are several stages to our rigorous research process:

• Early on, WF members are asked to vote for the Areas of Community Need that they want the Research Committee to investigate. This year's research areas are: Housing and Hunger; Early Childhood Development; and Youth Engagement (e.g., K-12 arts/recreation, parental education, gang prevention).

• From a large master list, the Research Committee selects those local nonprofits that are addressing the critical need areas chosen by our members.

• Researchers set to work investigating the agencies in depth, preparing written reports that outline program goals, audiences served, collaboration and outreach methods, measurements and results.

• Each Researcher meets with agency leaders, reviews the agency and program financial reports and conducts a site visit.

• After much discussion and a thorough vetting process, the Research Committee as a team will decide which agencies should go on the ballot for member consideration in March 2011.

The Research Committee at Work