The Fund for Santa Barbara 2023 Annual Report

A Note From Our Executive Director

SUPPORTERS, FUND DEAR

It is with immense gratitude and humility that I step into the role of Executive Director of The FUND In my six months in this position, I've been continually awestruck by the profound impact that The FUND has had throughout our region, from empowering youth-led philanthropy to championing racial justice grantmaking,

The FUND stands as a beacon of progressiveness and innovation. I am honored to carry forward its mission of advancing social justice across Economic, Environmental, Political, Racial, and Social spheres

For forty-four years, The FUND has been a trailblazer in building movements for social change within Santa Barbara County Our founders, themselves passionate supporters and activists across various social justice causes, recognized the dire need for grassroots support often neglected by traditional foundations Through collective efforts, The FUND established a grant cycle that enables social justice organizations to access vital resources, a commitment that remains steadfast in 2023.

While we celebrate our achievements since inception, we recognize that our journey is far from over As we approach our 45th year, we look forward to commemorating this significant milestone and reaffirming our commitment to advancing social justice In the meantime, we invite you to explore our successes in 2023, made possible by your unwavering support.

On behalf of The FUND, I extend heartfelt thanks to our supporters, allies, and all those who stand with us in our pursuit of a more just and equitable society

In Solidarity,

Since 1980, The FUND has provided over $9 million to more than 500 progressive social change organizations and projects in Santa Barbara County Our Endowment Fund, initiated by the board in 1992, has grown to an impressive $2 2 million, ensuring sustainability and longevity in our mission Today, The FUND operates five grantmaking programs, each strategically designed to catalyze systemic impact in our local community

Eder Gaona-Macedo, MPA Executive Director

Former ED Marcos Vargas, Current ED Eder Macedo, Board President Eric Carddenas, Former Board President Reverend Julia Hamilton

& Mission Our Vision

Our Vision

A region that is environmentally, economically, and politically interconnected where we understand and appreciate our interdependencies, our differences, and our mutual responsibilities.

A region where power and resources are distributed equitably, empowering everyone to participate in making decisions that affect them.

A community free of exploitation and oppression one marked by optimism, joyous struggle, a spirit of problem solving, and a sense of belonging.

A community that encourages risk and innovation in the service of justice. A collection of communities each proud of its own identity and committed to sharing a common destiny.

Our Mission

Advancing progressive change by strengthening movements for Economic, Environmental, Political, Racial, and Social Justice

Our Strategies Movement Building for Social Change & Collective Power

We build movements to advance social change and strengthen collective power across Santa Barbara County When communities have power, they can enact societal change The Fund for Santa Barbara supports, invests in, convenes, and advocates for community organizations and leaders, ensuring they have the resources and support necessary to cultivate and maintain their organizing power.

These strategies guide our work. We share them to strengthen our collective efforts toward advancing social justice.

Make Grants

to community groups and coalitions across the region supporting long-term movements and emerging needs

Nurture Coalitions

by being a hub for collaborative efforts and serving as a trusted table to convene people and groups for strategy, resource sharing, and inspiration

Influence Philanthropy

to support community organizing and movement building.

Build Capacity

of progressive organizations to help them be bold and effective

Develop Movement Leadership

so that social justice movements and the progressive philanthropy sector look like the communities we serve: diverse, intergenerational, and values-driven

Racial Equity Fund of Santa Barbara County

The Racial Equity Fund of the County of Santa Barbara (REFCSB) is an initiative that came directly from grassroots organizing by Black Femme leaders who demanded that the County of Santa Barbara invest in the Black community in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the ongoing racial justice movement Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis, made a commitment to racial justice and pledged $500,000 to begin to address equity issues in the county

Roughly half of the funds were allocated to internal/institutional County equity development with the remaining funds to be distributed through The FUND's participatory grant-making process.

$233K Awarded in Grants

2023 Racial Equity Fund Grant Recipient, Madi's Treasurebox

C4 Lompoc Collective Cultures Creating Change

Self Healing Communities - $35,000

Support of the Guelaguetza Popular ceremonial cultural festival representing all 8 regions of Oaxaca to uplift cultural value, dignity, and autonomy of Oaxaqueños, indigenous people in Santa Maria, and the surrounding areas through traditional food, dance, music, and Indigenous self-determination decolonizing workshops.

NAACP Santa Maria Lompoc 1072 - Santa Maria-Lompoc

NAACP Racial Equity Projects - Black History Celebration, Juneteenth Celebration, and addressing systemic racism in schools in northern Santa Barbara County – $32,500.00 (Yr 1), $32,500.00 (Yr 2)

Funding will support operating costs and salaries for lead organizers, to ensure the sustainability of their anti-racism through systems change work to uplift all Black/African-Americans to affirm safety, love, equity, respect and joy

The Regents of the University of California, Santa Barbara The Healing Space – $32,138.50 (Yr 1), $32,138.50 (Yr 2)

Funding will support the hiring of an Executive Director and to carry out programs and events that exemplify the vision and legacy of Dr King to strengthen the organization’s presence in the community and effect the culture and policy for systemic change and increase racial equity.

Madi’s Treasure Box - World Changer Initiative

$13,000 (Yr 1), $13,000 (Yr 2)

Funding to support an initiative to engage and empower Black/African American parents to advocate for equitable and just education in Santa Barbara County through webinars designed to activate Black/African American parent participation in local educational policy decisions

Grant Making at The Fund

In traditional philanthropic giving, the people who control the wealth almost always control the distribution of that wealth Our non-traditional grant making process sets us apart from other foundations in that our Grant Making Committee (GMC), made up of community activists and leaders, determines the allocation of funding Our GMC is a collection of individuals from different life experiences and perspectives, giving them a unique pulse on the needs of the community

SpringGeneral CycleGrants Awarded

FallGeneral CycleGrants Awarded

Spring General Cycle

GrantMaking Committee Members

~$350K Awarded in Grants

$10,000 Awakening Giantz, Inc | Awakening Giantz Leadership Program

The Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples, Inc | Barbareño Chumash Tribal Council Indigenous Watercraft Festival (IWF) | Carpinteria Children's Project | Carpinteria Promotores Freedom 4 Youth (F4Y) | Lived Experience Executive Division (LEED)

Gateway Educational Services (GES) – Uplifting Leaders of Color House of Pride and Equality | Community Visibility and Awareness Quail Springs | Groundwater Education and Greywater Workshop in the Cuyama Valley

The Barbareño/Ventureño Band of Mission Indians | BVBMI Tribal Cultural Revitalization Project

The Regents of the University of California, Santa Barbara | Justicia Social de Intérpretes de Lenguas Originarias

$5,360

Santa Maria-Lompoc National Association For The Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) | Black High School Students Social-Emotional and Academic Needs Post the Covid-19 Pandemic

$5,000 Family Service Agency | Adelante Guadalupe Fair Housing and Tenant Rights Project

Fall General Cycle

$10,000

Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy | Central Coast Civic Engagement Table

Committee for Social Justice - Legal and Education Support

Community Health Centers of the Central Coast, Inc. - Wisdom Keeper Circles

Guadalupe Community Changers/Little House by the Park-Family Service Agency - Nuestra Voz

Cuenta: Nurturing Civic Engagement

Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) - Youth and Farmworker Empowerment

2 0

People's Justice Project, Inc - Know Your Rights Project

Planned Parenthood California Central Coast (PPCCC) - Santa Maria Patient Escort Program

R E A C H - Reaching for Education that Awakes Children's Hopes - Reaching for Further Education

San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace - Close Diablo Nuclear Plant

Savie Health Corp - Health Equity for Uninsured Spanish-Speaking Immigrants

Multi-Year Grants

$30,000

Blue Sky Sustainable Living Center | Cuyama Valley Victory Gardens (annually in 2021, 2022, 2023)

Future Leaders of America | Lompoc Youth Organizing and Advocacy (annually in 2021, 2022, 2023)

Independent Living Resource Center, Inc | Rapid Response Committee, Bi-Monthly Webinar Series (annually in 2021, 2022, 2023)

Emerging Needs

$5,000

Los Amigos de Guadalupe | Pioneer Disaster Relief

Santa Barbara County Action Network | Plains Pipeline Change of Ownership

Families ACT! | International Overdose Awareness Day: Teach-In, Candlelight March, Vigil

Gateway Educational Services Co-founders Connie Alexander and Audrey Gamble, and GMC Co-Chairs, JP Herrada and Jennifer Navarro, Grantmaking Awards Ceremony

There are two YMC Boards one meets in Santa Maria and the other in Santa Barbara and both are led by teens, ages 13-19. Each board gives out $15,000 per year in grants to youthled projects that impact young people in Santa Barbara County They create and conduct an entire grant cycle and then share with their communities what they learned as grantmakers and philanthropists Since 2008, YMC has awarded more than $350,000 to over 165 youth-led groups throughout Santa Barbara County

YouthMaking

YouthMaking ChangeNorth BoardMembers

As a past board member, now a North County facilitator, my experience with Youth Making Change has been extremely valuable and memorable The program has strengthened my passion for social justice in Santa Barbara County and has encouraged me to continue advocating for change YMC has been a great opportunity for me to learn about philanthropy, enhance my public speaking and leadership skills, as well as meet new people with similar aspirations to create change within the community

Marisol Hernandez, North County Facilitator

$25,158 Awarded in Grants

"YMC has allowed me to work with other youth in my community who have the same goals as me and are pas i t about making social ch It has helped me have a voice and make decision that will help my community It is a pleasure to know that I am a part of something bigger and that I can see the change that youth a working towards and th leadership role that are taken by those youth in

Natalia Lucas, North County Facilitator

Youth Making Change - South County

$3,000 Future Leaders of America Master Achievers (FLAMA) | Future Leaders of America Master Achievers (FLAMA)

$2,500

Carp Annual PRIDE | Sustain Carpinteria's Annual PRIDE!

Arts Mentorship Program | Inclusion Coalition

$2,000 Girls Inc. Teen Program | Teen Advocacy Council

$1,080 San Marcos Senior High Gender and Sexuality Alliance | Pride Week - Day of Silence

$1,048 Santa Barbara Youth Council | Coffee with a Councilmember

$1,000 SBHS Ethnic Studies Club | Ethnic Studies in our Schools

Youth Making Change - North County

$3 000 Chicano/Latino Studies Students at SMHS | Ethnic Studies/POC Film Festival

South County Youth Making Change Awards Party

Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund

The Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund (MFSHF) commemorates the life and legacy of community activist and esteemed friend of The FUND, Mickey Flacks During her 50 years in Santa Barbara, Mickey devoted herself to the advancement of social justice and democracy She understood access to affordable housing and tenants' rights as foundational to achieving the betterment of her beloved community and eloquently argued for social housing housing developed for people’s needs rather than for the market. In this spirit, The FUND for Santa Barbara is proud to carry on Mickey’s commitment to housing equity by way of the Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund

$5,000 Santa Barbara Tenants Union - Building Tenant Power

Support of the Guelaguetza Popular ceremonial cultural festival representing all eight regions of Oaxaca to uplift cultural value, dignity, and autonomy of Oaxaqueños, indigenous people in Santa Maria, and the surrounding areas through traditional food, dance, music, and Indigenous selfdetermination decolonizing workshops.

$9K Awarded in Grants

$4,000

Family Service Agency

Funding to support an initiative to engage and empower Black/African American parents to advocate for equitable and just education in Santa Barbara County through webinars designed to activate Black/African American parent participation in local educational policy decisions

Demonstration and City Council public comment in support of ending “renovictions,” Santa Barbara Tenants Union and cofounder Stanley Tzankov

Our Collaborations

To achieve significant and lasting progress, it is essential for m p g to join forces and work in tandem towards a common goal. In 2023, The FUND spearheaded and actively engaged in numerous collaborative initiatives as part of our comprehensive movement building strategy These efforts included:

California Department of Social Services - Stop the Hate

Capacity Building Collaborative

Central Coast Civic Engagement Table

Central Coast Climate Justice Network

Central Coast Regional Equity Initiative

Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County

EDs of Color

Nonprofit Resource Network (NPRN)

North County Coalition

Racial Equity Fund of Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara Foundation Roundtable

Social Justice Academy

Southern California Grantmakers

Central Coast Community Organizer Training with Zulema Aleman, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE)

Capacity Building at The Fund

The FUND believes that non-monetary resources often have an equal or greater value than cash grants, especially to small grassroots organizations The FUND commits considerable staff and volunteer time to support community-based organizations with skill-building opportunities, convenings, informational resources, and free tailored consulting and facilitation services through its Capacity Building Program.

During 2023, The FUND's Capacity Building Program facilitated or sponsored these technical and information training initiatives:

Quarter1:January-March

Racial Equity Funds Grant Application Workshop

Program Evaluation with an Equity Lens

Spring Cycle Grant Application Workshop #1

Spring Cycle Grant Application Workshop #2

Spring Cycle Grant Application Workshop #3

Preparing and Responding to Opposition Attacks #1

Preparing and Responding to Opposition Attacks #2

Quarter2:April-June

Central Coast Community Organizer Training

CCREI Research Symposium

CCREI Steering Committee Strategic Action Plan Launch

CCREI Community Action Convening - Strategic Action Plan Launch

Quarter3:July-September

CCREI San Luis Obispo Community Consultation #1

CCREI San Luis Obispo Community Consultation#2

Fall Cycle Grant Application Workshop #1

Fall Cycle Grant Application Workshop #2

Fall Cycle Grant Application Workshop #3

Stop the Hate Program Partner Orientation

Quarter4:October-December

Central Coast Community Three-Day Organizer Training

Stop the Hate Program Partner Convening

Bread and Roses Land Acknowledgement with Annette Cordero and Mia Jaimes-Lopez, Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation

2023 Financial Summary

*The numbers presented as part of this report are pre-audit and subject to change This is not an official statement of financial activities

Our Team

Board of Directors

Eric Cardenas President

David Landecker Vice President

Andrew Oman Vice President

Erica Reyes Secretary

Rachel Johnson Liaison to GMC

Annette Cordero

Jennifer Hooten

Dr. Carol Karamitsos

Ted Rhodes

Cuco Rodriguez

Mahil Senathirajah

Arcelia Sencion

John Steed

Susan Wax

Grant Making Committee

JP Herrada Co-Chair

Lyiam Galo Co-Chair

Maria Garcia-Cacique Liaison to Board

Suzanne Valery Liaison to Board

Dr Leonie H Mattison

Bailey Needham

Bob Thiel

Chuy Valle

Jennifer Navarro

JP Herrada

Juliana Neel

Lupita Cervantes

Lyiam Galo

Rich Sanders

Vickey Smith

Wendi Pacheco

Honorary Board

Nancy Alexander, Founder

Kate Adams (in Memoriam)

Susan Bower (in Memoriam)

Carnzu Clark (in Memoriam)

Sevren Coon

Nancy Franco

Staff

Eder Gaona-Macedo Executive Director

Susan Jørgensen

Don Olson

Katy Peake (in Memoriam)

David Peri

Susan Rose

Selma Rubin (in Memoriam)

Naomi Schwartz (in Memoriam)

Sarah Shoresman (in Memoriam)

Herman Warsh (in Memoriam)

Nancy Weiss

YMC - North County

Demarie Diel Facilitator

Carlos Gonzalez Facilitator

Andrea Cuevas

Anya Gallardo

Brandon Aguirre

Cesar Vasquez

Denise Delgado

Jade Espinoza

Jamielynne Lomibao

Jesus Cayetano

Karen Olvera

Marisol Hernandez

Mickayla Piñon

Sarah Cabiles

Susana Espinoza

Zimin He

Patricia Solorio Associate Director

Kathleen Knight

Capacity Building Manager

Cristal Robles

YMC Coordinator

Tania Reyes

Grant Programs Manager

Brian Arizmendi Villanueva Program Associate

YMC - South County

Clare Schneider Facilitator

Margherita Scussat Facilitator

Anesu Chikowero

Kaitlyn Marden

Natasha Huey

Selena Valencia

Chelsea Miao

Kiela Luke

Natalie Aldapa Hernandez

Marshall Graham

Orchid Gillespie

Naomi Walsh

Noelle Cabrera

Gabriele Scussat

Allegra Cullen

Joselyn Pacheco Morales

Kimberly Mendoza

Lorenzo Lara

Tatiana Leyva