The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara just launched a new Small Grants pilot program, opening a fresh funding stream for local nonprofit agencies with annual budgets under $500,000. Eligible organizations may apply for unrestricted grants of $10,000 or $25,000 through June 30, 2026. Grant recipients will be announced in November.
“The Women’s Fund recognizes the vital role small nonprofits play in our community and is eager to support their impactful work,” said Women’s Fund Board Chair Carolyn Jabs. “This program provides a simplified path to the funding these agencies need to address the needs of women, children, and families,” she said. The Small Grants program offers unrestricted agency grants—usable for programs, capacity-building, or capital needs—with a streamlined application and minimal reporting requirements. The goal is to ensure that small agencies can focus more on serving the community and less on administrative burdens.
The new program, largely the result of feedback from Women’s Fund members, is part of a broader strategy to keep its grantmaking responsive to community needs. While the Women’s Fund will continue to award its traditional larger grants of $50,000 to $200,000—generally to agencies with annual revenues above $500,000—the Small Grants program is specifically designed to reach smaller organizations that often struggle to access larger, highly competitive funding pools.
To learn more, watch a recent TVSB interview with Board Chair Carolyn Jabs and board member Lynn Karlson. Additional information about the program and the online application are available on the Women’s Fund website here. A direct link to the online application form is available here.
About the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara: With more than 1,450 members, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is the largest women’s collective giving circle in the United States by membership. The Women’s Fund is committed to changing lives through philanthropy, focusing on the critical needs of women, children, and families in south Santa Barbara County. Since its founding in 2004, the Women’s Fund has granted $14,120,000 grants to 80 nonprofits, awarding essential funds for 173 projects and programs that create measurable, lasting change in the community.
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