Grants & Funding

How to Work with United Way

United Way of Santa Barbara County is a volunteer-led organization that mobilizes the resources and strategic thinking of the nonprofit, private, and public sectors to improve lives, strengthen the community, and build a stronger Santa Barbara County. Recognizing the unique and valuable role that nonprofit agencies play in the city’s overall human service system, we partner with a range of nonprofit organizations – from large agencies to small, community-based groups in three primary ways:

1. Partners: We partner with selected organizations to brainstorm, create prototypes and carry out the on-the-ground operations of our Community Impact Initiatives.

2. Affiliates: We provide qualified community-based organizations with financial, technical, and in-kind supports to enable them to fulfill their missions and develop their infrastructures.

3. Grantees: We work in partnership with our grantees to provide funding and strategic assistance to improve education, financial stability, and health for children, families and seniors in Santa Barbara county. We connect our grantees to a growing network of innovative organizations and leaders who are making the greatest gains and implementing the most promising practices in communities across the country today. We hold ourselves and our grantees accountable for results.

For the 2019-2020 funding application, please click here.

If you have questions, please call us at (805) 965-8591 or contact us via email.