Santa Barbara County foundations seek to provide over $1 million to people affected by COVID-19

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara Foundation, United Way of Santa Barbara County and the Hutton Parker Foundation are leading a countywide funders’ collaborative with members of the Foundation Roundtable to respond to COVID-19.

This project has been named the COVID-19 Joint Response Effort for Santa Barbara County.

The Joint Response Effort announced on Thursday that they will provide over $1 million in assistance to individuals and families as well as organizations actively assisting members of the community affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The full extent of the impact this pandemic will have on our community remains to be seen; however, it is clear already that the needs of our community members and the organizations serving them will be substantial,” said Steve Ortiz, President & CEO, United Way of Santa Barbara County. “We are honored and grateful to work with such generous community members and with such dedicated organizations through this COVID-19 Joint Response Effort to quickly and efficiently meet the needs of our community.”

This COVID-19 Joint Response Effort will align and coordinate efforts, collect and share information and distribute financial resources on a rolling basis for our most vulnerable populations.

The organization plans to mobilize funds to rapidly meet the needs of the community as they arise.

Nonprofits can submit applications through the collaborative COVID-19 Nonprofit Grant Intake packet and/or to individual funders through their application processes.

COVID-19 Response Grants funding priorities include: 

• Individual financial need to help struggling community members secure and maintain basic needs, cover unexpected child care and education expenses, and recover from loss of wages due to business closures and social distancing measures.
• Meeting increased service demand for organizations serving Santa Barbara County’s most vulnerable populations impacted by the widespread shutdown of schools and child care facilities, and social distancing measures impacting places of employment.
• Operational capacity and business continuity to provide unrestricted funding for organizations to carry out their missions and adjust business models to meet the needs of their staff and clients.

Donations can be made at the Santa Barbara Foundation at or through United Way.

For more resources about COVID-19 in Santa Barbara County, please go to publichealthsbc.org. 

For resources for individuals please go to unitedwaysb.org/covid19. 

For resources for nonprofits please go to SBFoundation.org/covid-19-sbc-np-resources.