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- William O. Douglas, U.S.
Supreme Court Justice (1898-1980)
December 2007
Dear Friend,
The FUND FOR SANTA BARBARA has been supporting
those members of our community who challenge institutions and
make people think for nearly thirty years.
Since 1980, more than 700 projects have received
over $3 million in grants from the FUND and hundreds more have
received technical assistance. Over the years, we have seen that
it is often the most unorthodox strategy that proves to be the
most effective. Those grassroots leaders who advocate for new
ways of thinking need community institutions that will stand
behind them. That is where the FUND comes in.
The solution to any problem - social, economic,
environmental or otherwise - often begins with someone speaking
out. Sometimes that simple act of speaking out provides the leadership
that can start a movement. While we may decry the lack of leadership
we see in state and federal government, we can and do continue
to celebrate and support emerging leadership here in our community.
The FUND is supporting tomorrow's leaders
with grants to:
• Shape of Voice - a community newspaper created
by local youth who are addressing some of the most pressing
issues in our community today
• IDEAS / Central Coast AB-540 Network - a group
of UCSB students who are creating a network of resources for
undocumented students who qualify under AB-540
• Isla Vista Teen Center to support a grant-writer
and implement a long-term fundraising plan
• La Casa de la Raza for their Youth Leadership
Development Program
While race, class, language and culture often divide
our communities, the FUND made grants to:
• Just Communities for their Building Just & Inclusive
Communities Initiative - providing seed funding for a county-wide
series of bilingual workshops to engage people in discussions
about issues of oppression and ways to take action
• Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena
Oaxaqueña to maintain their Santa Maria office and
continue to offer a broad range of services and information
to the Mixtec and Spanish-speaking communities of the Santa
Maria Valley
While the outrageous lack of access to health care for
millions of people dominates the headlines, the FUND provided
grants to:
• Prop 63 for Me - a project sponsored by the Independent
Living Resource Center which supports a group of mental health
service consumers to be self-advocates in the implementation
of Proposition 63
• Alliance for Pharmaceutical Access - for their
patient assistance programs that provide self-advocacy tools
for some of the most marginalized members of our communities
as they seek the medications they need
• Harding Elementary School for the Parent Education
Program of their Cafeteria Project - an innovative parent education
program that recognizes the connection between what students
eat in their cafeteria, what they are served in their home,
and their overall long-term health
And while threats to our environment
seem larger than ever, the FUND made grants to:
• Citizen's Planning Foundation for their series
of workshops on community involvement in public planning and
decision-making processes
• Art From Scrap for their Guadalupe Community
Connections project in conjunction with the Guadalupe Cultural
Arts &
Education Center to implement an environmental advocacy program
with 4th to 12th-graders
And these are just a few examples. THE FUND has already made
more than $250,000 in grants in 2007 alone. We continue to grow
to meet the growing needs. And we look to our community of supporters
to make our work possible.
Our goal is to raise $50,000 by the end of the year. Please take
a moment to consider a tax-deductible gift to support the FUND's
grant-making and technical assistance work.
With gratitude,
Geoff Green
Executive Director
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