About the Santa Barbara Education Foundation
The Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and enhancing public education in the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD). SBEF acts as a fiscal sponsor for local programs and initiatives that support public schools and align with our mission.
SBEF Offers Two Types of Fiscal Sponsorship
Comprehensive (Model A)
Best for programs seeking a nonprofit home and needing administrative, financial, and operational support to launch or grow their work.
SBEF extends its 501(c)(3) status to programs that operate under SBEF’s legal and fiduciary umbrella.
Under this model, SBEF:
- Assumes full legal and financial responsibility for the program
- Processes donations and grants
- Provides donor acknowledgment and tax receipts
- Oversees financial reporting and compliance
- Provides administrative support as outlined in the fiscal sponsorship agreement
Administrative Fee: 10% of revenue received
Limited (Model C)
Best for established organizations or programs that maintain their own legal structure but need a nonprofit partner to receive tax-deductible donations.
SBEF acts as a conduit for tax-deductible contributions to programs that operate as their own legal entity (e.g., existing 501(c)(3), LLC, or other entity).
Under this model, SBEF:
- Processes charitable donations
- Provides donor acknowledgment letters and tax receipts
- Distributes funds to the sponsored organization
SBEF does not assume legal, operational, or fiduciary responsibility for the program.
Administrative Fee: 6% of revenue received
Criteria for Applying
To be considered for fiscal sponsorship, programs must meet the following criteria:
- Demonstrate clear alignment with the Santa Barbara Education Foundation’s mission to support and enhance public education.
- Align with SBEF’s strategic priorities, including expanding opportunities and improving outcomes for students.
- Ensure that at least 50% of programming directly serves students, educators, schools, or families within the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD).
- Demonstrate strong support and alignment with SBUSD priorities, including evidence of district-level support whenever possible.
For Comprehensive Fiscal Sponsorship (Model A), programs must demonstrate:
- An anticipated annual operating budget of at least $30,000.
- Sufficient organizational and leadership capacity to sustain program operations and fulfill program goals.
Application Process
SBEF uses a two-step application process to ensure alignment before investing significant time on either side.
Step 1: Letter of Inquiry (LOI)
All prospective fiscal sponsorship applicants must begin by submitting a brief Letter of Inquiry (LOI). The LOI should be no more than two pages and must address the following:
- Organization or program name, contact information, and lead applicant
- A brief description of the program and how it aligns with SBEF’s mission and strategic priorities
- The specific need within SBUSD that the program addresses
- Evidence of district-level support, or demonstration of alignment with district goals
- The type of support being requested (Comprehensive Fiscal Sponsorship or Limited Fiscal Sponsorship)
- Estimated annual budget and funding sources (annual budget must be at least $30,000)
- Current stage of development (start-up, developing, mature, or scaling)
SBEF staff will review all LOIs and notify applicants within 30 days whether they are invited to submit a full application. Submission of an LOI does not guarantee an invitation to apply.
LOIs should be submitted to: Leonor Reyes at Le****@*******************on.org or (805) 284-9125.
Step 2: Full Application
Only applicants who receive an invitation from SBEF after completing the LOI process will be asked to submit a full application.
A link to the full application and application requirements will be provided to invited applicants.
Questions about fiscal sponsorship or the application process may be directed to:
Leonor Reyes at Le****@*******************on.org or (805) 284-9125.
This was the beautiful Collaboration Puppet Show with Elizabeth Brook’s Kindergarten class from Adams Elementry and Kat Ross’ Soft Sculpture class from Santa Barbara High School.
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