Santa Barbara Education Foundation

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Involved

Where public funding falls short, the Santa Barbara Education Foundation seeks to secure private support to ensure excellence and quality in education for all students.

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$228K

Awarded in 2026
in Educator Grants

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12,000 Students

in the SB Unified
School District

$1.1 Million

Invested in
Santa Barbara classrooms

By making a donation to the Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF), you are helping to support students and teachers on all campuses in the Santa Barbara Unified School District – elementary, junior high, and high school. Playground equipment, library books, science equipment, musical instruments, and teacher grants are just some of the needs that have been supported by SBEF.

Make a Gift Today!

Your support helps create opportunities for nearly 12,000 students in the Santa Barbara Unified School District through programs that enrich learning, empower educators, and strengthen our public schools.

Explore the options below to find the giving opportunity that is right for you.

Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the law. Santa Barbara Education Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization #77-0071544.

More Ways to Give

There are many ways to support the Santa Barbara Education Foundation and help create greater opportunities for students and educators in our public schools. Whether you make a one-time gift, become a monthly donor, donate stock, or make a planned gift, your generosity helps strengthen public education in our community.

Stock Transfers

The Santa Barbara Education Foundation can easily accept gifts through stock transfers. For information on mutual funds and wiring, please contact our Development Department at 805-284-9125.

Donate a Vehicle

Your vehicle donation is helping to support students and teachers on all campuses in the Santa Barbara School Unified School District-elementary, junior high, and high school.

Fiscal Sponsors

SBEF partners with community-led education initiatives through fiscal sponsorship and administrative support. These programs align with our mission while serving students, families, and educators in meaningful ways.

Fiscally Sponsored
Programs

How to Apply

 

Legacy Society

Forward-thinking donors can ensure that our schools continue to provide a quality education for all of our students, not just today but for generations to come. You can help sustain our important educational mission for the future by including a simple provision in your estate plans that names Santa Barbara Education Foundation as a beneficiary.

Leave a Legacy

Giving Opportunities

Businesses as Partners

The Business Investor program allows corporations and local businesses to contribute to our programs. Through this group’s generosity, the Santa Barbara Education Foundation continues to fund, develop, and support programs for all 12,500 students in the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

Business Investor
Program

Participants

Volunteer

Support SBEF by donating your time and talents! SBEF has a volunteer opportunity for you!

Volunteer Opportunities

Stay Informed

Support Public Education

Every gift helps SBEF serve more students, teachers, and schools across Santa Barbara.

“For four decades, the Santa Barbara Education Foundation has been an invaluable partner in our journey to prepare every student for a world yet to be created. Their unwavering support directly impacts our students’ lives, helping us build the kind of supportive community where every child has the chance to succeed, every single day.”

 

– Dr. Hilda Maldonado
Superintendent, Santa Barbara Unified School District

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