"Santa Barbara Better Together" Fund Provides
Second Round of Grants for Small Businesses Located Within
Unincorporated Santa Barbara County
Grant Applications Open Through October 28
The Santa Barbara Foundation announced today an additional cycle of the Santa Barbara Better Together Fund Small Business Grant Program in partnership with the County of Santa Barbara for unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County. The application, linked below, is open until Wednesday, October 28, 2020.
The Santa Barbara Better Together Fund (SBBT) was set up at the Santa Barbara Foundation as a committee advised fund in March of 2020 with an initial $500,000 donation from Deckers Brands. The fund will help local businesses survive these uncertain times which in turn will help sustain our community.
The County of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Foundation partnership will support grants from the SBBT Fund of up to $7,500 per grant to qualifying small businesses located within the unincorporated portions of Santa Barbara County as they reopen and adapt to operating under proper public health guidelines due to COVID-19. Grant awards are available to eligible businesses until funds have been depleted.
“Many small businesses that shape the character of our community are struggling during this time," said Gregg Hart, Second District Supervisor and Chair of the Board. "The County of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Foundation want to help these businesses with a local, small business grant program to provide some financial relief during the pandemic. Let’s all do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 so that we can safely re-open additional businesses at the earliest opportunity."
The Santa Barbara Better Together Fund is made up of representatives from Deckers and Santa Barbara Foundation, and local experts. Distribution of the funds are voted on by the committee members.
Earlier this month the Santa Barbara Better Together Fund provided a grants program for small businesses in the City of Goleta and SBBT now wishes to do the same for unincorporated areas in the County of Santa Barbara.
It is important for small businesses to come back after the pandemic,” said Jessica Sanchez, Director of Donor Services at the Santa Barbara Foundation. “We want to make efforts to ensure they thrive for the long term, so that they in turn, can help sustain the vitality of our community.”
The County of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Foundation partnership will support grants from the Santa Barbara Better Together Fund of up to $7,500 per grant to qualifying small businesses located within the unincorporated portions of Santa Barbara County as they reopen and adapt to operating under proper public health guidelines due to COVID-19. Grant awards are available to eligible businesses until funds have been depleted.
