Towbes Foundation Grant

The Towbes Foundation, established in 1980, is dedicated to enhancing the Santa Barbara County community through strategic partnerships with local nonprofits. Focused on education and mental health, the foundation has awarded over $20 million to more than 400 organizations. It seeks to collaborate with 501(c)(3) organizations that target educational equity and direct mental health services, prioritizing programs that benefit underserved communities and utilize systematic evaluation processes to improve their impact.

Foundation Overview
The Towbes Foundation is a family foundation established by Michael and Gail Towbes in 1980. We seek to strengthen the communities of Santa Barbara County by partnering with local nonprofits through grantmaking.
Since its founding, The Towbes Foundation has granted over 20 million dollars to more than 400 organizations on the Central Coast.
While The Towbes Foundation traditionally supported a broad array of nonprofits, we now have a particular focus on education and mental health, targeting educational programs focused on early childhood, K-12th grade, and the transition to college, as well as mental health programs, focused on children, youth, families, and adults.
The Towbes Foundation seeks to strengthen the communities of Santa Barbara County by focusing on locally-based, 501(c)(3) organizations whose objectives are in alignment with our primary interests in education and mental health. We are excited about collaborative partnerships, organizations that utilize systematic evaluation processes to understand and inform their programs/services, as well as organizations that support traditionally underserved or marginalized communities in the following areas.
EducationWe are seeking nonprofit partners that provide basic education and educational equity programs including preschool, childcare, summer, and after-school enrichment services. While our primary focus is basic education, we will consider programs that target educational opportunities in the arts, science/environment, and diversity/inclusion/access. See the eligibility requirements for more information.
Mental Health
We are interested in programs that are targeting specific behavioral health outcomes as opposed to programs where mental wellness is a secondary benefit. See the eligibility requirements for more information.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for funding your organization must meet the following requirements. Your organization should be:
Primarily located in Santa Barbara County.A tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.Focused on either education and/or mental health. Only organizations that are wholly mission-aligned are eligible to apply. See our Areas of Interest for more information.Only one grant will be awarded per organization per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Umbrella organizations or fiscal sponsors may receive multiple grants per fiscal year, provided they are not duplicative.

Ineligibility

The following entities are NOT eligible to apply:
Newly formed organizations and/or newly starting programs should not apply unless by invitation.Organizations whose mission and/or programs fall outside our targeted funding domains of education and direct mental health services/programs.Organizations that receive funding within the same year from other Towbes-family funding sources (i.e., Michael Towbes Donor Advised Fund, the Lewis – Towbes Family Donor Advised Fund, or the Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts) except by invitation.Grants to public school programs are on a case-by-case basis and are limited to one per school, per fiscal year. Grants are no longer made to the High School Academies in Santa Barbara Unified School District.Sponsorships for individual organizationsPrivate/Religious/Independent schoolsIndividuals