By any measure, the Women's Fund appears to be thriving. Ten years ago, it had 68 members who gave away $140,000. Today, its membership has swelled to nearly 600, the vast majority belonging to groups with names like "Instead of Shoes" or Benevolent Babes." Now, it gives away roughly half-a-million a year. Typically, the grants are pretty beefy, ranging in size from $50,000-$100,000. Over the years, the fund has given away $4.1 million to 55 groups. Of that, more than a million came in the form of matching grants provided by Ofalea Foundation and Betty Elings Wells. Santa Barbara…

Nearly 200 members and guests of the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara witnessed the power of collective philanthropy...see page 12 for the full story.

Ninth annual site visit highlights the work of local nonprofit organizations benefiting from $525,000 in contributions.

It's often said that seeing is believing, and that was certainly the case for more than 150 members of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara last Thursday as they toured local nonprofit agencies to see what their most recent $525,000 in grants were doing to help the community.

The annual site visit included tours of three nonprofit facilities — …

Victoria Juarez, Executive Director, and Craig Price, Board Trustee of Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, attended the Women’s Fund annual awards luncheon to accept a $50,000 grant for the Girls Inc. Eureka! project, a five-year program for girls beginning the summer before eight grade and continuing through the twelfth grade.

"The Women's Fund of Santa Barbara is thrilled to be supporting the Eureka! Program of Girls Inc. Carpinteria," said Sally Tannenbaum, member of the Women's Fund. "Our members believe the program is compelling and look forward to hearing success stories of girls from…

Fueling efforts to provide specialized transportation services to the entire Santa Barbara community, Easy Lift Transportation will now significantly expand its Children’s Accessible Transportation program thanks to a $65,000 gift from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara. 

Presenting the check at Easy Lift’s board retreat on May 30 was Women’s Fund Research Committee members Sallie Coughlin and Debby Ciambrone.

The 17th Annual Wildlife Sanctuary Awards was held at the Biltmore on April 7, 2013. The event is sponsored by the SB Wildlife Care Network which rescues and rehabilitates both birds and mammals. The Women's Fund, CALM and the Garden Club were presented with awards by Irene Macias, the director of the SB Library.

"Each year the Wildlife Sanctuary Awards are presented to those whose generous donations of time, energy, and financial support have made a difference in our community, 'our sanctuary'. We are honored to celebrate those women, men, and institutions that have contributed so…