Santa Barbara Foundation

Analysis

Santa Barbara Foundation is a registered charity in United States, based in Santa Barbara, CA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in May 1938, 88 years ago. Its declared purposes cover philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking foundations, which this site groups under grant-making and general purposes. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Santa Barbara Foundation reported income of $37.8m and spending of $35.8m, spending 95% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $29.7m to $37.8m (+27%), an average of +6.2% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2020, when income rose by 46%. Over the whole period it spent 81% of the income it received.

Among 19,413 United States charities whose main cause is grant-making and general purposes and that reported income, Santa Barbara Foundation sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile, and in the 99th percentile within CA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Delaware Community Foundation ($37.5m), United Way of Connecticut ($37.8m) and Stonier Scholarship Inc ($37.5m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 75% and program service revenue 1.9% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $800k (2.2% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $3.2m. At year end it held assets of $474.8m against liabilities of $37.6m, net assets of $437.2m. It reported 42 employees.