The Fund for S.B. Raises Funds for Progressive Organizations

On October 6, The Fund for Santa Barbara hosted its annual Bread and Roses celebration to raise funds for its support of organizations pursuing progressive social change. About 450 guests came out to SBCC’s Great Meadow, including many nonprofit leaders, activists, and politicians, with the event netting about $225,000.

Bread and Roses always has good energy, with a palpable enthusiasm among supporters for the Fund’s work of making grants and hosting capacity-building workshops for community-based organizations. After a reception featuring popular musical performances by the Brasscals and Terrill Carter, guests were seated under an enormous open-air tent for the program. 

Co-Emcee Rich Sander remarked on how “the Fund is really the thread that ties us all together, as we unite in our vision for a more just and joyful world,” and bade guests to “give each other high-fives and a round of applause!” which elicited hearty cooperation and many smiles.

The Fund honored Jeanne Sparks and Ken Hough, who serve as co-executive directors of SBCAN, the S.B. County Action Network. Sander praised them as “a powerhouse couple known for their tireless commitment to community service and advocacy.” In addition to co-leading SBCAN, Sparks was recognized for her key roles in projects in the Cuyama Valley, the Dunes Center in Guadalupe, Santa Maria’s first dog park, and the Santa Maria River Levee Trail. Sander acknowledged Hough’s expertise, with 30 years of experience in transportation, housing, and regional planning.

The Fund honored also the nonprofit Future for Lompoc Youth (FLY) for empowering youth to participate in civic activities. FLY recently collaborated with UCLA to conduct a survey on post-pandemic experiences among youth and is presently rallying support for a bond measure to upgrade Lompoc schools, among many other activities.

The Fund for S.B. Executive Director Eder Gaona-Macedo, who took the helm last year, related how he came to the U.S. at age 4 and grew up on the Westside. He has faced xenophobia, racism, and low-wage jobs, he noted, and participated in projects and organizations funded by the Fund for S.B. His vision for the Fund is for it to play a crucial role in bridging communities — to build a community where everyone feels like they belong. He lauded the Fund’s grantees and nonprofit partners as the “real social justice warriors, who daily challenge the status quo and empower others to do the same.”

He remarked further that now more than ever, the Fund plays a crucial role in resourcing grassroots groups because of the rampant xenophobia, homophobia, and racism in our local community and our national politics. 

Annually, the Fund for Santa Barbara grants nearly $300,000 to local nonprofits. Its Grant Making Committee, composed of community activists and leaders, determines the allocation of funding. This year, funding was spread over 21 nonprofits. A separate teen-led program, Youth Making Change, has a North County and South County board of teens who make grant decisions on youth-led projects. This year, $20,180 in grant funding was spread over eight organizations.

Additionally, this year, the Fund distributed $233,750 in County funds through the Racial Equity Fund and $191,250 through the state-funded Stop the Hate Partners.