In response to ongoing technical challenges associated with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Scholarship Foundation has extended the application deadline for its General and Employer-Sponsored Scholarship Programs from Wednesday, January 31, to Sunday, February 18, at 11:59 p.m. PST. We highly recommend that you submit your FAFSA as soon as… Read more »
More than 300 people attended the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara’s 2023 Community Leaders Luncheon at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort on Friday, December 8. The annual event recognizes Scholarship Foundation supporters, volunteers, and community partners. Featured speakers this year included Dr. Richard Yao, president of California State University Channel Islands, and longtime community… Read more »
Tuition hikes at colleges and universities tend to provoke backlashes from students, parents, and education advocates, as one would expect. Among others likely to suffer their own economic fallout downstream of such policy decisions, however, the reaction is often muted. In today’s increasingly interconnected economy, though, hardship in one sector seldom fails to darken others…. Read more »
This 30-second PSA featuring student recipients at the Scholarship Foundation’s 2023 South County Awards Ceremony has been airing on local Cox channels throughout the month of October.
Community Friends (formerly Assistance League) of Santa Barbara has been a potent force for good countywide for three-quarters of a century. For more than a decade, its community betterment work has included active support of local college students in partnership with the Scholarship Foundation. Established in 2013, the Community Friends of Santa Barbara Scholarship Fund,… Read more »
It took Mariana De Leon a staggering eight years of meetings, filings, and legal maneuvering to obtain a Green Card. The experience helped ignite her passion for legal advocacy on behalf of immigrants. “There is clearly a dearth of competent lawyers to help bridge cultural, language, and other barriers that often hinder immigrants seeking permanent… Read more »
By his own account, education has been Diego Curiel’s salvation. Once a troubled teen who struggled mightily with addiction, today he is a computer engineering transfer student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, with plans to pursue graduate studies in electrical engineering. Support from the Scholarship Foundation helped bring about his remarkable transformation. “To me,… Read more »
The Scholarship Foundation has received a 2023 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (formerly GuideStar), a leading nonprofit information service. The Platinum Seal is Candid’s highest level of recognition, signifying exceptional openness in reporting institutional finances and performance. The Scholarship Foundation has now received five consecutive Platinum Seals. Nonprofit organizations achieve Platinum status by providing… Read more »
Melinda Cabrera, who as vice president of United Way of Santa Barbara County helped spearhead that organization’s robust response to the Covid-19 pandemic, has been named president and CEO of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. She will begin serving in her new role on August 14. “Melinda comes to us with an impressive record… Read more »
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara has received its 11th consecutive four-star rating from nonprofit evaluator Charity Navigator. The rating – Charity Navigator’s highest – indicates superior financial efficiency and transparency in Scholarship Foundation operations. The Foundation has now received 20 four-star ratings in 21 years. “We are truly in select company, as fewer than… Read more »
