Our Grant-Making Process
Twice a year, through a competitive grant-making process, the Orfalea Foundations review eligible applications for funding and issue grant awards. Please read our Before You Apply section to determine if your nonprofit agency is qualified to apply.
Our grant cycles begin with a Letter of Inquiry screening process, continue with an online grant application process, and end with a Board of Directors review meeting that determines, by majority vote, the final dollar amount and terms of each award. The process is designed to objectively and efficiently review the merits of every proposal we receive on the basis of our stated focus areas, goals, and available funds.
In addition, a large part of Orfalea Foundations grant-making is carried out through partnerships with organizations which share our passion and vision for initiatives that positively impact our community. Our recent collaboration with the Santa Barbara Foundation, detailed below, is an excellent example of such a partnership.
Collaboration With the Santa Barbara Foundation
Recently, the Orfalea Fund made a significant contribution to the Santa Barbara Foundation’s competitive capital and program grant-making, and scholarships for early care, after school programs, camps and sports programs. Read the announcement here.
As a result, many Santa Barbara County nonprofit organizations will now apply directly to the Santa Barbara Foundation, not the Orfalea Foundations, to be considered for grants in 2007.
This new collaboration will produce a greater return per philanthropic dollar and reduce work for agencies that have sought support from both foundations. In the past, there has been overlap in grant-making between the Santa Barbara Foundation and the Orfalea Foundations, and it is our desire to streamline administration and paperwork for all involved.
Please click here to read more about this new collaboration with the Santa Barbara Foundation and how it may affect your organization's eligibility to seek support from the Orfalea Foundations.
Partner Links
The Orfalea Foundations maintain partnerships and contribute funding to the grant-making efforts of several local and national organizations. These agencies, all of which significantly overlap with our funding priorities, help us contribute more efficiently and effectively to their specialized areas of focus.
Please follow the links below to learn more about our funding partnerships:
Village Properties Teacher's Fund