The Giving List Santa Barbara, 2023/24 Edition

Montecito Journal Media Group launched The Giving List back in November of 2020 as a way to connect two very important communities in the region: the thousands of nonprofit organizations, totally perhaps more per capita than any other county in the country, and the vast and deep philanthropic community, which supports the organizations working hard to resolve the challenges facing our people, its culture, and the environment.

The Giving List book was born from our belief that storytelling isn’t just for moviemakers and singer-songwriters. Sharing compelling stories is what has connected us as human beings throughout time, and it’s much the same for powerful narratives about how nonprofits are tackling issues confronting our community.

The book is organized into categories or sectors, the better to streamline connections between potential donors and the nonprofits to make sure philanthropists are putting their dollars towards issues they most care about. We’re continuously updating The Giving List book.

Over the years we’ve made some refinements, and the 2023/24 book now features just 42 organizations, streamlined to give potential donors a more focused approach and maximize the impact for the nonprofits.

But there’s no shortage of the areas they cover. While the category titles have changed slightly, you’ll find nonprofits addressing issues in the areas of Advocacy, Animals, Children, Community Resilience, Community Treasures, Education, Environment, Family Well-Being, Foster Care, Global Reach, Health, Homelessness & Housing, Human Rights, Public Square, Social Justice, and The Arts.

The 2023/24 book might be our most balanced yet. There are a number of nonprofits who have been featured all four years, including AHA!, Community Environmental Council, National Search Dog Foundation, SBCC Foundation, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, to name just a few. They’re profiled alongside newcomers such as Elings Park, Friends of VADA, the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, Wayfinder Family Services, and California Missions Foundation.

There’s a huge variation in size, everything from the massive Santa Barbara Foundation to the three-person RiteCare Childhood Language Center. On a similar spectrum in scope, from organizations that focus on a single Santa Barbara-facing issue such as Hillside, to those with national or even international scope like Direct Relief. What they all have in common is a devotion and dedication to making a difference.

Cognizant of the fact that donations are often made at least partially for tax abatement, we time the publication of the new Giving List book for the end of the year, putting out the glossy bound book to reach philanthropists and their partners before Giving Tuesday, which this year falls on November 28. But as the author of this weekly column in the weekly Montecito Journal since its inception in January 2021, I am acutely aware that in Santa Barbara, every day is Giving Day, as our donors don’t stop supporting the organizations doing vital work when the calendar flips to a new year.

What this column does each week is spotlight one of the organizations that is a part of the current year’s book, offering a more in-depth discussion of their work, updates on their priorities or needs, and/or details about fundraising events or new opportunities. After penning 150 of these columns, I remain grateful for the opportunity to get a glimpse into the inner world, mission, and services offered by the organization. It’s not at all rare for me to get a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye at success stories, or feel the heat of anger at injustice, or the energy of inspiration.

If there’s one constant I’ve nearly invariably heard from executive directors and development personnel is that more support is needed. While the book is directed at the community’s more deep-pocketed philanthropists, there’s truth in the cliché that it takes a village and that every dollar counts. Whether you’re wanting to place new-found millions from an inheritance or windfall, or you find yourself with a few extra dollars every once in a while, there’s a place for your generosity, whatever the amount might be. Don’t think that your donation won’t have an impact, even if all you can afford is time, as nearly every nonprofit has a need for volunteers.

So pick up a Giving List book at your front door, at select local newsstands, or at our offices on Coast Village Circle. Read through it to see which nonprofits fit your charitable desires and goals or visit www.thegivinglist.com. Find out more on each organization’s website, or give them a ring. And get ready to make a difference in our own community, on Giving Tuesday and beyond. 

Be sure to check this space each week, too, for the latest on our Giving List partners.