Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION OF SANTA BARBARA INSPIRES, ENCOURAGES AND SUPPORTS SANTA BARBARA COUNTY STUDENTS TO AND THROUGH COLLEGE, GRADUATE AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOL BY PROVIDING INFORMATION, ADVISING, AND SCHOLARSHIPS.
- Income
- $31.9 million
- Spending
- $10.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 9.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 56%
- Employees
- 22
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $260,635, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 68% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 226% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2529 of 29 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $8.1 million spent. THE SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION OF SANTA BARBARA HELPS SANTA BARBARA COUNTY STUDENTS ACCESS POSTSECONDARY AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID ADVISING. IT IS THE NATION'S LARGEST COMMUNITY-BASED PROVIDER OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS, HAVING CUMULATIVELY AWARDED IN EXCESS OF $167 MILLION TO OVER 64,000 STUDENTS THROUGHOUT SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1962. IN 2025, THE SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION AWARDED $7.7 MILLION TO 2,125 SANTA BARBARA COUNTY STUDENTS. SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UNDERGRADUATES STUDYING AT TWO-YEAR AND FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AVERAGED $3,500. SIXTY-ONE PERCENT OF THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENTS ARE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE. THE PRIMARY CRITERIA FOR AWARD SELECTION ARE DONOR INTENT, FINANCIAL NEED, POTENTIAL, AND MOTIVATION.
- $650,524 spent. THE SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION OF SANTA BARBARA SERVES MORE THAN 20,000 INDIVIDUALS EACH YEAR THROUGH FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOPS AND INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENTS. SPECIFICALLY, SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION PROGRAM ADVISORS ASSIST STUDENTS WITH SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS, HELP DECIPHER COMPLEX FEDERAL AND STATE FINANCIAL AID FORMS, AND EXPLAIN FINANCIAL AID AWARD LETTERS AND LOAN PROGRAMS, ALL FREE OF CHARGE. OFFICE FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS TAKE PLACE AT SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. FINANCIAL AID ADVISING APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES COUNTYWIDE. THE ORGANIZATION EMPLOYS FOUR FULL- TIME BILINGUAL PROGRAM ADVISORS. THANKS TO OUR PROGRAMS TEAM, SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION RECIPIENTS RECEIVE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL FEDERAL, STATE, AND INSTITUTIONAL AID EACH YEAR.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1964.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.