News Release
June 22, 2011
Contact: Alixe Mattingly
805-963-1873 x 390
Social Venture Partners Santa Barbara Announces 2011 Investees with Check Presentation
Ceremony
Over $90,000 granted to environmental initiatives; time and talent of Partners valued at
four times monetary investment
June 22, 2011-- Signaling a bold commitment to next generation energy and environmental
issues, Social Venture Partners of Santa Barbara (SVPSB) announced their third investment
cycle at a press conference at the Santa Barbara Foundation.
By leveraging matching grants from both the Gildea Foundation and the Santa Barbara
Foundation, SVPSB has assembled an impressive funding package worth $93,000, in addition to
committing hundreds of hours of Partner consultation in various areas of expertise.
In their continued efforts to identify critical community needs, the SVPSB Partners have selected
energy and the environment as the focus for their 2011 giving cycle. Through grantmaking and
utilizing their intellectual capital, Partners seek sustainable permanent solutions with visible
outcomes that provide measurable change and betterment that lasts and transforms the
organizations they invest in.
“Protection of our environment is among Santa Barbara’s most important priorities and SVPSB
is committed to enhancing it on both the grassroots and the policy fronts,” said Gerry Flake,
chair of the Investment Committee of SVPSB.
“Expanding the reach of our two new investees – one with a deep commitment to educating our
kids about their role in the environment, and the other a clear leader in driving public policy on
the local, state and national level - will positively impact our community for years to come.
Santa Barbara County has been recognized by the United Nations as a unique environmental
resource area – one of very few left in this world - and we have chosen to back organizations that
will have far reaching impact on Santa Barbara County's energy policy and the education of
tomorrow’s generation in environmental issues.”
SVPSB today presented checks to the Community Environmental Council (granted
$56,200), and Art from Scrap (granted $36,800). Each of these grants will fund new
initiatives.
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The CEC is looking to increase the amount of solar technologies installed in Santa Barbara
county as solar energy is widely believed to be the most effective and efficient form of
alternative energy. The SVPSB grant will fund a major study on the use of solar energy in the
non-residential building sector and develop a business plan and policy recommendations for
countywide adoption. This will not only help to protect the environment by reducing
consumption of fossil fuels, but will also create economic benefits by supporting new green
industries.
"CEC is a small organization with a big mission - to move Santa Barbara County away from
fossil fuels in one generation. Community partnerships like this are absolutely essential to our
success,” said Dave Davis, CEC’s executive director. “This relationship with Social Venture
Partners not only provides financial support to our mission, it also infuses CEC with the energy
of several dozen community leaders and gives us access to their business acumen, legal advice,
and other specialized skills. SVPSB is an invaluable brain trust for us, and we're pleased to be
partnering with them."
“The Gildea Foundation is very pleased to join SVPSB and the Santa Barbara Foundation in
support of the Community Environmental Council’s work to move us toward ‘Fossil Free By
33,’” said Gildea Foundation Executive Director Naomi Schwartz. “Funding partnerships such
as these have great potential for expanding each of our individual resources for the betterment of
the entire community.”
Art From Scrap tackles the issue of environmental protection by increasing awareness with a key
group of change agents – our children. By teaching children that “everything is connected,” Art
From Scrap prepares them to make choices with the understanding of environmental impacts and
consequences. This type of educational programming is a fundamental part of ensuring that
future generations of adults will continue the efforts to protect and restore the environment. The
grant will help Art From Scrap implement strategic changes that will expand the high quality
environmental education programming they deliver to over 14,000 local children and adults each
year. The partnership with SVPSB will include developing a strategic plan that will expand their
outreach to a larger portion of the community while creating pathways to self sufficiency.
"We are excited that SVPSB's Partners will be assisting us with their expertise to more clearly
present to the community the diversity of Art From Scrap's environmental education message,”
said Cay Sanchez, executive director of Art from Scrap. “This grant and our relationship with
SVPSB will aid us in the expansion of our programming at the Watershed Resource Center, with
the Creek Kids Series of lessons, at the ReUse Store, and with our numerous Reduce, Reuse &
Recycle compost and gardening programs."
“We are pleased to provide support to Social Venture Partners Santa Barbara as a fund at the
Santa Barbara Foundation,” said Ron Gallo, president and CEO. “Social Venture Partners Santa
Barbara is an outstanding example of a new form of philanthropy and collective giving that
effectively matches entrepreneurial energy with community needs to make a positive difference
for our future.”
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About Social Venture Partners Santa Barbara
Social Venture Partners Santa Barbara is a young organization with plenty of clout. They have
already made seven significant investments, having gone from four founding members to a
network of 68 Partners in just three years. The Partners are all accomplished individuals who
combine the power of business with the passion of giving, building a dynamic connection
between entrepreneurial energy and grassroots innovation, to make a hands-on difference. The
investment process is rigorous and unique. Partners vote democratically on the investment focus
area, and lead the grantmaking process. This includes a metric based review of all Letters of
Interest, selection of grant finalists, assignment of a liaison partner to guide the grant applicants
through the grantmaking process, reference checks, and most importantly, a team of Partners
who work hands on with each investee organization. The time invested is valued at four times
the value of the grant made. Partners have a wide range of experience in charitable giving,
deciding together how to leverage their pool of expertise and money to support collaborative
solutions to social challenges. SVPSB is a field of interest fund of the Santa Barbara Foundation
and was officially chartered in October 2008.
For additional information:
Social Venture Partners of Santa Barbara: www.svpsb.org
The Community Environmental Council: www.cecsb.org
Art from Scrap: www.artfromscrap.org
Santa Barbara Foundation: www.sbfoundation.org
The Gildea Foundation:
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