Before You Apply
The James S. Bower Foundation is results-oriented. We value integrity, candor, and honesty. We are looking to fund projects that leverage local efforts to influence global change. We are looking for catalysts.
A strong grant relationship requires a good fit between the interests of both parties. A majority of declinations result from poor fit, not because an organization or project is unimportant. Consequently, we strongly encourage you to carefully read this section and our program descriptions. If, after you have done so, you still have questions about our interests send us an email or give us a call before you apply. We are happy to take the time to talk through one or more project concepts and the best time to have this conversation is either very early in the grant cycle or in between grant cycles. The better we can assess fit before you apply, the more time and effort we both can save.
With very few exceptions, our grant making area is the Santa Barbara South Coast, between Rincon Point and Point Conception, the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Channel Islands. We fund public 501(c)3 non-profit organizations in good standing and we adhere to all applicable laws regarding grant making for private foundations.
We may fund specific projects housed within another organization if the management and financial roles and responsibilities are clear. We may review more than one proposal per group as long as the proposals are well researched and within our guidelines. We may fund more than one project per group at any given time when there is good reason to do so.
We will have one funding cycle in 2024, and will accept initial proposals through our website from June 1, 2024 until June 30, 2024.