Restoration Endowment Fund Grant Guidelines

Overview of FFI’s Restoration Endowment Fund (REF)

The Restoration Endowment Fund provides support for habitat restoration activities at the San Marcos Foothills Preserve, in Santa Barbara County, with an emphasis on the West Mesa’s 101 acres. The REF is intended to provide additional support for the Foothills where there are gaps in government and foundation support. Funding will be allocated by the FFI Board of Directors, based on the spending policies in the Santa Barbara Foundation / REF Agency Endowment Fund Agreement and these Grant Guidelines.

Alignment with County of Santa Barbara Annual Work Plan

FFI will only fund projects approved on the County of Santa Barbara’s Annual Work Plan for the San Marcos Foothills Preserve. An annual request for proposals (RFP) will be published for land management and research activities on the Preserve to be reviewed by the San Marcos Foothills Scientific & Cultural Advisory Council (SMFSCAC). The SMFSCAC will make recommendations to the Santa Barbara County Community Services Department – Parks Division as to which activities should be approved for each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Projects approved by the County may be eligible for funding from FFI’s Restoration Endowment Fund. The information applicants provide in the County RFP will be reviewed by FFI in lieu of a separate grant application. Learn more about the County RFP process.

Grant Guidelines and Priority Areas

The Foothills Forever, Inc. believes that in addition to preservation, stewardship of the land at the San Marcos Foothills is vital. The Restoration Endowment Fund will provide important financial resources that run with the land to ensure its active care and restoration.

The exclusive goals of the Restoration Endowment Fund are to provide funding for projects that take place either 1) on the West Mesa, or, 2) in the event these lands are permanently protected as open space, on the adjacent 200 acres that provide direct habitat value to the West Mesa.

Projects must also meet one or more of these priority areas:

• Restore and establish native plants to combat climate change and enhance vital wildlife habitat;
• Enhance the Preserve as a public open space for passive recreation and environmental education for youth and adults while protecting its ecological function;
• Maintain the Preserve as a critical wildfire buffer for Santa Barbara;
• Plant and/or maintain a Chumash ethnobotanical garden and related projects;
• Provide opportunities for research on biodiversity, sequestration of carbon, and other subjects relevant to preservation;
• Ensure stabilization or enhancement of biological and natural resources, and/or mitigate invasive plants, when altered by storms or other environmental or human-made conditions;
• Develop and implement hands-on volunteer projects to aid restoration and provide training in restoration methodologies.

Projects should also:

• Connect and share outcomes of projects with an array of community groups on fire, biodiversity, climate change, and community engagement in land preservation and other projects;
• Share technical data with other interested and qualified researchers and Project Applicants.

Eligibility and Grant Types

Single or multi-year grants of a variety of amounts up to $40,000 will be considered in an annual funding cycle, although it should be noted that total annual grantmaking may fluctuate. Funding may be available in between cycles for unforeseen/urgent needs. Projects with other (or matching) funding sources are encouraged.

Applicants are not required to be recognized as a 501(c)(3) exempt organization, but if they are not, projects must fall within FFI’s mission and exempt purposes, as described above.

Grant Reports

Semi-annual updates and a final report are due after funding is received, and should include project outcomes, a final budget, and photographs, and/or a site tour.

Funding Timeline

FFI’s annual grant cycle is coordinated with the timeline of the County of Santa Barbara Annual Work Plan approval process. To streamline the funding process, the information that applicants provide in the RFP will be used by FFI in lieu of a separate grant application.

Note: there can be annual variability in this timeline. Learn more about the County RFP timeline for the current year.

Fall

RFP is published and promoted by the County
RFPs due – project proposals submitted to the County to be considered for the Annual Work Plan for the San Marcos Foothills Preserve.

Winter

FFI receives a list of County approved projects, which may be eligible for FFI funding. Eligible projects are not guaranteed funding.

Spring

County approved projects will be reviewed by the FFI board, and grants will be awarded based on funding priorities.
Note: FFI may ask the applicants to consider one or more additional questions or tasks once the proposal has been selected by FFI for funding. Opportunities to maximize the outcomes of the funded work are of interest to all.
July 1 – June 30: Projects need to begin within this time period

Questions?

For questions related to FFI’s grant program, please email info@foothillsforever.org

For questions about submitting projects for the County of Santa Barbara’s Annual Work Plan for the San Marcos Foothills Preserve, please contact SanMarcosFoothillsInfo@countyofsb.org
Learn more about the County RFP process and timeline.