Judith Lesner Accessibility Fund

Mission To invest in disability justice, inclusion, and accessibility by supporting groups in exploring and expanding community event accessibility in the Central Coast region, including Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, and Ventura County.

Purpose The Judith Lesner Accessibility Fund (JLAF) is a donor-advised fund housed at The Fund for Santa Barbara that invests in disability justice, inclusion, and accessibility across the Central Coast region– spanning Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura Counties. Disabled people have historically been excluded from the very movement spaces committed to equity, and disability justice has too often gone underfunded within social change work. The JLAF exists to help change that, by directing resources toward accessibility so that disabled people are not just included but genuinely welcomed and centered in the community spaces that shape our region.

The Central Coast is home to a vibrant ecosystem of grassroots organizing, community events, and social change work, and the JLAF is an invitation to make that ecosystem more accessible for everyone. Stipends from this fund support organizations in asking: Who is missing from our spaces, and what would it take to truly welcome them? By resourcing that question together, we can build movements and communities across the Central Coast where disability justice is woven into how we organize, gather, and care for one another.

Eligibility

• Applicants must attend the Judith Lesner Accessibility Fund capacity building workshop (live or recorded session) 
• Applicant organizations must be operating in the Central Coast region, including Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, and/or Ventura County.
• Event eligible for accessibility funding must take place in the Central Coast region
• Online events must be hosted by Central Coast organizations; attendees and presenters can be from outside of the region 
• Must have a Tax ID Number or Employer Identification Number (EIN); or a tax-exempt fiscal sponsor
• No funding can be provided directly to individuals 
• Must have an organizational bank account; or use a fiscal sponsor’s

Objectives 

• The JLAF will be used to support organizations/groups engaging in event accessibility initiatives specifically designed to increase the inclusivity of disabled individuals at in-person community events. Considerations for stipends include: 
• Engagement with capacity building learning around disability justice and event accessibility
• In-person event accessibility for people with disabilities (for events located in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and/or Ventura County)
• Online event accessibility for people with disabilities (via Zoom or other remote conferencing options)

Process

Capacity Building Workshop Engagement

• Applicants must attend Judith Lesner Accessibility Fund workshop, either:
• Live Attendance: online workshop May 12, 2026 from 10-11am; or
• Asynchronously: watch workshop recording and complete quiz

Application Process

• Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, subject to attendance eligibility review and funding availability
• Organizations eligible for receiving a maximum of 2 stipends/year
• Must submit application a minimum of one month before scheduled event (emergency event stipends available, subject to review)
• Asynchronous materials are available on The Fund for Santa Barbara’s website
• Interested applicants should contact cb@fundforsantabarbara.org for questions and additional information

Financial Parameters

• Maximum Request: $1,500
• Stipends must be expended within 6 months
• Stipend disbursement through bill.com ACH transfer, or paper check

Contact

For questions, contact cb@fundforsantabarbara.org