The Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation has opened its High School Band Fund, an initiative under the foundation’s Outreach Program designed to support and sustain instrumental music programs in local high schools.

The fund will provide grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 for high school music programs throughout Santa Barbara County. The grants aim to ensure students have access to high-quality in-school music education and performance opportunities, regardless of financial barriers, the foundation said.

The program will support essential needs, including student scholarships; uniforms and
instruments; sheet music and classroom materials; supplemental instructors; performance travel; program expansion; and classroom technology.

The application period runs Feb. 10-27. Approved grants may be used between August 2026 and May 2027. Eligibility is limited to high school music programs within Santa Barbara County.

Interested programs can apply online at sbbowl.com/apply. Email questions to Lyndsay Cooke, Outreach Program manager, lyndsay@sbbowl.com, or visit Outreach at sbbowl.com for additional details.

“Music education is a cornerstone of cultural enrichment and personal growth,” said Cooke. “Through the High School Band Fund, we’re investing in the future of our students and ensuring that every young musician has the tools and opportunities to thrive.

“This is a cornerstone of the bowl’s strategic vision and gives students the chance to shine.”

For some two decades, the Santa Barbara Bowl’s Outreach Program has provided support and resources for the performing arts to K-12 students throughout Santa Barbara County.

In 2025, the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation awarded $151,798 through its Milestone Instrument Fund; established the High School Band Fund; distributed 650 CTS tickets, and provided 116 grants totaling $399,875 during the spring and fall cycles.