Later Years Funding Strategies:
    Finding compassion in dying
    and joy and success in life

    How can we view death with compassion, respect, and dignity, and comprehend it as a natural part of life?  How can the anticipation of death be transformed so our seniors, and all of us, can live richer and more meaningful lives? What are the conditions necessary for successful aging and compassionate dying?

    In our fast-changing society, increasingly focused on youth culture, the unique challenges presented in the dying process are often overwhelming for the dying, their families, friends and the larger community. We have largely become a culture that pushes death to the background, which has ramifications in our health care system and in our daily lives. 

    In 2010, 2011 and 2012 we will primarily be supporting projects that improve end of life care in Santa Barbara.  We are most interested in efforts that serve to improve the quality and continuity of palliative care, and those that address the cultural perspective on death and dying in our community so that the death process can be less frightening to the dying and their loved ones. 

    On a community level, we are interested in change that:

    1.   Reduces the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social pain & suffering in the face of death.

    2.   Increases the number of people who experience an enhanced state of well being at the end of life (this might be characterized as a state of peace, spiritual enlightenment, or simply an acceptance of one's pending death).

    3.   Increases the sense of self-determination and choice over how one dies.

    4.   Promotes greater success of families after the loss of a loved one.

    5.   Reduces unnecessary or unwanted medical intervention at end of life.

    6.   Reduces fear and anxiety related to the dying process and reduced death anxiety or terror of death itself.

    We recognize that these changes can be difficult to measure.  We also understand that it can be challenging to attribute change in one or measure to a specific program or intervention.  We ask applicants to give it their best shot, and through data and storytelling, provide a compelling narrative for the impact of their work.  We will look to fund organizations that are committed to these goals over the long term.  (Please see Evaluation page)

    Our funding has three core strategies: