History of Ann Jackson Family Foundation

The Ann Jackson Family Foundation was established in 1978 with an initial gift from Ann Gavit Jackson (Mrs. Charles H. Jackson Jr.) Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were married in Santa Barbara in 1927 and lived in the house that they built in 1930 on East Valley Road in Montecito until their deaths (his in 1978, hers in 1990). 

The Jacksons were very involved in a variety of pursuits in Santa Barbara, including ranching (the Alisal Guest Ranch) horse breeding and racing and other local real estate investments. Hand in hand with their business and social interests, the Jacksons were committed to philanthropy for the betterment of Santa Barbara throughout their lives. Because of their love for Santa Barbara, the Foundation was established to continue their philanthropic commitment after their deaths. 

Since its inception, the Foundation has invested in a wide range of non-profit organizations in the areas of Health and Human Services, The Arts, Civic and Community Infrastructure and Education, focusing primarily on Southern Santa Barbara County. 

Despite making over 100 grants per year, the Foundation has no paid staff and relies on the volunteered time by those family members (trustees) who review  proposals. As a result, our turnaround time for proposal evaluation may be somewhat longer than other foundations, depending on the volume of requests.