Our Mission

The Santa Barbara County Action Network (SB CAN) works to promote social and economic justice, to preserve our environmental and agricultural resources, and to create sustainable communities. SB CAN advocates a holistic approach to community planning that integrates housing, open space, and transportation to meet the needs of all members of our community and future generations.

SB CAN advocates for the passage of progressive policies, educates and organizes the public, and actively works to elect leaders who will promote progressive public policies in office. SB CAN works in cooperation with a broad range of progressive activists and organizations to ensure that all members of our community share a voice in our future.

Our Structure

SB CAN is a membership-based organization that draws its strength from the active participation and support of people throughout the county who share our mission.  We hold annual membership meetings to elect our board members who represent various regions across the county and a wide range of environmental and social justice interests. Our staff consists of two full-time directors with roots in both the northern and southern parts of the county.  SB CAN uses its organizational strength to advocate for progressive policies that are generated from within and by its allied organizations and enables efficient communication and coordination between local progressive groups.  We are active participants in a wide range of environmental and social justice coalitions across the county, including the Naples Coalition, Coalition for a Fair and Balanced Measure A, and the Santa Maria Community Coalition.

SB CAN is a 501(c) (4) nonprofit.  Because our work includes advocating for new laws and policies, and allows us to endorse and support progressive candidates for public office, contributions to SB CAN are not tax deductible.

Our History

In 2001, a group of community activists and leaders came together to discuss the future of Santa Barbara County. This group came to the consensus that although there were numerous local organizations and activists working on a wide range of progressive causes, our efforts were often fragmented, and sometimes working at cross purposes. There was a clear need for a countywide organization that could bridge the gap between environmental and social justice issues, and help progressives find a united vision for the future of Santa Barbara County. In January of 2002, SB CAN was the organization created to serve this purpose.  Since our inception, many of our board members have been elected to public Office, including State Assemblyman Pedro Nava, 1st District County Supervisor Salud Carbajal, Santa Barbara City Council members, Helene Schneider and Das Williams, and Santa Maria City Council member, Hilda Zacarias.

Our Board of Directors