Nominations Open as the Search Begins for Santa Barbara’s 83rd Person of the Year

The Santa Barbara Foundation has opened nominations for the Person of the Year Awards. 

Now in its 83rd year, the award recognizes an outstanding person, couple, or family for their extraordinary service in the Santa Barbara region, Santa Barbara Foundation announced on Instagram.

Formerly known as Man & Woman of the Year, the Person of the Year aims to inspire philanthropy and volunteer service and celebrate outstanding service, according to the Santa Barbara Foundation.

The nominated individual, couple, or family should have demonstrated outstanding civic and charitable work in the community through direct service or financial support. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Candidates will be selected based on their volunteer service that represents a meaningful contribution to the community, addresses real community needs, improves the quality of life in the area, or includes acts of generosity, kindness, or innovation, with a focus on recent accomplishments and achievements. 

The act of service and philanthropy should exceed the scope of professional duties. 

Nominations will be accepted through February 18, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. 

Organizations or community members can submit nominations. 

Each year, up to two awardees can be selected, who are chosen by a committee comprising former recipients, with input from nonprofit leaders. 

Recipients will be informed in March 2026 and honored at the 83rd Person of the Year luncheon on April 29, 2026, at the Santa Barbara Hilton Beachfront Rotunda.

In 2025, George Burtness and Carrie Towbes were honored as the 82nd Persons of the Year. 

Burtness is recognized for his generous contributions to local health care. He pledged $1 million to the Reaching  Higher Together Campaign to create the George L. Burtness Endowment in Nursing Education at Cottage Health.

A special education teacher and licensed psychologist, Towbes is an advocate for youth mental health. She serves as the president of The Towbes Foundation, which is dedicated to strengthening communities in Santa Barbara by partnering with local nonprofits and has distributed more than $25 million to over 400 organizations across the county. 

About the Santa Barbara Foundation

Founded in 1928, the Santa Barbara Foundation has dedicated itself to improve the quality of life in Santa Barbara County through philanthropic advising, inclusive collaboration, strategic grantmaking, and strengthening the regional nonprofits. 

The Foundation mobilizes the county’s best resources and brings people together to address the communities’ most pressing needs. 

In 2021, the Foundation invested $37 million in more than 2,700 grants in partnership with donors.

Earlier this year, the Carpinteria Children’s Project was awarded a grant through the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Critical Needs Response Fund. The fund was recently created to support nonprofits delivering essential services. The grant will be utilized by Carpinteria Children’s Project to hire a part-time volunteer coordinator to identify community needs and accordingly direct services and volunteers.