SAFE FAQ

The Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation Santa Barbara County (SAFE SBC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to support efforts to eradicate human trafficking and exploitation in Santa Barbara County by igniting awareness and educating individuals, organizations, educational institutions and businesses. We champion strategically informed initiatives and develop educational tools that empower communities to recognize, prevent, and respond to exploitation—while also supporting survivors as they rebuild their lives and reclaim their freedom.

Our alliance of partner agencies are dedicated to the countywide movement to reduce both sex and labor trafficking in the County and supporting the achievement of the SB County Human Trafficking Task Force’s Strategic Plan goals.

SAFE SB County is the first of its kind in California, and it is modeled after several others, the first of which was developed in Washington State. Read more about them here: https://safeinwashington.com/.

Criteria for Alliance Partners to receive funding:

• Sustainable: organizations that already have a solid base of support and do not rely on SAFE SBC alone for programmatic funding, and who possess a strategic vision and commitment to the long-term work of reducing trafficking in SB County.

• Collaborative: organizations that are committed to the broader anti-trafficking movement in SB County and experienced in working with others in achieving common goals.

• Trustworthy: organizations with a proven track record of managing their financial resources and sound administrative oversight internally.

Alliance Partnership is not a guarantee of receiving funding from SAFE SB County.

The Human Trafficking Task Force contracted with Kingdom Causes, Inc. (KCI) to convene a Leadership Team of 29 countywide partners working in the County’s anti-trafficking movement. This group came together in 2023 and, over several months, participated in a SWOT analysis, evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the County’s Human Trafficking Task Force and the systems connected to it. Out of this careful, collaborative analysis came the three priority areas reflected in the 3-year Strategic Plan. Through input from the HTTF Leadership Team, key members of the Human Trafficking Task Force, and the SAFE SBC Advisory Council, the funding priorities for the year were selected based on the Strategic Plan goals for the year.

Once the funding priorities are set, all countywide service provider partners are notified of a request for proposals (RFP). The RFP is an invitation to apply for funding if the partner is working on any of the critical funding priorities in the strategy, and they have one month to apply.

Once the applications have closed, the Executive Committee of the Advisory Board meets to review the proposals, and results are communicated back to those who applied for funding. Once funding decisions are made, the strategy becomes final for the year and is shared with all the SAFE SBC partners and Human Trafficking Task Force. The countywide service provider partners are notified that they received a grant, and then receive funding to begin or continue work on their project.

Service provider partners who receive grants have quarterly and annual reporting requirements. SAFE SBC uses those reports to keep our investors up to date on the impact of their funds, and these reports provide data and insight on emergent needs and gaps in our countywide efforts.

There are a variety of different partners connected to the Task Force in some way, and this organizational chart is helpful for understanding how they all interrelate: SAFE and the HTTF Strategic Plan.pdf.