Cancer Foundation Awards $65,000 in Local Grants
The grants support oral healthcare and hospice patient care for cancer patients in Santa Barbara County.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Cancer
The Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara awarded $65,000 in grants to two Santa Barbara County organizations. Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics received $40,000 for oral healthcare for cancer patients, and Hospice of Santa Barbara received $25,000 for its Patient Care Services program.
Why it matters
Chemotherapy, radiation, medications, and treatment-related changes can raise cancer patients' risk of tooth decay, mouth sores, and infection, and some must resolve dental problems before starting treatment. Support for these services helps patients in Santa Barbara access care they might otherwise go without.
The figures come from the foundation's grant awards and the two organizations' service counts, including 38 dental patients this year and 181 hospice patients in the first half of 2026. The source does not report how the grant funds will change those totals going forward.
The players
Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara
A local nonprofit that funds cancer-related services for residents of Santa Barbara County.
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
A community health provider in Santa Barbara County that operates a dental clinic serving cancer patients.
Hospice of Santa Barbara
A hospice provider in Santa Barbara County whose Patient Care Services program serves patients with serious illness.
The details
The Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara has awarded grants to Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics since 2016, and this year marks its first award supporting oral healthcare. Hospice of Santa Barbara's grant funds a full-time care manager position within its Patient Care Services program.
Timeline
- First six months of 2026: Hospice Patient Care Services served 181 cancer patients.
- 2016: The Cancer Foundation began awarding grants to Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.
- This year (2026): The Cancer Foundation made its first oral healthcare grant, and 38 patients were served by the dental clinic.
Local Care Network
The Cancer Foundation's 2016 grants to Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics set the pattern for its ongoing support of local providers, and this year's first oral healthcare award adds a new service to that relationship. Together with its continuing grant to Hospice of Santa Barbara, the awards extend the foundation's role in funding support care across the county.
Patients can connect with the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics dental clinic through its website or a doctor referral. Patients can be referred to the Hospice of Santa Barbara program by medical providers, physicians, social workers, or patient navigators, or contact a care manager directly through its website.
The takeaway
Cancer treatment can affect oral health, so dental care is part of cancer care for many patients. Patients who need dental services or hospice support can ask their medical team about referrals to local providers.
Further reading
For more on local cancer care options, see Cancer coverage across the region.
