Community-led Wellness Dashboard Launches in Santa Barbara County

New online platform provides comprehensive view of key wellbeing indicators across the region.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Santa Barbara County Community Wellbeing Dashboard has launched, providing residents, organizations, and policymakers with a comprehensive view of community wellbeing across the county. Sponsored by the Santa Barbara Foundation and facilitated by LegacyWorks, the new community-led, online platform features data and resources focused on areas like housing, economic security, healthcare, and food security.

Why it matters

The dashboard aims to equip the Santa Barbara community with accessible, timely data to understand progress, identify challenges, and make informed decisions to improve overall wellbeing. By bringing together over 90 partners from across sectors, the project reflects a collaborative, community-driven approach to addressing key issues.

The details

The initial focus areas of the dashboard include housing and economic security, with plans to expand in 2026 to include healthcare, behavioral health, and food security. The dashboard is designed to connect existing data sources and elevate shared priorities identified by the participating partners. LegacyWorks, a local nonprofit consultancy, is facilitating the project and ensuring the dashboard reflects real community experiences and needs.

  • The Santa Barbara County Community Wellbeing Dashboard launched on March 8, 2026.
  • The dashboard will expand in 2026 to include additional focus areas like healthcare, behavioral health, and food security.

The players

Santa Barbara Foundation

The organization that sponsored and supported the creation of the community wellbeing dashboard.

LegacyWorks

A nonprofit consultancy based in Santa Barbara that is facilitating the dashboard project and ensuring it reflects community priorities.

Natalie Orfalea Foundation

A foundation that has joined the effort, providing sponsorship for the healthcare and behavioral health focus areas of the dashboard.

Schiele Family Foundation

A foundation that has joined the effort, providing sponsorship for the food security focus area of the dashboard.

Steve DeLira

The director of Family Youth Services at CommUnify, a lifelong resident of Santa Barbara County and public servant for nearly four decades, who sees the dashboard as a tool that honors the community's diversity, shared values, and commitment to supporting all families and young people.

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What they’re saying

“We are so proud to have sponsored and supported the creation of the first two focus areas for the Dashboard. We are confident it will give our community a clear picture of what's working, where needs are greatest, and where we can have the most impact. We expect the dashboard to help guide smarter decisions, stronger partnerships, and strategic investments across the county.”

— Jackie Carrera, President & CEO of the Santa Barbara Foundation

“This dashboard is more than data; it reflects the collective effort, care, and accountability of people who are deeply invested in Santa Barbara County. As a lifelong resident and a public servant for nearly four decades, I see this as a tool that honors our diversity, shared values and commitment to ensuring every family and young person is seen and supported”

— Steve DeLira, Director, Family Youth Services at CommUnify

“The real value of this work lies in the process that brings people together to decide, collectively, what wellbeing looks like for Santa Barbara County. Together, we're building something much deeper than a data tool; we're building the relationships and shared understanding that make community-led actions to improve community wellbeing possible.”

— Michelle Heaton, PhD, Vice President of Consulting, LegacyWorks

What’s next

The dashboard will expand in 2026 to include focus areas for healthcare, behavioral health, and food security, reflecting priorities identified by contributing community partners.

The takeaway

The Santa Barbara County Community Wellbeing Dashboard represents a collaborative, community-driven approach to addressing key issues and improving overall wellbeing in the region. By bringing together diverse stakeholders and providing accessible data, the dashboard aims to guide smarter decisions, stronger partnerships, and strategic investments to support the entire Santa Barbara community.