Foundation Relations & Corporate Philanthropy

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Keegan Houser

Foundation Relations & Corporate Philanthropy is the central resource for private foundations and corporate donors who seek assistance navigating research opportunities, programs, and communities at UCB.

We work to facilitate meaningful partnerships between UC Berkeley and philanthropic organizations to advance mutual goals that advance the university’s research and teaching mission and our overarching goal to create positive social impact.

Our expert team blends philanthropic and campus knowledge to foster strategic opportunities that enable institutional donors to support research, professorships, fellowships, scholarships, programs, space, equipment, and more across the university.

For Foundations

Connecting Foundations to leaders, researchers, and programs across campus.

For Corporations

Helping Corporations develop wide-ranging collaborations at UC Berkeley.

For Faculty & Staff

Assisting UCB Faculty & Staff through all stages of the funding process.

Current Funding Opportunities

This list is monitored and updated as more announcements are made.

A list of current and upcoming funding opportunities.

Meet the Rockstars Supporting Your Unit!

Gifts & Grants: Quick Facts

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1. What is a Gift?

In general, gifts are given with no expectation of anything tangible or intangible in return. Gifts are motivated by philanthropic intent, i.e., the donor intends to make the donation. UDAR is the only unit on campus who can accept and sign gifts on behalf of Berkeley. Read more about who can accept gifts.

2. What is a Grant?

Both gifts and grants may be given for specific research or operating support. However, grants often mandate a very detailed scope of work and time frame, and have expected outcomes.

Grants often also include a line-item budget that the campus must adhere to when spending funding, as well as detailed financial reporting back to the funder.

A funder may require that monies not expended during the timeline of the project, be returned to them.

Finally, a grant may specify that the funder...

3. How do I distinguish between a gift and a grant?

Gifts may be given for specific purposes, including research projects, but funding is given with the intent that the campus has broad flexibility to utilize it for said purpose. Grants, on the other hand, may be given for specific research or operating support, and are often outlined by a very detailed scope of work and time frame. Like gifts, grants benefit Berkeley by supporting activities that relate to the University’s mission of teaching, research and public service.

Visit the Gifts vs. Grants Eureka page ...

4. What is a Research Gift?

Research gifts are those directed to a specific research topic or project led and/or managed by a specific principal investigator (PI). While some fundraisers do certainly work on and solicit research gifts, many are brought in directly by faculty. A research gift may come about as the result of a faculty member being invited to submit a proposal to a funder, or even as a result of a faculty member giving a talk. Here is the link to the Research Gift Intake Form...

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