Welcome to the University of California, San Diego Office of Foundation Relations

The primary role of the Office of Foundation Relations at UC San Diego is to manage and monitor the university’s relationships with private foundations to advance the university’s goals, priorities and its mission of teaching, research, and public service. The office works to align private foundation funding with campus priorities and promote funding opportunities among faculty and unit development officers. We strive to establish and maintain partnerships with our foundation funders through effective cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.

Goals and Objectives

Our goal is to increase the amount and relevance of foundation support to the UC San Diego community. The following services that we provide ensure that all contact with foundations is strategic and optimized:

• Align foundation funding to campus priorities
• Identify and research prospects
• Assist with proposal and letter of inquiry preparation and submission
• Monitor foundation trends and activities to aid in strategic development
• Help facilitate the coordination of site visits on campus and at the offices of foundation leadership

Policy Statement

The Office of Foundation Relations is the designated office responsible for coordinating proposals to all foundations on behalf of UC San Diego. This oversight ensures that requests to foundations are strategic and initiated appropriately. Prior to contacting a foundation, please make sure to notify the Office of Foundation Relations at 858-822-0582 or foundationrelations@ucsd.edu to ensure that your efforts are coordinated with other ongoing approaches by the university.

Partnerships

In addition to working with all units and development across campus, we work closely with the Office of Corporate Relations and the Office of Contracts and Grants Administration.

Terms and Definitions

• Private Foundation:
  A private foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports charitable activities in order to serve the common good. These foundations are often created with endowments—money given by individuals, families or corporations. They generally make grants/gifts or operate programs with the income earned from investing the endowments.
• Family Foundation:
  A family foundation is typically established and controlled by the members of a family as a vehicle for their personal philanthropy. Their gifts reflect the interests of family members, who often serve as officers or board members.