Cultivating Innovation: UC Davis Raises $36M to Seed a Future of Bold Discoveries

UC Davis is proud to announce a significant milestone in its long and storied history with the successful raise of $36,000,000 in new funding. Founded in 1908 to serve the state of California, UC Davis has grown from humble beginnings into one of the world’s top universities—a beacon of innovation, public service, and academic excellence. The generous funds will be strategically invested to enhance research initiatives, expand academic programs, and further solidify our commitment to community engagement and cutting-edge patient care. As the second-largest employer in the region, our campuses in Davis and Sacramento not only house an incredible community of over 24,000 dedicated employees but also support more than 40,000 students, including undergraduates, graduate candidates, and professional trainees. This funding will bolster our ongoing efforts in fostering collaborative research environments, enabling faculty to spearhead projects that address some of the most challenging global issues. It will also empower our students to engage in interdisciplinary studies across more than 100 majors and six world-class professional schools, where creativity and collaboration drive transformative solutions. By investing in new state-of-the-art facilities and innovative teaching methods, UC Davis is poised to continue its legacy of turning big ideas into real solutions that benefit both the local community and the world at large. Our robust research portfolio, enhanced by over $1 billion in existing funding, is set to expand further, fueling breakthroughs in agricultural sciences, engineering, medicine, and more. This landmark funding round exemplifies our enduring commitment to excellence in education, research, and service—ensuring that the pioneering spirit of UC Davis continues to thrive for generations to come.