Santa Clara University

Santa Clara's enduring partnerships with private and corporate foundations drive continued program innovations and opportunities for students and faculty. By working with foundations of all sizes, we forge vital connections with community and industry leaders who value Santa Clara's educational heritage and commitment to meet the challenges of the 21st century. We also collaborate to enhance the Silicon Valley region through direct service projects in K-12 education, neighborhood development, environmental awareness, and small business creation.

Partnerships That Work

Our current portfolio of foundation partnerships represents a range of disciplines, cultural values, and gift formats. Such diversity lends a richness and vitality to the SCU experience, providing members of the University community with opportunities to apply and build upon classroom learning. Here are just a few examples of current foundation-supported projects, faculty chairs, and scholar programs: 

• Fletcher Jones Professor of Chemistry: A generous grant from The Fletcher Jones Foundation brought Patrick Hoggard, Ph.D. to SCU from North Dakota State University.  Already a full professor, his NSF-funded projects provide opportunities for undergraduate students to conduct in-depth, graduate-level research.
• ALZA Corporation Science Scholarship Endowment: A $500,000 corporate gift funds annual awards to talented SCU students planning to pursue careers in biology, chemistry, the pharmaceutical industry, or medicine. It is an especially valuable resource for underserved students who rely on financial aid to cover tuition costs.
• Learning Commons and Library: A longtime supporter of anchor institutions in the Bay Area, the Koret Foundation funded a generous grant to build Santa Clara's new state-of-the-art library facility.  As a result, the University is attracting a larger and more competitive applicant pool, bringing talented students here to Silicon Valley.
• Bronco Urban Gardens (BUG) Project: After supporting SCU's successful entry in the national Solar Decathlon competition, the Michael Lee Environmental Foundation awarded grant funding to start a new teaching garden adjacent to our campus. The site now hosts a thriving outreach program in conjunction with AmeriCorps that impacts the lives of children and families in underserved San Jose schools and neighborhoods.

Immediate Needs and Addressing Future Challenges

We are happy to work with your foundation to design a giving program that meets the objectives of your donor-advised fund or foundation guidelines. Santa Clara also maintains a dedicated Sponsored Projects Office to manage active grants with intensive financial reporting requirements or detailed intellectual property provisions. We welcome foundation inquiries and campus visits, and invite you to contact us for more information on foundation funding opportunities that can make a difference for SCU students and faculty.

Contact Us

Please contact us for more information about private foundations, family foundations, and assisting in our key funding efforts.