Key takeaways
- During the 2022–23 academic and fiscal year, donors gave $692 million in new gifts and pledges.
- Gifts came from donors in all 50 U.S. states and 60 additional countries.
- The funding provides essential support for students, faculty, research and more — creating an impact that stretches far beyond campus.
UCLA received $692 million in new gifts and pledges in the fiscal year ending June 30, representing the largest annual tally of philanthropic support since the close of the Centennial Campaign.
Donors from all 50 U.S. states and 60 additional countries contributed more than 70,000 gifts, 94% of which were less than $10,000. Gifts of $1 million or more numbered 101, and of those, 19 totaled $5 million or more. Alumni accounted for 50% of individual donors.
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block expressed gratitude to all who gave.
“Throughout my tenure, I have been gratified to see how our mission as a public university inspires donors to contribute gifts of all sizes,” Block said. “Their support of our outstanding teaching, world-class research, top-quality health care, excellence in athletics and dynamic campus culture allows us to better serve Los Angeles, California and the world.”
Making higher education more affordable
UCLA attracts talented students from every economic background, and philanthropy significantly benefits those with financial need.
Donors contributed more than $80.5 million toward student support in 2023–23, $71 million of which provided direct financial aid to undergraduate and graduate students. Especially notable was the launch of the UCLA Affordability Initiative to create new scholarships that reduce or eliminate the need for undergraduates to take on student loans. Alumnus Peter Merlone contributed a $15 million lead gift to the effort.
UCLA Associate Vice Chancellor for Development Laura Lavado Parker said that thanks to the generosity of donors, undergraduate and graduate students see UCLA as a place where they can follow their passions and fulfill their potential.
“Philanthropy is essential in turning their aspirations into reality,” she said. “The benefits of giving extend well beyond just one individual. Scholarship support can make a life-changing difference to students, families and whole communities.”
Fueling the pursuit of knowledge
Donors to UCLA also invested in faculty and research.
Andrea and Donald Goodman joined UCLA alumni Renee and Meyer Luskin in donating $20 million to establish a research center focused on the human microbiome and its effect on health. And a gift from alumnus Hollis Lenderking supported a new postdoctoral position at the Climate and Wildfire Initiative at UCLA.
Additional gifts funded 16 new endowed chairs in the UCLA College, the Anderson School of Management, the Samueli School of Engineering, the School of Dentistry, the David Geffen School of Medicine and the Herb Alpert School of Music.
At Anderson, a donation from alumna Susan Wojcicki endowed a chair in the field of data science and innovation. A gift from another alumna, Beth Friedman, and her husband, Joshua Friedman, led to the establishment of a chair in the Geffen School of Medicine’s department of obstetrics and gynecology to advance research in the field of women’s genetics; the Friedmans’ gift also funded an annual faculty award and supported UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and the Center for East–West Medicine at UCLA.
Enhancing our campus, extending our reach
The impact of philanthropy in 2022–23 was felt throughout campus and in the broader community.
Nearly 1,900 donors made more than 2,700 investments to support Black life, teaching and research at UCLA.
In addition, professors emeriti Sherie and Donald Morrison’s planned gift of $15.4 million will have a wide-ranging impact on campus, from the UCLA College and UCLA Anderson to UCLA Athletics and the Faculty Club.
With gifts approaching $26 million, support for Bruin athletics grew for the third consecutive year. The UCLA Athletics Day of Giving, which brought in 3,752 donations totaling more than $702,000, was the most successful online crowdfunding campaign of 2022–23, while the Wooden Athletic Fund had its best year ever, raising more than $17.4 million.
The Hammer Museum at UCLA named a gallery in recognition of a pledge by alumnus Darren Star, and the UCLA School of Law received essential support from alumni, including a $50,000 five-year pledge, to be used wherever it is needed most, from Gerald Gordon to commemorate his 50th class reunion.
The reimagined UCLA Nimoy Theater opened its doors in September 2023, thanks to its donor-supported renovation. And helping to widen the university’s impact, $1.6 million in new funding advanced the crucial work of UCLA Health’s Homeless Healthcare Collaborative, which provides mobile primary and urgent care medical services for people living on the streets of Los Angeles.
“Giving is a deeply personal act, and there are as many reasons for giving to UCLA as there are donors who support us,” said Rhea Turteltaub, UCLA’s vice chancellor for external affairs. “Whether someone’s gift is born out of their own fond memories of yesterday or others’ dreams for tomorrow, whether it is inspired by their appetite for discovery or love of creativity, we are grateful to everyone whose generosity ensures UCLA remains a diverse, dynamic, world-leading institution.”
