Supporting the College of Biological Sciences helps drive scientific discovery to meet our world’s most pressing challenges. We will work with you to realize your philanthropic goals and develop the gift plan that best meets your needs. 

Types of Support 

• Undergraduate Student Support
• The largest population in our college, these are the primary areas in need of support for undergraduate students:
  Scholarships support academic excellence, women in science, first-generation college students and other historically underrepresented groups 
  Research Opportunities provide hands-on learning experience and mentorship to help prepare undergrads for their careers 
  First-Year Experience Program helps freshmen and transfer students access critical resources during their first year at UC Davis
  Study Abroad Programs enable students to gain international experiences and provide valuable social skills to develop global citizens
• Graduate Student Support
• Our advanced degree seekers have unique needs to achieve their academic goals. These are the primary areas of support for our graduate students:
  Dean’s Mentorship Awards enable graduate students to hire and train undergraduate researchers, growing our college’s culture of mentorship and experiential learning
  Research Fellowships provide opportunities for graduate students to obtain paid research positions in the biological sciences
  Interdisciplinary Research forms connections between students across different disciplines, fostering collaborative research and identifying novel, collective approaches to tackle scientific challenges
• Research Facilities and Technology Support
• Funding for these areas enhances accessibility to 21st-century technology and tools for students, faculty and researchers to remain at the forefront of scientific discovery:
  Equipment and Technology investments enable acquisition and maintenance of state-of-the-art tools and resources that drive new breakthroughs in the life sciences
  Research Cores Facilities support provides dedicated research lab spaces and drives collaborative approaches for university-wide research goals
• Faculty Excellence
• Providing academic leadership for students and guiding departmental research aims, support for these areas maintains and improves our ability to foster the talents of world-class faculty:
  Seed Funding Opportunities support faculty to launch new labs and research projects that foster scientific inquiry and lead to real-world impacts
  Recruitment and Retention efforts offer attractive incentives and state-of-the-art facilities to recruit and retain the best and brightest minds in the life sciences      
• Supporting Diversity
• In addition to being one of the top five public universities in the country, 42% of UC Davis undergraduates are first-generation college students. As such, UC Davis is ideally positioned to expand and enhance current Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts across campus to support students from underserved populations. 
  Experiential Learning Opportunities remove barriers for underrepresented students to access cutting edge research experience and/or participate in select programs, which can be invaluable for educational, professional, and personal growth.
  Student Awards enable high-achieving students to promote their research and expand their professional network at prestigious conferences or allow incoming graduate students to receive critical stopgap funds upon arriving on campus.
  Seed Funding for a Mentorship Program helps the college launch a formal program and provide a safety-net for our most vulnerable students. 
  Discretionary Funds for DEI Initiatives provide college administration with the flexibility to address systemic issues of inequity and evolve its strategies over time. 

Types of Gifts

• Cash Gifts
• - Are the simplest and most popular giving method
  - Can be tax deductible in the year they are given
• Gifts of Securities
• - Include stocks, mutual funds and bonds
  - Can avoid capital gains taxes
  - Can provide an income tax deduction for the full fair market value of longterm, appreciated securities
• Gifts of Real Property
• - Include land, farms, personal residences, and rental or commercial property
  - Can avoid capital gains tax on appreciated assets
  - Can provide an income tax deduction for the full fair market value of longterm, appreciated property
  - Can eliminate property expenses and taxes
  - Can provide continued use for life through a retained life estate gift
• Bequests and Living Trusts
• - Establish the UC Davis Foundation as a beneficiary of your estate
  - Can provide an estate tax deduction equal to the value of the gift
  - Offer flexibility by allowing you to provide for family first
• Retirement Plan Gifts
• - For current gifts, utilize the IRA Charitable Rollover provision (for donors aged 70½ and older)
  - Name the UC Davis Foundation as a beneficiary
  - Can eliminate income tax on the plan distributions
  - Preserve the plan's full value for gift purposes
• Life Income Gifts
• - Include charitable remainder trusts and gift annuities
  - Can provide potential tax savings on income, estate and capital gains
  - Generate income for you and/or your loved ones for a fixed period of time or until your passing
  - Distribute the remaining assets to the UC Davis Foundation