GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
Support from individuals and industry equips our students with the technology, facilities, resources and expert instruction essential to Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing education. Your investment in student success shapes the future of California and beyond — preparing confident, adaptable and ethical leaders for tomorrow.
We focus our giving opportunities in three areas: Specialized Teaching and Research Facilities, Student Success and Learn by Doing Initiatives.
Specialized Teaching and Research Facilities
We are building for the future. Our students thrive on Learn by Doing opportunities that enable them to create, collaborate and innovate. Our Centers of Learning bring students, faculty and industry together to discover new solutions to complex issues. Help propel learning in spaces that are at the forefront of the industry.
Plant Sciences Complex
The six-acre Plant Sciences Complex which broke ground in 2023, features the George Wurzel Plant Sciences Building and the Marderosian Family Foundation and Bee Sweet Citrus Automation Lab, both set to open in 2026. The complex will support applied innovation and teaching in soil health, water and air quality, plant cultivation, harvesting and processing, food safety as well as automation and systems testing.
Swanton Pacific Ranch
Located in Santa Cruz County, the 3,200-acre Swanton Pacific Ranch is composed of majestic redwood forest, lush riverine ecosystems and coastal grasslands overlooking the Pacific Ocean and providing research and educational opportunities. In August 2020, the CZU Lightning Complex fires swept through the ranch, destroying much of the property and its structures. Restoration work is underway.
Charles and Claire Jacobson Animal Health Center
Opening fall 2026, the center provides students with an experiential animal clinic featuring lab spaces to accommodate large animals as well as traditional lab uses. Students will have the space to examine, treat and care for animals under the supervision of veterinary faculty and staff embracing Cal Poly’s motto of Learn by Doing.
Student Success
Student success is at the heart of everything we do. Our scholarships and research programs offer a direct way to support students and see the impact of your investment in their education and future.
Earn by Doing
Students gain skills and experience working up to 20 hours a week in an area directly related to their major at one of our on-campus food and agricultural production units.
College Specific Scholarships
Even with financial aid packages, parental and supporter assistance and loans, some students cannot close the gap between their available resources and the growing cost of education.
Summer Undergraduate Research Program
The Summer Undergraduate Research Program is a 10-week program that connects undergrad students with faculty to collaborate on cutting-edge research and receive a stipend. Students develop advanced problem-solving and critical thinking skills, learn how to gather information, analyze and evaluate evidence, and gain enhanced communication skills.
Learn by Doing Initiatives
Learn by Doing is at the core of a Cal Poly education. Every day students are in labs, fields, greenhouses and classrooms learning how to solve today’s most pressing issues. We bring learning into the field, the farm and the forest in order to meet the diverse agricultural and environmental needs of California and our global society.
Dean's Power of Doing
The Dean’s Power of Doing Fund provides support where it is needed most. Funds are used to enhance student success across departments and centers, to further opportunities with industry and research and to advance current and future capital projects. This fund allows us to move quickly to seize special opportunities, leverage resources and address pressing needs across the college.
Industry Engagement Fund
Our partnerships with industry leaders provides engagement opportunities for students in and out of the classroom. When students and faculty can collaborate with industry partners, knowledge and expertise collide. To spur innovation and solve real-world challenges, we seek to strengthen our ties to industry and build new relationships with key stakeholders.
Learn by Doing Endowment
In 2009, 11 agriculture leaders formed the Learn by Doing Endowment to support CAFES’ renowned tradition of excellence. Each founding member donated $100,000 to fund a $1.1 million gift that's impact is multiplied through matching endowments. Funds are used to support the college’s 10 departments, including purchasing new and upgraded equipment in laboratories and classrooms.
