Associates Philanthropic Initiatives

In addition to your annual Associates membership, there are many ways you can help advance Caltech's mission to "expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education." These opportunities include tax-deductible gifts to support students, faculty, and research through dedicated Associates funds. Contributions of any size make an impact and are greatly appreciated.

Endowed scholarships help ensure that talented undergraduate students can attend Caltech regardless of their financial circumstances, supporting the Institute's commitment to merit-based admissions. This permanent source of financial aid enables Caltech to educate promising future leaders in science, engineering, medicine, space exploration, and many other fields.

Graduate fellowships give exceptional students the financial freedom to pursue ambitious research without constraints that could limit their focus or time. By helping Caltech attract the most talented graduate students, fellowship support also strengthens faculty research and develops scientists and engineers who can make significant contributions to academia, industry, and society.

Since 1979, the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program has given Caltech students the opportunity to explore some of the most fundamental questions in science, engineering, math, and technology under the guidance of faculty mentors at the frontiers of their fields. The Associates SURF Endowment Fund awards fellowship grants to students selected for the program.

The President's Discretionary Fund provides financial flexibility, enabling Caltech's president to respond to the Institute's highest priorities, unexpected needs, and emerging opportunities. Because the funds are not restricted to a specific program or purpose, they give leadership the agility to direct capital where it can have the greatest impact.

The Provost's Discretionary Fund is a resource the provost can use to act quickly on promising research ideas, faculty priorities, and opportunities that may not align with traditional funding timelines. Support can help launch innovative projects, acquire scientific equipment, and recruit and retain outstanding students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty.