Regents endorse UC Santa Cruz’s $750 million 'Inspiring Change' campaign

The University of California Board of Regents’ public engagement committee voted to forward and endorse 'Inspiring Change,' UC Santa Cruz’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, during its January 21 meeting at UCLA.

Chancellor Lareve introduced the campaign as the largest in campus history and said the campus aims “to raise $750,000,000 by 2030.” She told the committee that the campus had raised $365,000,000 in a quiet phase and engaged roughly 42,000 donors, and that the campaign is organized around priorities including student success, climate and environmental research, regional health and wellness, and creative scholarship.

Vice Chancellor Mark Delos Reyes Davis described the campaign structure, noting a decade-long pacing that began a quiet phase in 2020 and moved to a public phase in 2025. He said the campus has launched initiatives supported by philanthropy, including a student success initiative and major scholarship and reserve gifts, and emphasized donor stewardship and alumni engagement as drivers of sustained participation.

Regent Sarris moved the committee to advance the item. The committee then held a roll-call vote; the chair announced the motion carried and recorded affirmative votes, after which the committee’s endorsement was approved to be considered by the full board later in the day.

The endorsement does not itself authorize expenditures; it advances the campaign from committee to the full Board of Regents for final action. The campaign’s public-phase goals and earlier gifts were presented to provide context for the board’s consideration.

The committee discussion included questions about donor categories and long-term donor retention. Chancellor Lareve and vice chancellor staff said they have not set a specific target for first-time donor categories but are prioritizing sustained, repeat giving.

The committee recorded the item as approved and will transmit the endorsement for the full board’s consideration.