Funding to universities by the David & Lucile Packard Foundation
Courtesy of Emily Karakis
Introduction
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation was founded in 1964 and ranks in the top 10 of US family foundations. The Foundation has focused its giving on three significant areas: Conservation and science; population and reproductive growth; and children, families and communities. When the Foundation funds universities, conservation and environmental programmes are often the reason.
Our analysis of its giving between 2014-18 shows that the Packard Foundation has consistently awarded 14% of donations annually to universities and higher education institutions.
In the last five reported years it has given $220.1m in grants to 104 universities in 12 countries.
US universities are by far the biggest beneficiaries. 90 American universities received 98% of Packard university giving, totaling $214.5m.
Reflecting the founders’ association with the state, Californian universities top the Packard Foundation giving table.
The University of California, Berkeley received the largest sum from the Foundation ($15.4m), followed by Stanford University ($14.4m) and University of California, San Francisco ($11.9m).
The Universidad Nacional de Mexico received the largest single international university donation - $995k - in 2014.
The University of the South Pacific in Fiji is the next biggest beneficiary receiving awards in 2014 and 2015 totaling $938k. Australasia is the preferred region for international giving.
Three Australian and one Fijian university have received $1.4m in giving between 2014-18.
Asian universities are the third biggest regional beneficiary – four universities in China, Indonesia and Pakistan received $1.4m.
The median average donation to a non-US university was $115k.