UC Berkeley | Institute of Governmental Studies

The Friends of IGS

Only 15% of the annual budget of the Institute of Governmental Studies comes from University of California sources.

The remainder of the IGS budget comes from a variety of sources: endowment income, contracts and grants, faculty opportunity funds, federal, state and local extramural funds, revenue generating enterprises, and, most importantly, private gifts and donations. The importance of private development and fundraising activities as an essential component of the Institute's fiscal future has taken on a new sense of urgency. Simply stated, without a strong base of private donor support, IGS cannot compete and maintain its excellence in serving as the University's primary center for the interdisciplinary study of American politics, governance, and public policy.

To address this imperative, the Friends of IGS was established in 1995 as an official University-sanctioned outside support group. Friends of IGS is a donor club that channels much needed fresh financial resources into Institute activities and programs. Your membership in Friends of IGS is automatic once you make a gift, no matter how small, to the Institute. The benefits from joining Friends are many, but most important is the fact that by giving an individual, firm, or foundation is directly contributing to maintaining the excellence of UC Berkeley. Members also receive a special annual newsletter, automatic free subscriptions to the Public Affairs Report and the IGS Calendar, and the intrinsic reward of knowing that their dollars are helping to prepare the next generation of leaders who study and train with IGS as students.

In April 2009, the Institute created the IGS Endowment Fund as part of its capital campaign strategy. The purpose of this fund is to support research, teaching and public service programs and activities at the discretion of the IGS Director. During the first two years of the fund's existence, the Institute invested $225,000 into the new endowment to secure its future. Donors can make direct gifts to the IGS Endowment Fund.

Your membership in The Friends of IGS is automatic once you make a gift, no matter how small, to the Institute.

IGS Annual Appeal

The IGS Annual Appeal campaign provides our alumni, friends and supporters a chance to donate to Institute student programs. Funds raised during the annual appeal go towards supporting our undergraduate student civic leadership training opportunities, such as the Cal-in-Sacramento internship program, and provides valuable research seed funding to our vibrant graduate student community. All contributions to IGS are tax deductible under federal law. Donors to the annual appeal get automatic membership into the Friends of IGS.

"Why I Give to IGS"

Please see this page for supporters who have written to share their stories about giving to UC Berkeley and IGS.

To Join The Friends of IGS

To join the Friends, please send your tax deductible contribution to:

Friends of IGS
c/o Institute of Governmental Studies
111 Moses Hall # 2370
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-2370

Make checks payable to "UC Regents" for the amount of $100, or more. To make a gift using MasterCard or Visa, please visit the GiveToCal webpage.

For information about contributions to IGS or any other IGS-related development matters, please contact:

Marc Levin
IGS Associate Director
Phone: (510) 643-6476
Fax: (510) 642-3020
E-mail: marcl@berkeley.edu

Please consider making a gift to IGS online. Click the GiveToCal webpage and complete the online form.

For More Information on Giving to IGS

For further information, including details about gifting options, benefits that accrue to you and to IGS through giving, and specifics about gifts in the form of securities, real estate, life income, assets, or other options, please see the Giving to the Institute of Governmental Studies brochure (available as a PDF download).

"The Voices of Tomorrow": A Film about IGS

A short film was recently produced by John Crane Films to showcase what IGS does and who we are. Learn how IGS is a place that combines the practical work of politics with the theoretical dynamism that will shape tomorrow's generation of national and state leaders.

Click here to view the film (in Quicktime or Flash versions; links to download the players for these applications).

IGS Awards