In October 2004, UC Davis received almost $3 million in private grants and gifts to support faculty research, academic programs, classroom instruction, facilities improvements and student financial aid. Highlights of the recent gifts and grants made by individuals, corporations and charitable foundations include:

• A $600,000 grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to the Institute of Governmental Affairs in the Office of Research to support the Program on Binational Training, Research, and Institutional Development for the Study of Migration and Economic Change in Rural Mexico;
• A $500,000 pledge from the California Crop Improvement Association to the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to support the Shafter Research and Extension Center;
• A $415,000 pledge from the South San Joaquin Irrigation District Fund to the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology in the School of Veterinary Medicine;
• Gifts totaling $200,000 from the Auburn Community Cancer Endowment Fund to support research in the UC Davis Health System Cancer Center. The gift represents total proceeds from the annual Jim Otto Swing at Cancer Golf Tournament, sponsored by former Oakland Raider and Professional Football Hall of Famer Jim Otto;
• A $83,933 grant from the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation to support faculty research in the Department of Animal Science in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences;
• Grants totaling $80,000 from Intel Corporation to support faculty research in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering;
• A $79,560 grant from the Genentech Foundation for Biomedical Sciences to support instruction in the Center for Engineering Plants for Resistance Against Pathogens, located in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences;
• A $50,000 gift from Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. to the Institute of Transportation Studies to support its four-year research program, Transportation and the Hydrogen Economy;
• A bequest of $10,000 from the estate of Marjorie Elliott to support the Marjorie and Charles W. Elliott Fellowship Fund in the Division of Graduate Studies; and
• A $40,000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation to support faculty research in the Department of Psychology in the College of Letters and Science.
• A $35,000 pledge from Nicholas and Shari Alexander to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics to support construction of the Multi-Use Athletics Stadium. The gift was made through the UC Davis Foundation, a non-profit group that promotes private support of UC Davis; receives private gifts on its behalf; and manages the campus's endowed gift fund and other private assets.