Help Us Grow
A better world is possible. We are working to make it happen.
We support community-centered research that leads to social transformation.
Social transformation drives systemic change in institutions, social relationships, and values. It’s a powerful and effective strategy for addressing today’s urgent challenges in social justice and environmental degradation, even when those efforts might otherwise feel like an uphill battle.
Successful social transformation requires consistent, collaborative work, based on deep research and insight into both problems and solutions. And ultimately, it relies upon people from all walks of life deciding to take part in the effort to improve our shared future. Join us.
How to get involved
The Institute for Social Transformation is working to create a powerful network of likeminded researchers and community members. Anyone can become part of our community and make a difference. Explore how to get started, or donate now.
Learn with us
We share inspirational success stories from our work across the state and around the world, along with crucial insights and resources that can help social justice and environmental advocates maximize their effectiveness. Whether you’re a seasoned advocate or someone who’s looking for ideas on how to get started, we’d love to share what we are learning with you.
Partner with us
If you’re part of an organization that is leading social change, we want to hear from you. We regularly partner with nonprofits, government agencies, community organizers, and more to help design useful research and apply promising findings toward specific advocacy efforts and general capacity-building.
Together we can explore opportunities for you to join an existing project or to start a new one. Our affiliated Campus + Community center also provides general resources for community partners.
Support transformative scholarship
Your donation helps fund our Catalyze and Emerging Scholar awards—grants that support the development and exploration of new ideas and cutting-edge research methods to answer society’s critical social justice and environmental challenges.
You’ll also be funding comprehensive research support services such as data empowerment, workshops, trainings with frontline communities, and more. These services allow us to advance major projects, ensure ethical community engagement, and produce research with real-world impact, both locally and globally.
Empower student changemakers
UC Santa Cruz students are emerging leaders who are passionate about building a better world and bring valuable perspectives and strengths to the table. Your support can remove financial barriers for key experiences that help these students find their paths as changemakers. Our Building Belonging program offers paid research experiences alongside a faculty mentor, while the Transforming Futures program provides funding for summer internships.
MR Macgill and Ho Nam
MR Macgill and Ho Nam helped the Institute pilot our Transforming Futures program, opening up opportunities for undergraduates to pursue unpaid internships through summer scholarships. Their philanthropic goals aim to help students find their path to good, meaningful careers and give them the skills they need to be well-prepared for the workforce after graduation. Their continued support of the program will help 125+ low-income, first generation students become leaders in nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies.
The James Irvine Foundation
The James Irvine Foundation has funded several Institute projects that aim to empower low-income workers to advance economically, including Solidarity Economics, Salinas Inclusive Economic Development Initiative (SIEDI), Community Economic Mobilization Initiative (CEMI), and the Institute’s work in the Lithium Valley. Now, the foundation and Institute are partnering on their Priority Communities Initiative, which will pull in Institute fellows to help community organizations learn from one another and create community-driven best practices for economic development.
Our donors and funders
Foundations and private donors
Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, The California Endowment, The California Wellness Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Chavez Family Foundation, The David & Lucile Packard Foundation, Doris Duke Foundation, Ford Foundation, Helen and Will Webster Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, Institute for New Economic Thinking, The James Irvine Foundation, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Nam-Macgill Family Fund, New Energy Nexus, New Venture Fund (Public Interest Technology-University Network), Open Society Foundations, ReWork the Bay, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Romero Institute, San Francisco Foundation, Sierra Health Foundation, Spencer Foundation, UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board Opportunity Fund, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, William T. Grant Foundation.
Government funders
CA Air Resource Board (CARB), National Science Foundation, Salton Sea Management Program, San Francisco Local Agency Formation Commission, UC Office of the President Climate Action Initiative, UC Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives, UC Santa Cruz Foundation, University of California Worker Rights Policy Initiative (WRPI).
Individual donors
We would like to extend a special thanks to our anonymous donors, who have invested so much time and effort to help us develop transformational programming. Your support has helped UC Santa Cruz students blossom into our next generation of leaders and allowed us to engage with communities throughout the region.