Why Individual Gifts Are Important to CALS

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University is the nation's leading college of agriculture and related sciences.

To support its mission of teaching, research, and public service, the college relies on three main sources of income: state and federal support, tuition revenue, and private gifts. In recent years, funding from the state and federal governments has declined significantly. New York State dollars, for example, currently account for 22% of the college's annual budget, down from 34% in 1990. At the same time, to maintain access for all qualified students, the college has worked hard to contain increases in tuition. As a result, CALS relies significantly on private gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations to provide support for its world-class programs and activities.

Private gifts are essential and help to ensure the continued excellence, relevance, and impact of the college's teaching, research, and extension initiatives. The College's fundraising priorities are drawn from our college's academic priorities. These priorities are fluid, overlapping, and interdependent, connecting the college's mission and the vision to the areas of academic strength and excellence.

These core areas of academic priority are: 1) Land-Grant Mission; 2) Applied Social Sciences; 3) Environmental Sciences; 4) New Life Sciences; and 5) International.

The College seeks private support for the needs derived from theses Academic Priorities.