About the Fund
Accelerating a legacy of generosity
A century ago, breakfast cereal icon W.K. Kellogg purchased 377 acres in Pomona to serve as his winter horse ranch. Two decades later, he deeded the land to the State of California for higher education. Guided by his belief that “education offers the greatest opportunity for really improving one generation over another,” Kellogg envisioned a place where students would learn through theory and practice. Kellogg’s ranch would eventually become Cal Poly Pomona’s permanent home.
In 2021, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott ushered in a new era of transformational generosity when she announced a historic $40 million unrestricted gift to Cal Poly Pomona — the largest donation from an individual in university history. In announcing her gift, Scott wrote that “higher education is a proven pathway to opportunity,” echoing W.K. Kellogg’s words from decades earlier.
To advance the philanthropic vision and to steward the funds with responsibility, transparency and clarity, Cal Poly Pomona has established the Bright Tomorrow Fund, designed to propel institutional priorities and expand opportunity for students.
Principles and priorities
- Honor our mission of holistic student success—meeting all students where they are and focusing on those who need it most.
- Reinforce our “learn by doing” ethos and provide students with access to opportunities to prepare them for the future of work.
- Prioritize funding for bold, experimental, and student-centered initiatives that drive meaningful impact across and beyond our campus community.
- Provide support for initiatives for which there are limited alternative funding sources.
- Provide funding to seed and catalyze initiatives with the potential for exponential impact.
- Assure alignment with the University Strategic Plan and our Principles of Community – and in commitment to our role as steward of place.
Guided by these principles, the $20 million allocation will focus on catalyzing Cal Poly Pomona’s three institutional philanthropic priorities:
- Future Paths: Connecting Education to Opportunity. Bright Tomorrow is funding numerous programs and initiatives for students to connect their education to career and personal success. Future Paths funding will support micro-internships, leadership development training, and industry partnerships that will strengthen PolyX learning to prepare students for the future of work, human and civic engagement.
- Emerging Technologies: Learn by Innovating. Emerging Technologies investments will expand learning, research and project-based opportunities in high-demand fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, spatial excellence (GIS), immersive simulation and advanced analytics. The funds will support new and modernized labs, makerspaces and cutting-edge equipment to strengthen CPP’s polytechnic advantage, ensuring that students will thrive in a dynamic and evolving technological and global landscape.
- Campus Modernization: Built for Becoming. Learning and student-centered spaces are being revitalized across campus, from science labs to ag facilities to art studios and athletics. The upgrades are essential to ensure that students, faculty and staff have access to modernized, high-quality spaces that support teaching and learning, research, studying and community engagement.