Cal Athletics hits new landmark fundraising goals in 2025-26
The California Golden Bears continue the fight for survival in this volatile college athletics landscape.
Cal Athletics closed the 2025-26 fiscal year with a record $88.5 million in gifts and pledges, topping last year’s then-record $82 million. The haul included more than $40.6 million for operational needs — coaching, training, academic services, travel, and nutrition — and was driven by 18 donors giving $1 million or more, the most in department history. Headlining gifts included $11 million commitments toward a new basketball practice facility and several large anonymous gifts to football ($10.5M and $6.5M), men’s basketball ($2M), and women’s basketball ($2.6M).
$18.3 million in endowments were raised, including a $3 million gift for the women’s tennis head coaching position, another gift for field hockey, a $2.5 million gift for men’s crew, and gifts to endow two men’s soccer assistant coach positions. Four crowdfunding campaigns raised over $5.3 million from more than 3,600 donors. Revenue-sharing fundraising in support of NIL exploded from $6.8 million in 2024-25 to $30.6 million this year, as Cal ramps up support under the new post-House Settlement compensation model.
This builds on an already record-setting 2024-25, when Cal raised $82 million, anchored by a historic $26 million gift from the Spieker family that endowed men’s swimming/diving and water polo, plus golf and rugby program endowments. That year’s Fight for California campaign launched in response to the NCAA House Settlement, with an $2 million football challenge in just eight days — the biggest crowdfunding push in UC Berkeley history.
For a good comparison of success, UCLA raised $41 million in FY2025-26 from over 6,500 donors, an 80.6% two-year increase. This is a successful mark for the Bruins, who are well on their way to catching the flagship university of the state in athletic contributions. We’ll see them on the field in just over a month!
Lots of good news, but as long as Cal remains hamstrung in the ACC with reduced revenue payouts, the fundraising must go on.