Foundation Relations

The University of Missouri-Columbia's Foundation Relations staff advances and manages the University's relationships with key private foundations. They also assist University faculty members in preparing effective proposals to private foundations.

Private foundations and associations support some of the University of Missouri-Columbia's most innovative programs in teaching, research and service. During fiscal year 2005, for example, the University received more than $16 million in external support from private foundations and associations.

Partnership Opportunities

We invite foundations to explore the many partnership opportunities at MU. Propel a program of excellence or ignite a new initiative!

There are many programs of national significance in schools and colleges across the MU campus. The following MU programs ranked nationally among the Top 10 (private and public) in their discipline.

In addition, there are several programs and centers on campus that showcase the University's strengths in interdisciplinary collaboration, including:

Bond Life Sciences Center — Interdisciplinary teamwork is key to addressing modern questions and problems in the life sciences. The Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center houses 35 outstanding and productive scientists representing six different MU schools and colleges and more than 300 research staff and undergraduate and graduate students in a setting designed for interaction. The center’s facilities, programs and services enable it to serve as a hub and model for all life sciences research and education at MU.
Center of Excellence on Aging — The MU Center of Excellence on Aging brings together health providers, researchers and educators who are focused on the needs of our nation's rapidly growing older adult population

Built on the strengths and collaborations that exist among the University's three health sciences schools — the School of Medicine, Sinclair School of Nursing and the School of Health Professions — the center encompasses research, clinical care, and education activities focused on preventing disability, improving care quality in diverse settings, evaluating innovative service delivery mechanisms for aging adults across care environments and improving the quality of life for elders and their families.
Child and Family Sciences Center
The University is establishing a unique center of excellence to focus on interdisciplinary research in developmental sciences. This multi-faceted research and services center will address the critical need to maximize every child's potential through improved understanding of basic developmental processes, adequate family and community support and effective public policy.

The center will serve as a national model for integrating child development programming with cutting-edge research involving normally developing children, children with developmental concerns and their families. It also will provide timely public policy recommendations based on research findings.
Cancer Research
Cancer research at the University of Missouri-Columbia involves researchers and clinicians from the University's Sinclair School of Nursing, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Missouri Health Care and faculty from diverse MU schools and colleges.

The University is working toward obtaining National Cancer Institute designation, which will enable it to advance to even higher levels of education, research and service. Toward this goal, multidisciplinary teams are being formed to conduct translational, basic and clinical research in a number of health-care areas.
Center for Religion, the Professions and the Public
This newly created center explores practical strategies for alleviating misunderstanding or conflict that can result when professionals and those they serve come from different religious or cultural traditions.

The MU campus abounds with innovative ideas and initiatives of nationally and internationally acclaimed scientists and scholars. Our priority is to match MU's brightest stars with foundations and associations that share their vision, dedication and commitment to excellence.