Posted on April 21, 2006

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UC Berkeley to Receive $15 Million for Anti-Poverty Center

The University of California, Berkeley has announced a $15 million gift from San Francisco financier Richard C. Blum to create a multi-disciplinary center focused on improving the quality of life for impoverished people by helping them develop their economic potential.

The gift, which includes a $5 million challenge grant, will establish the Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies, which will work to educate students about the world of foreign assistance, its potential, and its challenges. Drawing on UC Berkeley faculty expertise, the center will focus on a wide range of disciplines, including governance and law, affordable technology, agriculture, healthcare services, entrepreneurship, and general economic development.

For three decades, Blum has focused his philanthropic efforts on solving the issue of poverty, with a particular emphasis on investing in and encouraging local communities to develop greater economic self-sufficiency. In 1981, he founded the San Francisco-based American Himalayan Foundation, which runs more than 130 projects in the Himalayan region, including schools, health services, forest restoration, and small-scale economic development. He also founded the Global Economy and Development Center at the Brookings Institution three years ago, and has served on the board of trustees for the Atlanta-based Carter Center for many years.

"I believe UC Berkeley can have a singular effect in the fight to alleviate human suffering," said Blum. "If you look at the dangerous political divisions in today's world, you will find that most extremism has its roots in poverty and lack of education. We hope that our center will help train the next generation of leaders to be dedicated to alleviating poverty in the developing world."

“Richard Blum Gives $15 Million to Fund Center to Alleviate Poverty.” University of California at Berkeley Press Release 4/19/06.

Primary Subject: Education
Secondary Subject(s): Higher Education, International Affairs/Development, Human Services
Location(s): Berkeley, California

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