philanthropy.cam.ac.uk

The Philanthropy homepage at philanthropy.cam.ac.uk features short news items that report on completed or ongoing giving outcomes at Cambridge, each linking to a fuller story. The four items currently shown cover a legacy gift for schools outreach, an artist-led fundraising campaign, a ten-year public health fellowship, and a legacy gift for climate research funding. They are presented as a "News" section, so the emphasis is on results and named donors rather than on how to give.

The four featured news stories

Legacy gifts and named funds

Two of the four stories are explicitly about legacy gifts — the Robert Perrin gift and the Beryl and Michael Saich gift. Both show how a named bequest is tied to a specific department or research area, and both describe the gift in terms of what it enabled rather than the amount given. The Gillings story is similar in structure: a named fellowship, a defined partner institution, and a ten-year track record.

Campaign-style fundraising

The Kettle's Yard story is the only one of the four that reports a fundraising total and a target. It is also the only one framed around a group of donors — artists, alumni and supporters — rather than an individual or couple.

How these stories relate to the rest of the page

The news items sit alongside a "Featured priorities" section covering AI research, climate and nature research, and cancer research, plus "Give now" entries for Cambridge Children's Hospital, student support, the Rokos School of Government, and Sport at Cambridge. In practice, the news stories act as evidence for the priorities: the Saich gift maps onto climate research, the Perrin gift onto student outreach, and the Gillings fellowship onto public health.

If you want to understand what giving at Cambridge looks like in practice, the news section is the place to start; if you want to know where gifts are currently being directed, the featured priorities and "Give now" entries are the relevant part of the page.

The Philanthropy homepage at philanthropy.cam.ac.uk (Support Cambridge) highlights seven featured priorities for giving: AI research, climate and nature research, cancer research, Cambridge Children's Hospital, student support, the Rokos School of Government, and Sport at Cambridge. Each priority links to a dedicated page with more detail and, in most cases, a "Give now" option. Below is what the homepage says about each one.

The featured priorities at a glance

Research priorities

AI research

The homepage describes Cambridge as home to a dynamic AI community that pursues high-quality interdisciplinary collaborations aimed at some of the world's most urgent and complex challenges. The emphasis is on collaboration across disciplines rather than a single department.

Climate and nature research

This priority covers four stated directions: regenerating nature, rewiring energy, redefining economics, and rethinking transport. It is framed as solutions-oriented work rather than pure research.

Cancer research

The homepage positions Cambridge as one of the few places able to harness the kind of innovative thinking behind its 27 Nobel Prizes in Medicine and 25 in Chemistry, and to target that thinking at how cancer is diagnosed, managed, and ultimately cured.

Giving opportunities

Cambridge Children's Hospital

Listed with a "Give now" link, this priority is described as holding the potential to transform the lives of young people regionally, nationally, and globally.

Student support

Also listed with a "Give now" link. The stated aim is to ensure that all students with the potential to excel — not just some — have a chance to study at Cambridge and its Colleges.

Rokos School of Government

Described as preparing tomorrow's leaders to tackle the world's biggest challenges. It appears alongside the other "Give now" entries.

Sport at Cambridge

The homepage notes over 360 Olympians and 1,000 full internationals among Cambridge alumni, and says the aim is to grow this legacy by providing a sustainable sporting environment for students of all backgrounds and interests. This entry uses a "Find out more" link rather than "Give now."

How to use this page

If you already know which cause you want to support, use the table above to identify the matching priority and follow its link. If you are deciding, note that the homepage groups these as "Featured priorities" — it is a curated selection, not necessarily the full range of giving options at Cambridge. The research entries (AI, climate and nature, cancer) lead with the problem being addressed, while the giving opportunities (hospital, student support, Rokos School of Government, sport) lead with the intended impact, which may help you choose based on whether you want to fund discovery or a specific outcome.

Related news on the homepage

The homepage also surfaces recent philanthropy stories that show how gifts translate into results:

• 'Perrin Days' and changing the fabric of the future — the Robert Perrin legacy gift for outreach in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy has given nearly 200 children hands-on experience of the field.
• Artists unite to raise more than £1 million for Kettle's Yard — 'Artists for Kettle's Yard' brought together artists, alumni, and supporters, exceeding its original £750,000 target.
• The Gillings legacy: ten years of supporting public health leaders — the Lady Mireille & Sir Dennis Gillings Global Public Health Fellowships, established with the University of Cambridge and Institut Pasteur.
• 'Something important and useful': Beryl and Michael Saich's legacy gift — how two people addressed the urgent need for postgraduate funding for climate solutions research.

These stories are useful if you want examples of what different forms of giving — legacy gifts, fundraising campaigns, named fellowships — have supported in practice.

philanthropy.cam.ac.uk is the University of Cambridge's official philanthropy and fundraising website, branded "Support Cambridge." It is where alumni, supporters, and other donors go to learn what Cambridge is working on, see the impact of past giving, and find ways to give. Use it if you want to understand the university's fundraising priorities or make a gift; it is not a general admissions, academic, or student-services site.

What the site is for

The homepage frames Cambridge as "a catalyst for discovery and ideas with a rare power to make a difference in the world," and the site's purpose follows from that: connecting people who want to support that work with the causes and funds that need it.

Its main functions are:

• Explaining giving opportunities — presenting featured priorities and specific funds or projects you can support.
• Reporting impact — news and stories showing what donations have already achieved.
• Directing donations — "Give now" entry points attached to particular priorities.

Featured priorities

The homepage highlights a rotating set of fundraising priorities. As of the page content reviewed, these include:

Each priority links to more detail and, where relevant, a "Give now" option.

News and impact stories

A news section shows how philanthropy translates into results. Examples from the page:

• The Robert Perrin legacy gift funded outreach in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, giving nearly 200 children hands-on experience of the field.
• "Artists for Kettle's Yard" brought together artists, alumni, and supporters to raise more than £1 million for the gallery, exceeding its £750,000 target.
• The Gillings legacy marks ten years of the Lady Mireille & Sir Dennis Gillings Global Public Health Fellowships, run with the University of Cambridge and Institut Pasteur.
• Beryl and Michael Saich's legacy gift addressed the need for postgraduate funding for climate solutions research.

These stories are the practical answer to "what does giving actually do here" — they document named gifts, their purpose, and their outcomes.

How to use the site

1. Browse priorities if you are deciding what to support — the featured list is the fastest overview of current fundraising focuses.
2. Read the news stories if you want evidence of impact before committing, since each one describes a specific gift and what it funded.
3. Follow a "Give now" link on the priority or project you choose to reach the donation route for that cause.

If you already know which area you want to support, going straight to that priority page is faster than working through the homepage. If you are still deciding, the news section is the most useful part, because it shows completed examples rather than aspirations.

What the site does not cover

It is a fundraising site, so it does not handle admissions, course information, or student administration — those live on the main University of Cambridge site. The homepage content reviewed does not state specific donation amounts, payment methods, or whether any giving option carries restrictions, so check the individual priority or "Give now" page for those details before donating.

You can give to Cambridge through philanthropy.cam.ac.uk by starting from the featured priorities on the homepage and using the "Give now" links attached to specific causes. The homepage is the University of Cambridge's philanthropy hub: it presents current fundraising priorities, news about the impact of past gifts, and entry points to donate. It is best used as a starting point — you pick the cause you care about, then follow that cause's giving route.

What you can give to from the homepage

The homepage highlights a set of featured priorities, each with its own "Give now" or "Read more" action:

Some priorities (Cambridge Children's Hospital, student support, the Rokos School of Government) carry a "Give now" link directly on the homepage. Others are presented with "Read more", which takes you to the fuller case for that cause — the giving route sits within that cause's page.

How to make a gift

1. Choose your cause. Scan the featured priorities and open the one closest to what you want to support. If nothing on the homepage fits, use the main navigation to look for other areas of the University.
2. Read the case. The priority page explains what the funding is for and why it matters. This is where you confirm the gift goes where you intend.
3. Select "Give now". This is the donation entry point for that priority. The homepage itself does not state accepted payment methods, currency, or whether a login is required — expect to confirm those details on the giving page itself.
4. Complete the gift on the linked giving page and keep any confirmation for your records.

Reading the impact before you decide

The homepage's news section shows what previous philanthropy has actually done, which is useful if you want evidence before committing:

• The Robert Perrin legacy gift for outreach in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy has given nearly 200 children hands-on experience of the field.
• "Artists for Kettle's Yard" brought together artists, alumni and supporters to raise more than £1 million for the gallery, exceeding its original £750,000 target.
• The Gillings legacy — the Lady Mireille & Sir Dennis Gillings Global Public Health Fellowships, run with the University of Cambridge and Institut Pasteur — has supported public health leaders for ten years.
• Beryl and Michael Saich's legacy gift addressed the need for postgraduate funding for climate solutions research.

These are examples of named gifts and their outcomes, not a menu of donation amounts. They are most useful for judging which area of Cambridge you want your own gift to reach.

Practical points to check on the giving page

• Where the money goes. Each priority page defines its purpose; confirm it matches your intent before giving.
• One-off vs. regular giving, and legacy giving. The homepage features legacy gifts prominently, so if you are considering leaving a gift in your will rather than giving now, that route exists — but the mechanics are handled on the relevant page, not the homepage.
• Restrictions and recognition. Whether a gift can be directed to a specific department, college or fellowship, and how donors are acknowledged, is set out at the cause level.

Common sticking points

• The homepage is a hub, not a checkout. Don't expect a single universal donation form covering everything; giving is organised by priority.
• "Read more" is not "Give now". Some priorities only offer a deeper read on the homepage — the donation step comes after you open the cause.
• Payment and login details aren't on the homepage. Check them on the giving page before you start, so you aren't surprised mid-process.

If your goal is simply to support Cambridge and you have no strong preference, start with student support or one of the research priorities — these are framed as broad, ongoing needs. If you have a specific connection (a department, a college, a cause), go directly to that area through the site navigation instead.