Our Crowdfunding Groups
Who Are We?
The Global Development Lab (GDL) at UCLA is a student-led organization dedicated to researching, incubating, and implementing innovative solutions for social impact. We provide students with hands-on experience through development projects, professionally-led workshops, internships, and research initiatives. Our mission is to equip students with the skills and resources to create sustainable, culturally-relevant solutions that align with community needs—both locally and globally.
By supporting our campaign, you help fund impactful projects that extend from Los Angeles to international communities. Your contribution empowers students to apply their knowledge beyond the classroom, fostering responsible global development and advancing social justice.
How the Funds will be Used?
As the lab enters its ninth year, we want to provide more students with the chance to compete for funding and to implement the projects they work on throughout the year, as our organization relies completely on grants and outside funding. Through your support, we can award grants to the projects that our judges–a panel of development experts and UCLA faculty–determine to be the most innovative and impactful, allowing these groups to implement their projects and make a meaningful difference in the community that their initiative targets.
Past Project?
Thanks to your generous donations in 2024, we were able to fund our winning capstone project! GDL grant-winners Katherine Brezoczky, Maher Salha and Nicholas Sharifi proposed their project "UCLA Bridge" where they use undergraduate Bruins as a resource and knowledge bridge to high school students in disadvantaged areas of Los Angeles, where high school graduation rates can fall as low as 30%. The students will partner with community organizations, starting with the Koreantown Youth + Community Center, or KYCC, this summer, to reach students who could benefit from the project. Low-income high school students who work as volunteers at the KYCC summer session for elementary and middle school students will be the focus of the group's work this summer. All this is being done with $1,000 in seed funding that the organization was able to achieve through its SPARK campaign last year! Now imagine the impact your donation could have!
Tax-Deductible?
Donations are tax-deductible and we will create a quarterly newsletter to update donors on the progress of each of the projects. Donors will be able to see the impact of their donation through the students' implementation of development initiatives at home and abroad that truly make a difference on communities around the world.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE UCLA FOUNDATION'S DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS FOR DONORS
Should this fund reach the campus minimum required for the establishment of an endowment or quasi-endowment, The UCLA Foundation reserves the right to convert this fund to an endowment or quasi-endowment. Please click here to learn more about how the UCLA Foundation invests and manages its endowments.
Cover the transportation costs for local projects! Winners last year were able to provide sexual education to classes of 30+ kids in underserved communities across Los Angeles County for just $20 in transportation costs! Additionally, every donor who provides a gift of $20+ will receive recognition at the end-of-year Project Showcase! (fully tax-deductible).
Your generous gift will provide immense support to the Global Development Lab and allow us to cover the costs of weekly meetings and other administrative costs that go into supporting the development of these critical interventions. We will also be giving you a shoutout on our social platforms after the campaign! (fully tax deductible!)
This gift will help fund the UCLA Bridge project, which connects undergraduate Bruins with disadvantaged high school students in Los Angeles. Through workshops and one-on-one mentorships, students will build the foundational skills needed to succeed in high school and beyond, helping them pursue a brighter future. Your generous gift will directly support students in areas where graduation rates are as low as 30%, empowering them to break barriers and achieve their educational goals. [fully tax-deductible!]
This gift will support the development of the FREEateries app, designed to combat food insecurity among UCLA students. By consolidating updated information on free food resources both on and off-campus, the app will provide easy access to vital nutrition for the 37% of Bruin students facing food insecurity. Your generous contribution will help reduce stress, improve health, and enhance academic success for students in need, ultimately supporting their well-being and retention. [fully tax-deductible]
This gift will support the Coalition of Students Against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) project, which empowers young girls in Tanzania and Sierra Leone through digital storytelling and advocacy. Your contribution will help fund training programs that teach girls how to use video to raise awareness about the dangers of FGM and advocate for their own rights. Additionally, your donation will support UCLA students who will intern with local NGOs to drive global awareness and change. [fully tax-deductible!]
Your generous gift will be given to the winning project as a grant at the end of the year so that they can implement their ethical and sustainable project. You will be able to see their project presented at our Project Incubator Showcase at the end of the school year and the direct impact you will be making with this gift. This gift can provide hundreds of underserved students in Los Angeles with critical sexual education, improve educational resources in underserved communities of the LA county, fund STI testing for hundreds of individuals, and change lives. (fully tax-deductible)