CAL Poly Pomona Foundation Inc.

CAL Poly Pomona Foundation Inc., a tax-exempt nonprofit organization registered as a foundation supporting California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, serves as a critical bridge between the university and federal agencies for research, education, and technology development initiatives. Based in Pomona, California, the foundation operates as a prime awardee for both federal contracts and grants, bringing substantial experience in aerospace engineering, autonomous systems, STEM education, cybersecurity, materials science, and agricultural sciences. The foundation leverages the university's hands-on learning philosophy and research capabilities to execute complex federal projects while providing students with meaningful research and educational opportunities.

Through federal contract awards, CAL Poly Pomona Foundation Inc. has demonstrated particular strength in aerospace and defense-related projects. The foundation holds cooperative agreements with NASA's Shared Services Center, including a $1.17 million award focused on advancing knowledge of Earth as a system while creating educational opportunities for students, with performance extending through August 2028. Prior contracts include the SCALES (Spacecraft Compartmentalized Autonomous Learning and Edge-Computing System) project valued at $449,091, the CubeSAT Technology Exploration Program at $749,049.70, and research on high-performance computing for flight control planning of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles. The foundation has also received contracts from the Department of Defense, including a $4.5 million cooperative agreement from the Air Force for the SECURE UAV-UGV project and another $4.499 million for exploration and space technology research supporting Air Force systems, both extending through June 2027. Additionally, the foundation received a $341,013 grant from the Department of Defense for research, development, testing, and evaluation services. Other contract work includes a $21,000 purchase order for use of an 8-inch supersonic wind tunnel, demonstrating the foundation's access to specialized research facilities. All prime contract awards have been issued without set-aside designations, indicating open competition procurement processes.

Through federal grant awards, CAL Poly Pomona Foundation Inc. has become a leader in STEM education, workforce development, and cutting-edge research across multiple disciplines. The National Science Foundation has been a major funding partner, supporting projects including a $7 million CREST Phase I grant to establish the Center for Smart Manufacturing focusing on artificial intelligence in manufacturing, a $1.438 million FIPSE grant for Industry 4.0 career advancement and modeling/simulation education, and multiple competitive research grants in mathematics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering. The foundation has received substantial support from the Department of Education for workforce preparation and student success programs, including TRIO programs, Upward Bound initiatives, and the STARS project focused on student success and transfer articulation at Hispanic-serving institutions. The National Institute of Health has funded biomedical research projects, including studies on dopaminergic circuits and Toxoplasma gondii infection. The USDA has awarded multiple grants totaling over $9.5 million for agricultural workforce development, food safety outreach, and specialty crop research, with projects like the "Building a Boulevard" NextGen program serving 418 students over five years. Notable education grants include a $200,000 NSF award for cybersecurity operations center equipment, a $998,453 grant for engineering transfer student success, and a $461,102 TRIO Student Support Services grant. The foundation also serves as a sub-awardee on grants from leading research institutions including UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz, Washington State University, Virginia Tech, and others, contributing specialized expertise in agriculture, sustainability, materials science, and advanced computing to collaborative research endeavors. These diverse funding sources underscore the foundation's role as a comprehensive research and education partner across government agencies and academic collaborators.