This page is under development. For more information on giving to the MVZ, please contact Craig Moritz directly at gekkojessie@gmail.com
The Museum of Vertebrate Zoology was established through the generous support of Annie Alexander and its success to date is in large part due this and other endowments. Though the premier collection of terrestrial vertebrates in the western United States, we are increasingly reliant on endowment and gifts to sustain our program as state funding continues to deteriorate. Here are some ways that you can help:
Protect and extend the largest collection of terrestrial vertebrates in western North America
The MVZ has a 100-year history of biodiversity research in which we have traveled the planet documenting vertebrate species and preserving that knowledge for the world community in our museum collections. We seek enhanced funding to continue this most fundamental of museum activities. Click here to donate!
Support the sharing and use of MVZ knowledge through Biodiversity Informatics
The MVZ is a leader in the emerging field of Biodiversity Informatics, including development of web-based tools that allow anyone to view specimen data, get comprehensive information on amphibian species, map present species distributions and predict past and future species ranges in the context of climate and land-use change. We seek further funding that will allow the Museum to continue taking a leading role in this important biodiversity research program.
Click here to donate!
Support the Grinnell project and involve the public in resurveys of diversity
Researchers in the MVZ are revisiting Joseph Grinnell's original vertebrate collecting sites (sampled 100 years ago) with the goal of understanding the impact that a century’s worth of human-induced habitat modification and global climate change have had on diversity and distributions of Californian vertebrates. We seek funding that will support our ongoing re-sampling efforts, as well as the laboratory analyses necessary to interpret the vast quantities of data obtained through our field efforts. Click here to donate!
Support education in vertebrate ecology and evolution
The MVZ has a proud record of educating students in vertebrate diversity and how to study it. These students include undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral scholars from diverse nations and backgrounds and many have gone on to establish prominent programs elsewhere. We seek to increase funding to support training of international students, especially those from biodiverse, developing nations, and to underpin our rapidly growing, award-winning, undergraduate research program. Click here to donate!
Foster growth of the Hastings Natural History Reservation as a center for research, education, and conservation
The Hastings Reservation, located in upper Carmel Valley, Monterey County, has been a center for studies of coastal California ecosystems since the 1930’s. In addition to its prominence as a research facility, Hastings increasingly serves as a focal point for public education and outreach regarding coastal oak woodlands. Projects for which we currently seek funding include the establishment of a full-time position for a resident conservation biologist and the completion of significant facilities upgrades needed to support our growing participation in educational and outreach activities. Click here to donate!
