San Jose State University Research Foundation

San Jose State University Research Foundation

The San Jose State University Research Foundation was established in 1932 as a 501(c)3 non-profit auxiliary to advance the university's educational mission through externally funded programs. Operating within the Division of Research and Innovation, it is led by President Marc d'Alarcao and Executive Director Andrew Exner. The Foundation's origins are tied to facilitating academic research rather than managing a philanthropic endowment, positioning it as a distinct operating entity within the California State University system. The Foundation's deployment is concentrated in physical research infrastructure and intellectual property rather than traditional asset-class portfolios. Its asset base includes the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, a residential land parcel in Moss Landing, a dedicated facility at the NASA Ames Research Center, and its central headquarters in downtown San Jose. Geographically, operations are concentrated in Northern California, with active projects at the main San Jose campus, the Monterey Bay coast, and Moffett Field. Partnerships with entities like the Federal Demonstration Partnership and the CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology extend its influence into federal research administration and marine science domains. The operational scale is reflected in its multi-site footprint and relationship network rather than disclosed AUM or staff headcount. The Foundation's sister organization, the Tower Foundation of San Jose State University, handles the university's philanthropic development, creating a clear structural separation between research administration and fundraising. Executive Director Andrew Exner oversees the business operations that connect SJSU faculty to sponsors such as NASA Ames Research Center, maintaining a long-standing co-location partnership at Moffett Field. The structural differentiator is its non-fiduciary, operational role. The Foundation does not manage a commingled endowment pool for market returns; it acts as a grant-administration and property-management vehicle for the university's sponsored research enterprise. Membership in the Federal Demonstration Partnership signals an institutional focus on streamlining the mechanics of federal grant compliance, making the Foundation a research enabler rather than a capital allocator.