Individual donor · California Proposition 38
Gary K. Michelson
Proposition 38 donor and co-founder and board chair of the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, the institute CalMatters identifies as very likely the only one eligible for the measure’s single-institute funding.
Entity profile
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- Political committee
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- California Proposition 38 · 2026
Coverage
What is included
Loading reviewed committee activity.
Public roles and funding connections
Research institute and Proposition 38
Michelson’s campaign contributions and his role at a potential recipient institute are separate, documented relationships. Institute funding would go to a nonprofit organization, not to Michelson personally.
Co-founder and board chair
- Institute
- California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII), affiliated with UCLA
- Michelson’s role
- Co-founder and chair of the board, as described by UCLA in August 2024 and CalMatters in July 2026.
- Governance
- UCLA describes an independent nonprofit board that includes university representatives. Board chair does not mean sole owner or day-to-day laboratory director.
- Philanthropic support
- UCLA announced a $120 million commitment from Gary and Alya Michelson in 2024, via the Michelson Medical Research Foundation, to support the institute.
UCLA: Michelson gift and institute governance ↗Source: Aug 27, 2024 · Checked Oct 31, 2026
Why this connection matters to voters
- Reported likely recipient
- CalMatters found the institute very likely to be the only one in California meeting the measure’s criteria. It reported that UCLA spokesperson Phil Hampton confirmed no other UCLA-affiliated nonprofit could meet them.
- Campaign response
- The Yes on 38 campaign told CalMatters the criteria were intended to ensure a qualified nonprofit, and disputed that they were uniquely tailored to this institute.
CalMatters investigation by Mikhail Zinshteyn ↗Source: Aug 3, 2026 · Checked Oct 31, 2026
Half for one institute; half for competitive grants
- Allocation
- Half of available research funds would go to one institute—roughly $4.2 billion of an $8.4 billion bond. The other half would fund competitive grants at public and nonprofit research institutions.
- Selection
- The California Department of Public Health would select the institute. The measure does not name CIII.
- Fallback
- If no qualifying, willing institute is found, proposed section 130353(b)(2) requires the department to make the minimum eligibility changes needed to find one.
Secretary of State: proposed law, sections 130352–130353 ↗Checked Oct 31, 2026
Who meets the eligibility rules?
- Existing nonprofit and affiliation
- Immunology-focused nonprofit existing by January 1, 2025, with a qualifying University of California affiliation agreement by that date.
- Scale and resources
- Criteria include over 35,000 inpatient admissions and 3.5 million outpatient visits at the affiliated health system; at least 200,000 square feet; $250 million in philanthropic support or commitments; and $50 million commitments for each of two specified research programs.
Secretary of State: proposed section 130353(a) ↗Checked Oct 31, 2026
Initiative proponent
- Official submission
- Gary K. Michelson signed the December 8, 2025 letter submitting amendments to Initiative 25-0026, the immunology research measure.
Attorney General: amended initiative submission ↗Source: Dec 8, 2025 · Checked Oct 31, 2026
Campaign donations and organizational transfers
- Michelson personally
- $55 million across two support committees: $45 million to committee 1485847 and $10 million to nonprofit committee 1494727.
- Separate organization
- The Michelson Center for Public Policy’s $21.4 million contribution to the main committee remains a separate organizational entry. It is not added to Michelson’s personal total.
- Scope
- Top-contributor list modified October 29, 2026; checked October 31. These are cumulative disclosures, not itemized transaction dates or a complete giving history.
Fair Political Practices Commission: Proposition 38 top contributors ↗Source: Oct 29, 2026 · Checked Oct 31, 2026
Money map
Candidates, measures and other committees
Two cumulative donor totals from the Fair Political Practices Commission’s list, modified October 29, 2026. These are aggregate disclosures, not two individual donation transactions; contribution dates are not supplied by this list.
Connections
Who and what appears nearby
Context from reviewed filings, not a claim of formal affiliation.
In the records
Reported counterparties
Pattern comparison
Entities with overlapping activity
Pattern overlap compares shared candidates and the direction of reported activity. It is not evidence that entities worked together.
Source records
Financial activity
Evidence and limits