Nancy Pelosi to Launch Democracy Institute at UC Berkeley Upon Retirement

Jun 29, 2026

Nancy Pelosi, retiring from Congress after nearly 40 years representing San Francisco, will launch the Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy at UC Berkeley in January 2027. The nonpartisan institute has raised over $32 million toward a $50 million goal and will focus on strengthening democratic institutions, addressing climate change and wealth inequality, and researching electoral reforms. Pelosi, the first woman House speaker who helped enact the Affordable Care Act and led two impeachments of Donald Trump, will co-teach a course on Congress.

Pelosi Institute launch

▪The Nancy Pelosi Institute will be anchored in UC Berkeley's political science department.
▪The Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy will launch in January 2027 at the University of California, Berkeley.
▪UC Berkeley's library will host a public exhibit chronicling Nancy Pelosi's career in spring 2027.
▪Nancy Pelosi will co-teach a course on Congress with UC Berkeley political science professor Eric Schickler.

Pelosi political legacy

▪Barack Obama named the garden pavilion at his Obama Presidential Center in Chicago in Nancy Pelosi's honor.
▪Nancy Pelosi represented San Francisco in Congress for nearly 40 years and is not seeking reelection.
▪Nancy Pelosi tore up her copy of Donald Trump's 2020 State of the Union address, calling it a manifesto of mistruths.
▪Nancy Pelosi played a crucial role in enacting the Affordable Care Act during Barack Obama's presidency.
▪Nancy Pelosi served two stints as House speaker, first during the final two years of George W. Bush's presidency and continuing through Barack Obama's first two years.
▪Nancy Pelosi pushed Joe Biden to reconsider his decision to seek a second term in 2024, and they later reconciled.
▪Nancy Pelosi was the first woman and the first Californian to serve as speaker of the House.
▪The House impeached Donald Trump twice under Nancy Pelosi's leadership, and the Senate acquitted him both times.

Major donors

▪Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul are among the donors to the Nancy Pelosi Institute.
▪Donors to the Nancy Pelosi Institute include former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife Wendy, Dagmar Dolby, Fred Eychaner, Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine, George and Judy Marcus, Jon Stryker and Slobodan Randjelovic, and the family of Ron Conway.

Fundraising goals

▪UC Berkeley has raised $35 million toward a $50 million fundraising goal for the Nancy Pelosi Institute.
▪The Nancy Pelosi Institute has received more than $32 million in philanthropic commitments, with most earmarked for a permanent endowment.
▪The Nancy Pelosi Institute aims to raise $50 million for its Berkeley programs and to create another center for the U.S. House of Representatives by the end of 2027.

Institute mission

▪The Nancy Pelosi Institute will be a nonpartisan center for research, teaching and civic engagement.
▪The Nancy Pelosi Institute will serve hundreds of students every year.
▪The Nancy Pelosi Institute will sponsor research, support summer internships, host an annual forum for global thought leaders, and offer undergraduate classes.