The California Association for Research in Astronomy (CARA) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) whose Governing Board consists of directors from the University of California and the California Institute of Technology. In addition, NASA and the Keck Foundation each have liaisons to the board.

Construction of the twin Keck telescopes and domes was made possible with grants totaling more than $140 million from the W. M. Keck Foundation in Los Angeles.