WARF grants more than $70 million to support UW-Madison

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the nonprofit foundation that helps steward the cycle of research, discovery, commercialization and investment at UW–Madison, has granted the university $59 million for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, and WARF funding for all university and affiliated organization categories will total more than $73 million.

“WARF’s continuing investment is critical to our success as a research institution. Historically, WARF’s annual grants and other initiatives and investments have been highly important, enabling graduate student support, faculty recruitment and retention, and the ability of faculty members to pursue lines of research that might not otherwise be possible. WARF’s many contributions help us maintain our excellence,” says Chancellor Rebecca Blank.

The funding total includes $9 million for faculty recruitment and retention and $9.7 million for graduate fellowships. WARF funding for the university’s cluster hire initiative — an effort to support interdisciplinary studies — continues at $5 million. An additional $5 million has been allocated for the chancellor’s recruitment and retention initiative, and $3 million will go toward federal grant bridge funding.

Some $8.5 million has also been dedicated to the Fall Research Competition, a nearly century-old tradition that draws hundreds of research proposals from 120 different departments each year.

About $700,000 was approved to support law and business entrepreneurship clinics as well as D2P, a new program designed to nurture business startups and make more venture capital available in the state.

In addition to these funds, WARF approved $14.3 million to continue its support for the Morgridge Institute for Research. The private, nonprofit institute works to improve human health by conducting, enabling and translating interdisciplinary biomedical research in collaboration with UW–Madison.

“WARF exists to benefit UW–Madison,” says WARF Managing Director Carl Gulbrandsen. “We support campus competitiveness through our investments of time, expertise and funds. The annual grants are one way we’re proud to show our commitment.”

For more information about the specific programs and initiatives supported by WARF grants in 2014-15.

—Ann Muehl