The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the technology transfer office that supports innovation coming out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, announced Thursday that for fiscal year 2026, it will provide $206.9 million in total support to the university and the Morgridge Institute for Research.
The commitment includes annual grants for both institutions, along with additional grants for university operational and function support totaling $131.1 million; the transfer of WARF’s ownership stake in the Discovery building; and funds for the future support of that facility.
Of WARF’s total commitment this year:
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$50 million will fund strategic initiatives, the university’s annual Fall Research Competition and matching grants for externally funded projects;
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$35.9 million will directly support faculty researchers, graduate student fellows and staff scientists;
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$39.9 million will provide operational and functional support for innovation and commercialization services provided by WARF (at no cost to the university);
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$5.2 million will advance the Morgridge Institute for Research and its mission to improve health;
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Additional support will bolster initiatives like WARF Accelerator and WARF Therapeutics, which aim to propel innovative technologies and advance drug discovery; and
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$75.8 million will represent the value of WARF’s transfer of its share in the Discovery Building to UW-Madison and the Morgridge Institute as well as funds for future support of the facility.Â
The announcement comes as federal funding cuts have jeopardized research and innovation at the university, and while the WARF money cannot replace these funds, the organization and university are working on a strategic plan to use the incoming resources to support critical areas and wind down others.
Last year’s total funding from WARF — including the “base” research grant, funding for other university programs, operation and function support and the Morgridge Institute — was $159.8 million.
Over the last 100 years, WARF has invested $4.6 billion in annual research grants to UW-Madison and the Morgridge Institute.
