The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) announced a $206.9 million commitment on Nov. 13 to support research and innovation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in FY26. The commitment is one of the largest annual investments in the university’s history and marks the celebration of the foundation’s centennial celebration and federal research funding uncertainty.
The commitment includes $131.1 million in annual grants, operational support and strategic funding for UW-Madison and the Morgridge Institute for Research.
The $206.9 million commitment also includes $50 million for campus research initiatives and externally funded project grant matches; $35.9 million to support faculty researchers, graduate fellows and staff scientists; $39.9 million in operational and functional support — including WARF’s patenting and commercialization services — and $5.2 million for the Morgridge Institute for Research.
Additional support will also bolster WARF Accelerator and WARF Therapeutics, two programs that help advance promising technologies and drug discovery, like UW-Madison’s immunotherapy tools.
In addition to annual support, the commitment includes a landmark gift valued at $75.8 million — the transfer of WARF’s ownership stake in the Discovery Building to UW-Madison and the Morgridge Institute, along with funds for long-term operation.
The facility, opened in 2010, serves as a hub for interdisciplinary studies and will now be fully stewarded by its campus tenants.
WARF CEO Erik Iverson said the investment reflects both the foundation’s history and ambitions for the next century.
“This announcement celebrates WARF’s shared legacy with UW-Madison and Morgridge Institute researchers and serves as a springboard into the university’s next era of transformative breakthroughs,” Iverson said in a statement.
WARF Board Chair Deborah Keller said the foundation’s centennial marks not just a milestone, but a launchpad for further research.
“WARF’s centennial is not only a time to honor everyone who has sustained WARF’s unwavering support for UW-Madison innovation over the years, but also a moment to look ahead with optimism to shaping another 100 years — and more — of research excellence,” Keller said in the statement.
Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said the foundation’s continued support strengthens the university’s ability to serve Wisconsin and beyond.
“For a century now, WARF’s support has been instrumental in our efforts as a university to serve the people of Wisconsin, and to help meet real challenges,” Mnookin said. “We remain grateful to WARF for its commitment to advancing research at the university and making a difference for the people we serve.”
WARF has also played a major role in the growth of UW-Madison’s research infrastructure. Over the past century, the foundation has helped build or renovate 52 research facilities, including the Discovery Building and the newly completed Morgridge Hall.
Since its first grant of $1,200 in 1928, WARF has provided more than $4.6 billion in cumulative support to UW-Madison and the Morgridge Institute for Research. Its self-sustaining funding model, which covers the full cost of patent management and commercialization, has saved the university and taxpayers more than $530 million over the past 20 years.
Alaina Walsh is the associate news editor for The Daily Cardinal. She has covered breaking news on city crimes and a variety of state and campus stories, including the 2024 presidential election and the UW-Madison budget.
