About University of Wisconsin Foundation
The University of Wisconsin Foundation raises, invests and distributes funds for the benefit of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Focus Areas
Scholarships and student supportResearch and innovationFaculty recruitment and retentionCampus buildings and infrastructurePlanned giving / estate giftsDonor-advised funds and matching giftsEndowments
About University of Wisconsin Foundation
The largest recent grants from University of Wisconsin Foundation all go to the University of Wisconsin Madison, including awards of $153,614,785 in 2025 and $143,159,780 in 2024. That pattern points to a funder built around institutional support rather than a broad external grant portfolio. The foundation raises, invests and distributes funds for the benefit of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with giving centered on scholarships, research, faculty support, buildings and infrastructure, planned giving, donor-advised and matching gifts, and endowments. Its active grant programs show how that support is organized. The Bascom Hill Society Scholarship and Great People Scholarship both focus on student aid, while the College of Letters & Science Annual Fund supports departments, scholarships, research and core teaching. Other program areas include the Pharmacy Practice Research Initiative, the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center, and East Campus Gateway capital opportunities. The foundation also maintains naming opportunities for endowed scholarships, chairs, professorships, capital projects and other endowments. The recent-grants record suggests a concentrated relationship with the university, with repeated awards across 2023, 2024 and 2025.
What University of Wisconsin Foundation Funds
Student support is a central theme. The Bascom Hill Society Scholarship is a scholarship award administered through the Bascom Hill Society leadership-giving program, and the Great People Scholarship is described as one of UW’s highest priorities for supporting students. The UW Foundation General Scholarships program also supports students across schools and colleges through endowed scholarships and stewardship profiles. Academic and research support appear alongside that scholarship work. The College of Letters & Science Annual Fund supports departments, scholarships, research and core teaching. In the School of Pharmacy, the Pharmacy Practice Research Initiative backs promising research within the Pharmacy Practice Division to advance pharmacy practice. The foundation also funds campus experience and identity. The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center support stream covers scholarships, events, speakers, operations and named endowments, while East Campus Gateway opportunities are tied to projects such as University Square, the Chazen Museum expansion, Art Lofts and the pedestrian mall.
How University of Wisconsin Foundation Gives
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.1B
Total Assets
$5.8B
Total Revenue
$776.8M
Total Expenses
$564M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $54.2M and $83.3M, with a median of $61.1M.
25th Percentile
$54.2M
Median
$61.1M
75th Percentile
$83.3M
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
About 100% of grants go to recipients in WI.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
MICHAEL M KNETTER
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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