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A Wisconsin Watch reader asks: How a lot funding do the College of Wisconsin-Madison and Madison School obtain from the U.S. army?
The College of Wisconsin-Madison has 198 energetic Division of Protection awards, totaling $221.3 million in funding, in accordance with UW-Madison’s declaration from the Affiliation of American Universities lawsuit towards the Division of Protection.
Protection-funded analysis goals to increase “warfighter capabilities” and the U.S. “strategic and tactical benefit.” President Donald Trump’s Division of Protection tried to cap oblique prices at 15%.
Protection awards help analysis in fields straight associated to the army, reminiscent of “cybersecurity, maritime navigation, supplies science, damage prevention and restoration and army flight know-how,” mentioned UW-Madison Vice Chancellor for Analysis Dorota A. Grejner-Brzezinska within the lawsuit difficult the Protection Division’s try to restrict oblique prices.
The Division of Protection awarded $67.4 million in grants to UW-Madison in 2023-24, making up 8% of complete company funding, the fourth-highest supply after the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, the Nationwide Science Basis and the Division of Vitality. UW-Madison ranked sixth in nationwide analysis expenditures with over $1.7 billion in the newest annual assessment.
UW-Madison additionally has 81 pending Protection grant proposals, as of June 13, 2025, with a requested complete price range of $70.5 million, in accordance with Grejner-Brzezinska’s declaration.
Oblique prices are prices that help analysis however should not directed to a selected award and embody “prices for constructing upkeep, utilities, procurement of shared gear, administrative companies, info know-how, libraries and compliance with federal rules,” mentioned Grejner-Brzezinska within the declaration.
On June 17, 2025, a federal decide in Boston briefly granted universities a brief restraining order, which means they are going to briefly function with the beforehand negotiated oblique price reimbursement charges of 55.5%. This follows an NIH cap of 15% on oblique prices, additionally blocked by a federal decide.
“The 15% fee cap will make most, if not all, of UW-Madison’s proposed and ongoing analysis tasks infeasible,” Grejner-Brzezinska mentioned.
Protection-funded research at UW-Madison embody a gaggle of 30 scientists who research traumatic mind accidents, satellite tv for pc information programs and synthetic intelligence infrastructure and analysis.
Madison School presently has no energetic Protection awards or grants, in accordance with a web site detailing federal grants.
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