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These are prepared remarks for a speech Iverson gave Nov. 13 in Madison to accept an Association of Fundraising Professionals award.
On behalf of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, thank you to the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Madison Chapter – and to the judges for this tremendous honor.
Along with my WARF colleagues with me here today, we are deeply grateful to be recognized as an Outstanding Institution at this National Philanthropy Day celebration.
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This recognition comes at a very special moment in WARF’s history. Throughout this year, we have marked our centennial—100 years of advancing research and innovation at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
From our very beginning, WARF has had one clear mission: to promote, encourage, and aid scientific research at UW–Madison.
Everything we do—every investment, every grant, every decision—is rooted in supporting the brilliant researchers at the university. Their discoveries save lives, fuel progress, and improve the world we live in.
Since Professor Harry Steenbock made the remarkable decision to place his vitamin D discovery in the service of the public good, and gave birth to the foundation, WARF has carried forward that same spirit.
Over the course of our 100 years, through patenting, licensing and investing, WARF has provided more than $4.5 billion in support to the university. That funding has advanced scientific research in every field you can imagine—from life-saving medical treatments to groundbreaking work in energy, engineering, and beyond.
Today, I am honored to share what comes next.
Each year, we provide a grant. For this current fiscal year 2026, WARF will provide $206.9 million in total support to UW–Madison and the Morgridge Institute for Research.
That figure includes annual and targeted grants along with operational support valued at $131.1 million.
And, I am especially pleased to announce to this group first, in celebration of our centennial, WARF has transferred our ownership of the Discovery Building to the university and the Morgridge Institute for Research. I am sure many of you have been to the Discovery Building, which sits right in the heart of our beautiful campus.
This gift, including funds for the building’s future support, is valued at $75.8 million.
These commitments represent both our gratitude for the past century of partnership and our confidence in the century to come.
For 100 years, people have said, “There’s only one WARF in the world.” We take that to heart—not because we’re unique, but because our mission is.
We exist to fuel UW–Madison’s research enterprise. Nothing more. Nothing less.
As we look forward, we remain steadfast in that role—standing behind the faculty, staff, and students whose brilliance will shape the next century of discovery.
Thank you again to AFP for this extraordinary honor, and thank you to all of you who believe, as we do, in the power of science, education and philanthropy to change lives.
– Iverson is CEO of WARF. See more: www.warf.org
