Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment

The Reilly-Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment is a competitive grant program that fosters public engagement and the advancement of the Wisconsin Idea, the principle that education should influence people’s lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom.

Proposals are encouraged for new community-engaged activities that partner with community and off-campus organizations to extend and apply research, education, and practice-based knowledge to address needs and foster mutual learning.

The Reilly-Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment supports the development of:

• New and innovative projects
• New dimensions to community-engaged projects
• Public engagement activities
• Community-engaged research

The grant program honors the legacy of Ira Baldwin and Ineva Reilly Baldwin and their deep commitment to the Wisconsin Idea. Learn about the Baldwin family.

Priority will be given to projects for which other funding sources (such as research grants, corporate support) are not available or are limited.

Funds are not intended to:

• Duplicate existing outreach or community-engaged projects
• Provide bridge funding for established programs
• Replace activities that are a part of a unit’s normal operation
• Support the development of new undergraduate or graduate courses, unless the new courses have a substantial community engagement component

Eligibility

All UW-Madison faculty and staff are eligible to apply. UW-Madison students are eligible to apply as a co-project leader with a faculty or staff member identified to serve as the project leader.

Grant Types

The Reilly-Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment offers two types of grants: Seed grants and Project grants.

The total amount granted each year is determined by the annual income from the Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment. The endowment supports the awards of approximately 8-12 Seed grants and 6-10 Project grants per year.

Seed Grants

• Maximum award amount: $4,000
• Project duration: Varies
• Ideal for smaller projects or preliminary efforts to foster innovation, experimentation, and/or relationship-building with community partners to inform and strengthen the planning for an upcoming project

Learn how to apply for a Seed Grant

Project Grants

• Maximum award amount: $120,000
• Project duration range: 1-3 years

Learn how to apply for a Project Grant

Reporting Requirements and Guidelines

All Reilly-Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment grant recipients—for both Seed grants and Project grants—are required to submit a final report in their final year of funding. Recipients of Project grants are also required to submit annual progress reports for the duration of their grant to continue to receive funding over multiple years. See further details and instructions.

Contact

For technical assistance, contact Rachel Niles, reilly-baldwin@provost.wisc.edu.

All other inquiries, including eligibility, proposal preparation, and reporting, contact Catherine Reiland, Assistant Vice Provost, creiland@wisc.edu.