Fall Research Competition Runs Until Sept. 4

From launching pilot studies, to support for creative scholarship, and helping secure major federal grants, the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Fall Research Competition (FRC) has long helped researchers turn promising ideas into impactful discoveries.

The latest round of the competition, administered by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR), is now open. Applications are due Sept. 4, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. Details and application materials are available on the Fall Research Competition website.

Supported by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the FRC provides funding for projects across the biological sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities.

“The Fall Research Competition is a long-held and uniquely UW–Madison tradition,” says Dorota Brzezinska, vice chancellor for research. “Award recipients often tell me these funds helped generate the preliminary data needed to pursue larger federal grants. The program also supports graduate students, enables researchers to explore new directions and creates a bridge to future external funding.”

Faculty and permanent principal investigators are encouraged to submit proposals, particularly those that strengthen future applications for external funding.

One recent recipient is Dan Sacks, associate professor of Risk and Insurance in the Wisconsin School of Business. Sacks is studying how extending postpartum Medicaid coverage affects insurance access and health care use among new mothers.

Historically, Medicaid coverage for pregnancy ended two months after delivery, but many states, including Wisconsin, have expanded coverage to 12 months postpartum. Sacks is using Wisconsin insurance data and a COVID-era policy change that effectively extended coverage to better understand the impact on maternal health care.

“The FRC allowed us to support Ph.D. students who handled the data cleaning and initial analyses,” Sacks says. “You should apply. If you have a strong research idea, the FRC can help make it happen.”

Faculty members and permanent PIs may submit one application, either individually or in collaboration with another investigator. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in December.