Momentum Grants propel work supporting community health, health research, and health workforce development.
Milwaukee, Wis. – Oct. 8, 2025 – The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW) will fund 44 new projects focused on improving health in Wisconsin. The grants of up to $250,000 were awarded through a competitive application process, with both community-based non-profit organizations and Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) faculty submitting projects for consideration.
AHW Momentum Grants support research and programs designed to improve health in Wisconsin. The funding covers eligible expenses incurred by project teams during a 24-month period starting on Nov. 1, 2025. Grant applications underwent a rigorous review process before approval of a final slate of projects by the MCW Consortium on Public and Community Health, the AHW Research and Education Advisory Committee, and the MCW Board of Trustees—AHW’s three oversight bodies.
AHW awarded 26 grants totaling $6,407,468 to community-based organizations throughout Wisconsin. Twelve of the community-focused grants support projects with statewide reach, while nine projects focus on urban centers and five are rooted in rural communities. In total, six urban counties and 27 rural counties are included in community-led projects in this round of AHW funding. Community projects receiving AHW funding include initiatives aimed at advancing mental health for Wisconsin veterans, sustaining Wisconsin’s healthcare workforce, filling gaps in social services for seniors, reducing underage drinking, and protecting children from lead exposure.
Additionally, AHW is funding 18 research projects with grants totaling $4,484,034. Among the MCW faculty-led initiatives receiving AHW support are studies devoted to improving outcomes for women with breast cancer, facilitating early detection and personalized therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, treating obstructive sleep apnea, and increasing the pipeline of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) higher education.
“The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment’s Momentum Grant awards represent the power of our unique formula for health philanthropy,” said AHW Executive Director Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH. “Operating within the Medical College of Wisconsin, we are able to fuel the best work in community health improvement throughout the state while also advancing the very latest biomedical and health science—all in fulfillment of our mission to improve the lives of all Wisconsinites.”
For more information on projects funded by AHW, including Momentum Grant awards that take effect in November 2025, visit the funded projects page on the AHW website.
