On Feb. 19, 1927, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) completed its first licensing agreement with the Quaker Oats company. The license, based on a discovery by professor Harry Steenbock, permitted Quaker Oats to fortify its cereals with Vitamin D. Professor Steenbock used ultraviolet radiation to add vitamin D to milk and other foods. These fortified products held unprecedented potential for preve

WARF invested the royalties from Steenbock’s discovery to support, encourage and aid research at UW-Madison and the Morgridge Institute for Research. Through smart management and oversight, the portfolio has grown to $3.29 billion in restricted and unrestricted funds.

In the academic year ending in 2023, WARF provided $130 million in total support to UW-Madison, which included base grants, supplemental funding, and support for the Morgridge Institute for Research.