The state provides base support for College programs, including salary and infrastructure. About one-quarter of state funds support instruction. Roughly one-sixth goes to Cooperative Extension programs, and just over half to research programs. The rest supports Agricultural Research Stations. Federal funding, gifts and grants are used primarily to fund research.
Tuition pays about one third of total instructional costs.
Competing for research funds . Our scientists compete with their counterparts across the nation for the federal grants that comprise the largest part of our research funding. These competitive grants are directed primarily to more fundamental research work that not only generates new knowledge, but also provides training for the next generation of scientists. Other federal funds, along with private gifts and grants, are used to support more applied, problem-solving research. One of the College's priorities is to find a way to increase research support for applied, problem-solving research directed at specific needs of Wisconsin people.