MCW Cardiovascular Center Funding Opportunities

Steve Cullen Healthy Heart Scholar Award
The Steve Cullen Healthy Heart Scholar Award is made possible by the 2022 and 2023 Steve Cullen Healthy Heart Walk/Run (join us Feb 10, 2024 to raise funds for the next scholar award!) through MCW’s CVC. This award honors the memory of former Milwaukee Alderman Steve Cullen who died suddenly of a heart attack at age 40. The goal of this funding mechanism is to allow a faculty member (assistant (non-ESI), associate or full professor without R01-equivalent funding or fundable R01 score at the time of the award; exceptions to the R01 funding allowed for MPIs who can demonstrate receiving less than $125,000/year in direct costs) to acquire pilot data in a novel and innovative cardiovascular research area that will lead to the successful submission of an extramural grant application within the next two years. Research deemed innovative may introduce a new paradigm, challenge current paradigms, look at existing problems from a new perspective, or exhibit other unique qualities. Applications related to COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease are highly encouraged but not required. This is a one year, $50,000 grant. One award is available.

Michael Keelan, Jr., MD, Research Foundation Award
The Michael Keelan, Jr., MD, Research Foundation Award is for an early-stage investigator (assistant professor without current R01-equivalent funding). This award is made possible by a generous gift, managed by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, to the CVC by the Tendick Family in honor of Dr. Michael Keelan. Previous Keelan Scholars include Caitlin O’Meara, PhD, Jacquelyn Kulinski, MD, Brian Smith, PhD, Carmen Bergom, MD, PhD, Oleg Palygin, PhD, Tammy Kindel, MD, PhD, Lu Han, PhD, and Ziqing Liu, PhD. Over the last five years, the Keelan Award has leveraged over $10 million in extramural funding. One award is available. This is a one year, $50,000 grant.

Sally Bentley ESI Pilot Award
The Sally Bentley ESI Pilot Award supports early-stage investigators, allowing an assistant professor without R01-equivalent funding to acquire preliminary data, reviewer-requested data, to fund high risk/high reward projects, early-stage ideas, proof-of concept, and/or answer important research questions related to cardiovascular health or disease. Past recipients include Stephanie Olivier-Van Stichelen, PhD and Lu Han, PhD. Funding is made possible by the Sally Bentley Endowed Cardiovascular Venture Fund for New Researchers. The fund was established in 2011 with a gift to the CVC from Ms. Bentley and We Energies. One one-year award is available of $20,000.

Pilot Awards
The Pilot Awards allow a postdoctoral fellow (sponsored by CVC member), clinical fellow or resident (sponsored by CVC member), or faculty to acquire preliminary data, reviewer-requested data, to fund high risk/high reward projects, early-stage ideas, proof-of concept, and/or answer important research questions related to cardiovascular health or disease. Funding is made possible by generous donations of community members: the Greater Milwaukee Foundation Brenton H. and Betty L. Rupple Fund, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation Michael H. Keelan, Jr., MD Cardiovascular Research Fund (a gift from Donald and Rosemary Tendick), and Jim and Libby Wigdale. Up to 3 one-year awards are available for awards of $15,000 each.