MCW Cardiovascular Research Center Funding Opportunities

Steve Cullen Healthy Heart Scholar Award
The Steve Cullen Healthy Heart Scholar Award is planned for 2026 through MCW’s CVRC. This award honors the memory of former Milwaukee Alderman Steve Cullen who died suddenly of a heart attack at age 40. To date, this event has donated more than $650,000 to the CVRC to help fund heart disease research and education. This is a one year, $50,000 grant.

View the Cullen website

Michael Keelan, Jr., MD, Research Foundation Award
The Michael Keelan, Jr., MD, Research Foundation Award is for an early-stage investigator (ESI) (assistant professor without current R01-equivalent funding). This award is made possible by a generous gift, managed by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, to the CVRC by the Tendick Family in honor of Dr. Michael Keelan. Previous Keelan Scholars include Caitlin O’Meara, PhD, Jacquelyn Kulinski, MD, Brian Smith, PhD, Tammy Kindel, MD, PhD, Lu Han, PhD, Ziqing Liu, PhD, and Pablo Nakagawa, PhD. Over the last six years, the Keelan Award has leveraged over $10 million in extramural funding. One award is available. This is a one year, $75,000 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, Lu Han, PhD, and Elizabeth Sweeny, 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 CVRC from Ms. Bentley and We Energies. One one-year award is available of $20,000.