State funding bolsters MSU’s academic, research and outreach initiatives 

Michigan State University is receiving $333.7 million in base operations funding as part of the state of Michigan’s 2025-26 fiscal year education budget signed into law Oct. 7 by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The appropriation is a 2.1% increase over last year’s investment from the state.

MSU Extension and AgBioResearch are also receiving 2% funding increases, amounting to $34.7 million and $40.2 million in funding, respectively.

Separately, the state has continued to invest in several academic, research and outreach initiatives unique to MSU.

“Leaders across MSU have spent many months advocating for continued support from the state to benefit students, personnel and facilities across campus,” said President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. “I appreciate the work of Gov. Whitmer and the willingness of state legislative leaders to continue to invest in higher education. These are dollars that help ensure our Spartans learn, thrive and graduate — contributing to Michigan’s long-term success.”

Rx Kids

The state of Michigan has committed $270 million to Rx Kids, the nation’s first community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription, administered by Michigan State University. Increased funding will enable expansion over the next three years to more communities and families across the state and is expected to reach nearly 100,000 babies — about one-third of all births in Michigan.

“With this expanded support, we have the opportunity to bring Rx Kids to more communities across Michigan — and continue MSU’s long-standing mission of solving big problems and serving the people of our great state,” said Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at the MSU College of Human Medicine. “Thanks to bipartisan support from leaders across Michigan, thousands of babies will soon grow up with the resources they need to thrive.”

Project GREEEN

Project GREEEN, a cooperative plant agriculture initiative housed at MSU, has received $5.6 million in state funding. The initiative enables MSU AgBioResearch, MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to work together to advance Michigan’s economy through plant-based agriculture.

Animal agriculture

The Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture has received $1.5 million in state funding. The alliance is a partnership among Michigan animal agriculture industries, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension, all of which are focused on the advancement of the Michigan animal agriculture economy. In previous funding cycles, M-AAA research and outreach projects have supported producers’ efforts to manage infectious diseases, improve animal welfare and bolster environmental sustainability.

Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program

The Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program, which operates through MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension, was established in 2024 through the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development budget. This year’s $1 million in ongoing funding will support faculty and staff hires in strategic areas, including extreme weather and water science.

Education Policy Innovation Collaborative, or EPIC

EPIC has received $500,000 in state funding to strengthen MSU’s partnership with the Michigan Education Research Institute. EPIC will be working collaboratively with the Michigan Department of Education; the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential; the Center for Educational Performance and Information; and the University of Michigan to conduct research of critical importance to the state’s educational goals.

Michigan Traditional Arts Program

The Michigan Traditional Arts Program is a statewide program that works to advance cross-cultural understanding and equity in a diverse society through the documentation, preservation and presentation of traditional arts, folklife and everyday culture in Michigan and the Great Lakes region. The program, housed in MSU’s Office of University Outreach and Engagement, received $250,000 in state funding for folklife programming.