Key Takeaways
- Viterbo University received its two largest federal grants ever, totaling 6.19 million dollars, announced on October 7, 2026.
- A 3.25 million dollar Health Resources and Services Administration grant funds scholarships for Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling students.
- A 2.94 million dollar Title III Strengthening Institutions grant from the U.S. Department of Education supports nursing, pre-health, student success and lab upgrades.
- The combined 6.19 million dollars is larger than the 5.68 million dollars in contributions Viterbo reported for its 2025 fiscal year.
Viterbo University received the two largest federal grants in its history on the same day, bringing in more than 6.19 million dollars, according to a statement from the university reported by News 8000 on October 7, 2026. The university was awarded a 3.25 million dollar Health Resources and Services Administration grant and a separate 2.94 million dollar Title III Strengthening Institutions grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Both are federal grants, spread over five years.
HRSA and Title III: What Viterbo University's $6.19 Million in Federal Grants Funds
The larger of the two awards is a 3.25 million dollar grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, made through its Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program. The money funds scholarships for students in Viterbo University's Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program, with the stated aim of building the behavioral health workforce in rural and underserved communities. By reducing the cost of graduate education, the grant is meant to move more counselors into communities that struggle to recruit them.
The second award is a 2.94 million dollar Title III Strengthening Institutions grant from the U.S. Department of Education. It supports nursing and pre-health programs, student success efforts, and adult and accelerated learning. In the first year, the funds go toward lab and technology upgrades, according to WIZM. Both grants are spread over five years, so the 6.19 million dollars arrives in installments rather than a single payment.
Viterbo University by the Numbers: Revenue, Contributions and the Grants' Scale
Viterbo University, operating as Viterbo College Inc, reported 68.0 million dollars in revenue and 68.2 million dollars in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 2025, according to its Form 990. The university held 131.1 million dollars in total assets and 122.0 million dollars in net assets at the close of that year.
Against that balance sheet, the 6.19 million dollars in new federal funding is a large one-time addition. It is larger than the 5.68 million dollars in total contributions Viterbo reported for the fiscal year ending June 2025, and it equals roughly 9 percent of the university's annual revenue. Because the two grants are paid across five years, the annual draw is smaller, but the combined figure still exceeds a full year of the gifts and donations the university recorded.
Why the Federal Grants Matter for Rural Behavioral Health in Wisconsin
The HRSA grant ties Viterbo University's federal funding directly to a workforce shortage. Rural and underserved parts of Wisconsin and the wider region face a shortage of licensed mental health counselors, and the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program is designed to lower the financial barrier that keeps students out of graduate counseling programs. Tonya Wagner, Viterbo's executive vice president of academic affairs and enrollment, said the awards carry weight for the region.
"These grants are an extraordinary opportunity for Viterbo University to positively impact our region," Wagner said in the university's statement. She added that the funding advances the university's priorities: "They directly advance our strategic priorities by strengthening mental health, health care, education, and workforce pathways, expanding access to flexible and accelerated programs, and preparing more students for careers that are critical to the communities we serve." The Title III award, by contrast, is aimed inward, upgrading the labs, technology and support systems that nursing and pre-health students rely on.
People Also Ask
How much did Viterbo University receive in federal grants?
Viterbo University received 6.19 million dollars across two federal grants announced on October 7, 2026. The total is made up of a 3.25 million dollar Health Resources and Services Administration grant and a 2.94 million dollar Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
What will Viterbo University's HRSA grant pay for?
The 3.25 million dollar Health Resources and Services Administration grant funds scholarships for students in Viterbo University's Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program. The goal is to build the behavioral health workforce in rural and underserved communities by reducing the cost of graduate study.
What does the Title III grant to Viterbo University support?
The 2.94 million dollar Title III Strengthening Institutions grant from the U.S. Department of Education supports Viterbo University's nursing and pre-health programs, student success efforts, and adult learning. First-year funds go toward lab and technology upgrades.
Are these the largest grants in Viterbo University's history?
Yes. Viterbo University said the 3.25 million dollar and 2.94 million dollar awards are the two largest federal grants in its history, and both were received on the same day. Each grant is spread over five years.