Competition for 2026 grants opens October 1
UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees (PDGR) program is an annual competition with applications accepted from October 1 to December 31. It provides financial support for University retirees to continue scholarship or pursue new projects. Funding of up to $7,500 per grant is available. Retirees from all five campuses within the U of M System are eligible to apply whether they are members of UMRA or not.
Since 2009, PDGR grants have been awarded to more than 110 retirees. Recent award recipients have focused on projects as varied as learning and youth development, new methods for presidential voting, assimilation of immigrants, temper outbursts in psychiatrically referred youth, and burnout prevention for health care professionals.
You can find more information about the program, including the instructions for applying for 2026 funding, at umra.umn.edu > Service and Outreach > Grants for Retirees. Please consider making an application.
If you have previously contributed financially to the PDGR program, thank you for your support. If you have not yet made a contribution or, if you would like to make an additional contribution, you can do so via the PDGR crowdfunding page. All contributions are tax-deductible.
Now is a particularly good time to contribute as we have a $10,000 matching grant for the remainder of 2025.
If you are age 70½ or older, you can also make a tax-efficient gift from an IRA. To do so, contact Lynn Praska, senior planned giving officer, University of Minnesota Foundation, at [email protected] or 612-624-4158.
Anyone with questions or suggestions for the grant program should contact John Bantle, MD, PDGR Committee chair, at [email protected].
News
Then there are the unexpected things that happen…
… like a box of family history from a cousin that was completely unexpected. Perhaps it is like an unexpected DNA match.
Belonging to a group, a pack, a tribe, or a community helps us to live longer and be happier. Virtually every study that examines factors contributing to longevity identifies social connections as a key factor. Social connections enhance happiness, too, according to “Everything is Better Together,” a large-scale study published recently.
The University of Minnesota Medicare insurance program will end December 31. To facilitate this change, the University has arranged for Via Benefits to assist with insurance selection and enrollment. Working with Via is free and optional; retirees can also go to an insurance broker or contact insurance companies directly.
December 31 is the application deadline for UMRA’s 2026 Professional Development Grants for Retirees competition. Retirees from all five campuses within the U of M System are eligible to apply. Previous grant recipient Mark Bohnhorst, JD, is “deeply grateful” for the support provided by the program for his ongoing research about the Electoral College.
The University Board of Regents launched its fall meetings with the addition of four new interim regents appointed in August by Governor Tim Walz. The new members fill positions vacated by regents whose six-year terms expired earlier this year.
Meet UMRA member and quizmaster Dave Dorman. He has years of professional experience as a group facilitator, hosting conversations conducted in a civil atmosphere—something we need more of today!
The retirees who serve on the Leadership Council of the University Retirees Volunteer Center clearly believe that volunteering contributes to both individual and community health and well-being. In the words of one long-time volunteer, it “counters the isolated, siloed forces in today's society and fosters a sense that we are all in this together.”
There are many benefits to membership in UMRA, including discounted ticket prices for University Opera Theatre performances at the Ted Mann Concert Hall in Minneapolis.