Morgridge Center for Public Service

What Morgridge Center for Public Service does

The Morgridge Center for Public Service is a non-revenue-generating service and research center within the University of Wisconsin-Madison, founded in 1996 and housed in the Red Gym on the UW-Madison campus. It administers the university's civic engagement, service-learning, and community-partnership programming, serving UW-Madison students, faculty, and approximately 75 community partner organizations. The Center coordinates the Student Organization for Public Partnership (SOPP) with 14+ registered student organizations, runs the Morgridge Fellows pilot and a graduate certificate in Community-Engaged Scholarship (launched 2019), and operates mobility-access integrations with Lyft and BCycle. It is the formally designated implementer of UW-Madison's Civic Action Plan, a role assigned by the Chancellor's Office in 2017.

The Center's operating model is funded through a combination of UW-Madison budget allocations, the Morgridge family endowment (expanded in 2007 via a $1M-per-year matching challenge), and external grants. All programs are offered free of charge to participants. Staffing comprises 11 professional staff, 1 graduate assistant, and approximately 14 student staff, with Travis Wright serving as Faculty Director since 2021. The Center reports through the School of Education following a 2011 administrative restructuring that doubled its office space.

The underlying technology stack is conventional university infrastructure — GivePulse for service-hour tracking, Canvas for learning management — with no proprietary platform or AI/ML components described. Its competitive position rests on institutional designation, three decades of operating history, and the breadth of its partner network rather than on technology differentiation. The 2025-26 academic year marks the Center's 30th anniversary, underscoring its established rather than emergent character.

Name

Morgridge Center for Public Service

Legal name

Morgridge Center for Public Service

Website

https://morgridge.wisc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Morgridge Center for Public Service is a UW-Madison service center that coordinates civic engagement, service-learning, and community partnerships for students, faculty, and roughly 75 external partner organizations. It is funded by university budget, the Morgridge family endowment, and grants, with all programs offered free of charge.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Engagement Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Community engagement programs
• Civic engagement services
• Service-learning education
• Volunteer matching services
• Public service fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. University-funded public service programs: As a university center, the Morgridge Center operates as a non-revenue generating public service unit funded through university budgets, endowments from the Morgridge family, and external grants. Programs are provided free of charge to UW-Madison students, faculty, and community partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Morgridge Center for Public Service is a university-based center at UW-Madison that connects students, faculty, and staff with local and global communities through structured service and learning programs. It administers Badger Volunteers (a semester-long volunteer matching program with 75+ community partner organizations), Community-based Learning courses (110+ for-credit courses across 40+ academic departments), Wisconsin Idea Fellowships (up to $7,000 in student project funding), peer advising, faculty development grants, and a Graduate Certificate in Community-Engaged Scholarship. Programs are provided free of charge to UW-Madison students, faculty, and community partners, with operational support including transportation (Lyft, BCycle) and training modules.

Product overview

The Morgridge Center for Public Service is a university-affiliated community engagement center at UW-Madison offering a portfolio of service programs and educational resources. The core offerings include: Badger Volunteers (semester-long volunteer matching with 75+ community organizations), Badger Volunteers Tutoring & Mentoring Programs (K-12 and adult literacy/math support), Community-based Learning courses (110+ for-credit courses across 40+ departments with 25+ hours of service), and the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship (up to $7,000 grants for undergraduate community projects). Supporting services include Peer Advising, Transportation Options, Community-Engaged Leadership Retreats, and Student Organization Partnership Program. For faculty and graduate students, the center offers Morgridge Fellows Program, Community-based Research Grants, CBL Course Development Grants, and a Graduate Certificate in Community-Engaged Scholarship. The center does not offer a technology product platform but connects students with community partners through the BadgersEngage/GivePulse system and provides transportation coordination through Lyft and other providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Badger Volunteers: A semester-long program that pairs teams of UW-Madison students with community organizations to volunteer 1-4 hours each week at the same organization.
• Wisconsin Idea Fellowship
• Morgridge Fellows Program
• Community-based Learning (CBL)

Products and services

• Badger Volunteers

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 91% of CBL students reported getting more out of their course than traditional courses
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• UW South Madison PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA UW-Madison initiative designed to meet South Madison community needs and foster mutually beneficial relationships. Located in The Village on Park, the space encourages engagement between community members and UW-Madison in accessible and meaningful ways. The Morgridge Center collaborates with this partnership for community engagement activities.
• UniverCity AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission to improve the quality and visibility of UW-Madison's education, research, and service contribution to the high-road development of local communities that reflects the values of equity, democracy, and sustainability. Works with Morgridge Center on civic engagement initiatives.
• Campus CompactmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coalition committed to the public purposes of higher education. In 2015, Chancellor Rebecca Blank signed the Campus Compact 30th Anniversary Action Statement, pledging to develop a Campus Civic Action Plan. The Morgridge Center led the development of this plan for UW-Madison.
• Haas Center for Public Service (Stanford University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Pathways of Public Service and Civic Engagement framework used by the Morgridge Center was developed at the Haas Center at Stanford University and licensed for use at UW-Madison.
• School of Human Ecology (UW-Madison)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Morgridge Center joined the School of Human Ecology in March 2009 while maintaining a campus-wide focus, supporting engaged scholarship across UW-Madison.
• School of Education (UW-Madison)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn fall 2011, the Morgridge Center moved administratively to the School of Education while maintaining its campus-wide mission, doubling its office space in the Red Gym.
• Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnection to the Wisconsin Union ensures broad student participation in volunteer activities through WUD student-led committees, including Community Service and Alternative Breaks Committees.
• Office of the Provost (UW-Madison)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnection to the Provost's Office encourages the use of academic service-learning and community-based research as progressive teaching and learning methods by faculty and instructional staff.
• Badger Prairie NeedsminorOthersCommunity partner organization hosting Badger Volunteers for community service activities.
• Farley CenterminorOthersCommunity partner organization hosting Badger Volunteers for community service activities.
• RootedminorOthersCommunity partner organization hosting Badger Volunteers for community service activities.
• The CrossingminorOthersCommunity partner organization hosting Badger Volunteers for community service activities.
• Morgridge Institute for YouthminorOthersCommunity partner organization hosting Badger Volunteers for community service activities.
• Student Organization Partnership Program (SOPP) PartnerscoreOthersPartnership with 14+ Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) including Alpha Phi Alpha, A Moment of Magic, Black Power Coalition, Community Health Volunteers of Madison, Delta Tau Delta, Doctors Without Borders/MSF, EmBark, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Music Wellness Association, Global Partners for Community Health, Pre-Dental Education and Community Service, Scholars in Education, and Re-wear It.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• VolunteerMatch: National online platform that aggregates volunteer opportunities from nonprofits. Functionally overlaps with the volunteer discovery role of Badger Volunteers and could increasingly compete for student volunteer time outside university walls.
• Idealist: Online platform connecting volunteers and professionals with nonprofit and socially impactful opportunities. Comparable to Morgridge's student-facing volunteer discovery and advising functions, but operates at a national scale without a single university affiliation.

Broad incumbents

• Points of Light: National service organization focused on volunteer engagement across the United States. While not university-based, Points of Light shapes the broader civic engagement ecosystem in which Morgridge operates and is a relevant reference for volunteer infrastructure scale.
• Campus Compact: National coalition of 1,000+ colleges and universities advancing the public purposes of higher education. Morgridge is a member through UW-Madison and led the development of the campus Civic Action Plan under Campus Compact's 30th Anniversary Action Statement.

Direct peers

• Ginsberg Center for Community Service Learning: University of Michigan's center for community service and engaged learning. Comparable to Morgridge in coordinating CBL courses, community-based research, and student volunteer matching within a large public research university ecosystem.
• Center for Civic Engagement: Wesleyan University's Center for Civic Engagement supports community-based learning, fellowships, and community partnerships. Operates as a near-analog of the Morgridge Center although at a smaller private university.
• Haas Center for Public Service: Stanford University's center for public service, scholarship, and civic engagement. It is the direct peer of the Morgridge Center and the originator of the Pathways of Public Service and Civic Engagement framework, which UW-Madison has licensed for use.
• Center for Community Engagement: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Center for Community Engagement coordinates service-learning, volunteer programs, and community partnerships within the UW System. The most direct in-system peer to Morgridge's role on a UW-Madison campus.
• Bonner Center for Civic Engagement: The Bonner Foundation network includes university-based civic engagement centers at 65+ colleges. Comparable to Morgridge in providing student fellowship funding, community partnerships, and CBL course support across a network of higher education institutions.
• Center for Social Concern: University of Notre Dame's hub for service-learning, community-based learning, and volunteer engagement. It mirrors Morgridge's role of coordinating academic service-learning courses, student volunteer programs, and faculty development on a major research university campus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWp3Q4Ux4XjoSoL-nWJuwOw
• Facebookfacebook.com/MorgridgeCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/morgridge-center-for-public-service
• Instagraminstagram.com/MorgridgeCenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Morgridge Center for Public Service