June 25, 2025
A Save in Minnesota
Matthew Rodreick
I have good news - thanks to your support, we have preserved the Minnesota SCI/TBI Research Grant program!
As most of you are aware, budget cuts for research funding have not just been happening at the federal level, but have also been threatening our existing state legislative bills, notably Ohio and Minnesota. As I mentioned back in May, Minnesota legislators were threatening significant cuts to our highly effective SCI/TBI Research Grant program. This program has been at the forefront of developing spinal stimulation treatments that are providing recovery of function to people living with SCI.
Laura Grabowski works with her physical therapist using an epidural stimulator that was developed with funding from the MN SCI/TBI Research Grant program. Watch them on our youtube channel here: sit-to-stand; assisted walking; sit-to-stand 2.
Real people have been positively affected by this funding, like Laura Grabowski, shown above. And she’s not the only one. Kathy Allen was able to hug her daughter for the first time since her injury after receiving grant funded treatments, and Sandra Mulder had some sexual function restored thanks to work funded by this bill. You can listen to Kathy and Sandra’s stories here: EStand Trial Participants: Kathy Allen & Sandra Mulder - Episode 31; as well as Laura’s Grabowski’s experience with this and other clinical trials, here: Trials and Tribulations - Episode 79.
Despite already having our plate full defending federal SCIRP cuts, we joined a contingent of SCI community members and organized a response here in Minnesota to meet with key legislators and convince them to reject these proposed cuts. After multiple trips to the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul during the Higher Education Conference Committee, and calls from many of you, we learned recently that we preserved this important funding! It is, of course, bittersweet because it dropped from $6 million to $5 million. But the proposal we fought would have dropped it down to $1 million - which would've been devastating.
Key advocates join with Sen. Hoffman in 2017 to celebrate our successful lobby to increase funding for the SCI/TBI Research Grant program from $1M to $6M. Left to right - Jake Anderson (out of frame), Joe Daily, Billy Scheremet, Jenny Taylor, Matthew Rodreick, Sen. John Hoffman, Joey Carlson, Kelsey Peterson, Rob Wudlick, Lynne Dorr (out of frame).
Governor Walz signed the full budget Bill a couple of weeks ago which secured the preservation of this important funding. Given all of the federal cuts this session it would have been a hard hit to lose this program that has helped to position Minnesota as a key component of our national strategy.
I need to give a special shout out to Rob Wudlick (GUSU), Joey Carlson (MNSCIA) and Bob Wagner (GUSU) for showing up to testify in Committee as well as being a persistent witness and reminder of what some legislators were proposing to cut. Also: shout out to Jeff Knockbar (MN Brain Alliance) for being present as well and working behind the scenes to update and inform legislators on the proposed impact.
Joey Carlson, testifying in support of preserving our bill last month.
A quick aside: it is critical for us to challenge the blanket rhetoric about 'wasteful spending' that has circulated irresponsibly in our research circles this year. These funding bills are not about 'spending', but about 'investing' (as I've stated before the average return on investment for the states that adopt our bills is 8-1; the ROI for the SCI community is incalculable).
We are all free to debate what constitutes shrewd or foolish investments, but when you couch all government spending as inherently wasteful, it is disingenuous (as the Minnesota investments in SCI research show) and has a different meaning altogether. Our bills are designed to make smart, shrewd investments in SCI science that have the support and approval of the SCI community.
I want to remind you that your support is what made this victory possible. You believed in us. And so many of you, through your advocacy efforts and financial contributions have made this moment possible. Thank you for supporting our work - you are making a real difference! If you haven't made a donation in awhile or want to support our work by becoming a monthly donor, now is a perfect time to do so.
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Your support helps us continue to defend and expand SCI research funding that is having a tangible impact on our community.
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PS - Our ongoing campaign for a $5M Wisconsin Research Grant Bill is in full tilt right now. We'll have an update with a call to action soon, so stay tuned because we’re going to need your help.
