Past Funding Outcomes
Past Funded Research
Between 2016 and 2024, the Dedicated Marijuana Account (DMAc) grant program at Washington State University (WSU) utilized funds from the Liquor and Cannabis Board to award 35 research grants to 24 individuals, representing an investment of $876,743 in cannabis research.
The following data are based on responses to a Qualtrics survey administered to DMAc grant recipients in September 2025. Responses were received from 21 of 24 investigators (87.5% response rate), accounting for 30 of the 35 grants (85.7%) and $774,067 of the total funds. Data were unavailable for 5 grants awarded to 4 individuals (2 of whom left WSU). The analyses presented below are based on the 30 grants with complete data (except for section II below).
Distribution by College
The 35 DMAc grants were distributed across seven colleges at WSU, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of cannabis research at the university.
| College | Number of Grants |
|---|---|
| College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) | 12 |
| College of Veterinary Sciences (CVM) | 10 |
| College of Nursing | 5 |
| College of Communication | 3 |
| College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) | 2 |
| College of Medicine | 2 |
| College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences | 1 |
Trainee Support
A major strength of the DMAc program has been its contribution to student research training and development.
- 25 of 30 grants (83.3%) supported 25 graduate students.
- 11 of 30 grants (36.7%) supported 46 undergraduate students.
- 1 of 30 grants (3.3%) supported 1 postdoctoral researcher.
- Only 3 of 30 grants (10%)did not support any trainees
Overall, DMAc grants provided significant research and training opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees across disciplines
Research Productivity
Manuscript Submissions and Publications
DMAc funding resulted in robust publication activity
| Metric | Total | Range | Median | Mean (SD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manuscript Submitted | 63 | 0-6 | 2 | 2.1 (1.5) |
| Manuscripts Published | 51 | 0-5 | 1.5 | 1.8 (1.4) |
In addition, WSU students associated with DMAc-funded projects collectively received 127 authorships on these publications, with individual student authorships ranging from 0 to 13 (Median = 4; Mean = 5.1; SD = 4.1).
External Funding Outcomes
DMAc grants served as effective seed funding, facilitating external grant submissions and awards
| Metric | Total | Range | Median | Mean (SD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| External Grants Submitted | 49 | 0-8 | 1 | 1.7 (1.9) |
| External Grants Awarded | 16 | 0-4 | 0.5 | 0.8 (1.1) |
Respondents reported that a total of $15,448,605 in external funding was secured as a result of their DMAc awards, demonstrating significant return on investment for the program.
Therefore, for every $1 invested through the DMAc grants, WSU researchers generated about $20 in external research funding
Conference Presentations
DMAc-supported projects led to substantial scholarly dissemination through conference presentations
| Metric | Total | Range | Median | Mean (SD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Conference Presentations | 158 | 0-13 | 3 | 4.8 (3.8) |
| Student Authorships/Co-Authorships | 207 | 0-23 | 4.5 | 6.9 (6.7) |
These findings highlight the program’s contribution to both faculty and student visibility within the scientific community.
Collaborations
Nineteen (63%) DMAc grants fostered international or cross-institutional collaborations, expanding the reach of WSU’s cannabis research portfolio and enhancing its integration with broader scientific networks.
Summary of Program Impact
The DMAc grant program has had a substantial and measurable impact on WSU’s cannabis research enterprise. Between 2016 and 2024, DMAc funding:
- Supported 24 faculty researchers across 7 colleges.
- Engaged dozens of trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels.
- Produced 51 publications and 158 conference presentations.
- Leveraged over $15 million in external funding.
- Promoted collaboration, outreach, and public engagement in cannabis research.
Explore Peer-Reviewed Publications Funded by DMAc Grants
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