Rutgers University has announced a $12.5 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in support of its merger with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

The grant to New Brunswick-based Rutgers will support a range of initiatives related to the integration of the two institutions, including the ongoing development of a university-wide strategic plan; the recruitment of key academic and administrative leaders; the consolidation of complex systems in finance, human resources, and information technology; the development of a university-wide facilities master plan; and outreach efforts centered on the benefits of the merger for the people of New Jersey and beyond.

As of July 1, most of the schools and institutes that make up UMDNJ will become part of Rutgers under the New Jersey Medical and Health Sciences Education Restructuring Act. The grant — the single largest award Rutgers has received from the foundation — is the first private award the university has received toward the $76 million cost of the merger, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

"The Rutgers-UMDNJ integration holds the promise of transforming Rutgers into a premier research and academic institution," said RWJF president and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey. "This grant reflects the [foundation's] commitment to supporting these educational and health care institutions, which are vital to the state's economy and the health and well-being of its residents, especially the most vulnerable."