Federal Funding for Research

Looking for the most up-to-date information on federal funding for research? 

 

 

For the most up-to-date information on federal research and development:

 AAAS Federal R&D Budget Dashboard: This interactive dashboard allows users to examine basic federal spending data by agency and/or by character of work over multiple decades in total dollars, as a share of the budget, and as a share of the U.S. economy.
 

Click on a federal research agency below for more information on its work and budget in recent years. 

National Institutes of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Food and Drug Administration
National Science Foundation

 

For more on investment in research, see:

Resources and Reports on R&D Spending
A robust array of data (recent and historical) on U.S. R&D investment, with a particular focus on funding for health-related research and development.

U.S. Investment in Global Health Research
Research!America’s summary of public and private sources investing in global health research

Research Funding by State
NIH, CDC, NSF, and AHRQ

A new report from Research!America shows total U.S. investment in medical and health R&D grew by 27% from 2013 to 2017, led by industry and the federal government. Academic and other research institutions ramped up their R&D investment substantially over the five-year period, increasing their spending by 27%, while state and local governments increased investments by 17.5%. Despite overall investment growth, medical and health R&D continues to account for just five percent of the total $3.6 trillion in U.S. health spending.
 

Understanding the Federal Budget

Federal research funding is crucial to our nation’s health and economy.

Research supported by agencies like the NIH not only bring about medical advancements but also create jobs, promote innovation, and ensure the continued safety and well-being of Americans. Efforts to cut the overall federal budget, however, frequently target research. This happens despite strong public support, making Research!America's advocacy - and yours - crucial in influencing the federal budget process.

Want to get involved? Learn about the federal budget process and the individual outlook for research agency budgets. You can also read about the current budget situation and have your questions answered in our FAQ.

Stay informed about the federal budget so you, too, can help make health and medical research a priority.

 

Examples of Federally Funded Research Studies

Federal funding supports scientific research at universities throughout the country. See our agency fact sheets to learn more about innovative studies and their implications for improving the health of Americans.  

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Policy Contacts

Anna Platt
571-482-2716
 
Without continued support for health research, many of the most promising young scientists, their ideas and a myriad of potentially life-changing scientific breakthroughs will vanish into oblivion.
Paul Marinec, PhD; University of California San Francisco