Federal Funding Mechanisms in Support of University Research

Testimony was given concerning the use of federal funding mechanisms to support university research. GAO found that: (1) the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation provide over three-fourths of the total funds obligated for scientific research; (2) in fiscal year (FY) 1984, six federal agencies awarded 89 percent of their research funds through individual project awards, program project awards, and research center awards; (3) individual project awards accounted for 71 percent of the total support in FY 1984; (4) direct support for program projects and research centers is often multidisciplinary, longer in duration, and larger in dollar amounts than individual research projects; (5) direct support of scientific research has increased from 62 percent in FY 1963 to 87 percent in FY 1982; (6) many of the funding mechanisms used to support the research infrastructure, including major equipment and facilities, special training, and institutional support, have been discontinued over the same period; and (7) the type of funding mechanism has been less significant than the universities' commitment to improving the quality of research programs and their ability to obtain funds from a variety of sources.