University Funding. Assessing Federal Funding Mechanisms for University Research.
Abstract
Over 60 percent of university research funding comes from federal agencies. This research is a key element in the United States' international competitiveness and technology advancement. Others sources for research funding include industry, foundations, and state governments. Approximately 71 percent of the federal research funds are provided through one funding mechanism or category of federal financial support for scientific research -- individual project grants. Some scientists and policymakers havd questioned the consequences of such heavy reliance on individual project grants. For example, does this mechanism discourage the performance of innovative, high-risk, and interdisciplinary research? In response to the House Committee on Science and Technology's request that GAO assess the effects of; different funding mechanisms on the productivity and performance of research, GAO looked at: Whether particular funding mechanisms played a role in helping universities improve program quality. Whether two funding mechanisms -- individual project grants and center grants -- had different effects on the performance of research. GAO looked at five universities that, according to surveys of the scientific community carried out by two education and research organizations, had reputed improvement in program quality.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA165721
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office