Research and Graduate Studies @ KU

Flat federal funding leads to slight drop in research expenditures

Research activity at KU continued its strong performance in fiscal year 2007, but expenditures dropped slightly from the record levels of the prior year.

Overall, KU research expenditures from externally funded grants and contracts totaled $193.3 million in the year ending June 30. That compares with $199.6 million in fiscal year 2006. Adding in all institutional funds spent on research at both campuses raises the 2007 figure to $288.8 million, down 1.2 percent from the record $292.3 million in 2006.

Federally funded science and engineering research, the most closely watched indicator of research strength nationally, rose slightly at KU in 2007, to a record $115.7 million.

"It's not surprising our rate of research growth has slowed down," said Steve Warren, vice provost for research and graduate studies. "Most of our peers are experiencing the same thing. The largest sources of funding for all of us are federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. Funding for those agencies has actuallly declined over the past five years. KU kept growing in spite of that, but it was inevitable we'd reach this point."

Warren said his office regularly monitors the level of research spending. Based on that analysis, research spending for the current fiscal year should be comparable to 2007.

"The first quarter of this year was among the best ever in terms of research award announcements," Warren said.

A higher level of awards normally results in a higher level of research expenditures down the road--usually within 12 to 18 months.

Agencies announced fewer awards in the second quarter because appropriations bills weren't approved until late December.

For the current federal budget year, net funding for NIH increased by just $88 million, or less than a third of one percent.

"KU continues to be very competitive for research funding," Warren said. "We're investing in people, we're investing in facilities and we're forging new partnerships with industry, the Kansas Bioscience Authority and others. Over time, that strategy will serve us well, but increased federal funding is the key to future growth at KU and other research universities."