Research Guides: STEM Policy: Grants and Funding

The Role of Law, Policy and Politics in Research Funding

Federal policy impacts science research in multiple ways and through multiple federal bodies. Congress appropriates funds to federal agencies for research; those agencies create internal and external policies for awarding grants to researchers. The Executive Office of the President appoints the heads of those agencies. These and other offices create the policies that establish the amount of money available for research funding; research funding priorities; applicant eligibility; application and reporting processes; terms and conditions of award acceptance; and other researcher compliance activities.

Who's Who in the Federal Grant Policy-Making Community

A Short History of Federal Grant Policy

Researchers and research institutions that receive federal grant money engage in a number of activities in order to comply with the laws and rules governing the terms and conditions of the award; to ensure integrity of research practice; and to maintain institutional eligibility to apply for and receive awards in the future. Financial oversight and accounting is a critical activity in award management on the recipient level. Other large areas of compliance include:

Training and oversight in research ethics/misconduct reporting
Research animal care and use
Human subjects in research
Conflict of interest reporting
Public access to research findings
Safety (Chemical, biological, radiation, etc)

How is Research Funded?

Grants 101
An online introduction to the U.S. Federal grantmaking process and grants lifecycle through grants.gov, which houses information on over 1,000 grant programs and vets grant applications for federal grant-making agencies.
Funding of Science: Wikipedia
A brief overview of public and private funding of research in the U.S., and internationally

Select Federal Grant-Making Agencies in the Sciences

All Federal Grant-Making Agencies
A comprehensive list of U.S. federal grant-making agencies
United States Department of Agriculture
"U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on sound public policy, the best available science, and efficient management."
United States Department of Energy
"The mission of the Energy Department is to ensure America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions."
United States Department of Health and Human Services
"The mission of HHS is to enhance the health and well-being of Americans by providing for effective health and human services and by fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services." The National Institutes of Health, a major source of biomedical research funding in the U.S., is an operating division of the DHHS.
United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
"The mission directives of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are to enable a safer, more secure, efficient, and environmentally-friendly air transportation system through aeronautics research; operate the International Space Station and prepare for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit; explore the Earth-Sun system, our own solar system, and the universe beyond; and develop the crosscutting, advanced and pioneering new technologies needed for current and future missions, benefiting the aerospace industry and other agencies, and addressing national needs"
United States National Science Foundation (NSF)
"The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the only federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering, except for medical sciences. NSF is tasked with keeping the United States at the leading edge of discovery in areas from astronomy to geology to zoology."

What Research Is Being Funded?

UW-Madison Budget in Brief
A brief snapshot of UW Madison budget picture for the 2014-2015 fiscal year. See pages 7-8 for federal research funding information.
UW Madison Data Digest
The UW Madison Data Digest provides quantitative information on the major dimensions of the university, including students, faculty, staff, and budget. This report is produced annually. Information about the federal funding supporting the UW's research mission is covered in the Research section.
USAspending.gov
"USAspending.gov is the publicly accessible, searchable website mandated by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 to give the American public access to information on how their tax dollars are spent".
Agency Profiles: USAspending.gov
Snapshots of funds awarded by agency.
National Science Foundation: Funded Awards
Keyword-searchable database of research projects funded by the NSF
National Institutes of Health: Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool
NIH funding facts and research awards