Funding and Support Descriptions
WHERE IT COMES FROM
FY 2016 Appropriations by Account ($7,463 million)
- 80% - Research and Related Activities (R&RA), $5,990 million
- 12% - Education and Human Resources (EHR), $879 million
- 5% - Agency Operations and Award Management (AOAM), $357 million
- 3% - Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC), $218 million
- <1% - Office of Inspector General (OIG), $15 million
- <1% - National Science Board (NSB), $4 million
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. AOAM includes $27 million in transfers for NSF headquarters relocation expenses from R&RA ($24 million), EHR ($1 million), and MREFC ($2 million). MREFC includes $20 million transferred from R&RA to fund NEON construction. These transfers were authorized by P.L. 114-113, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016.
WHERE IT GOES - INSTITUTIONS FUNDED BY NSF
FY 2016 Obligations for Research and Education Programs ($7,124 million)
- 76% - Colleges, Universities and Academic Consortia, $5,420 million
- 15% - Private Industry (includes small businesses), $1,068 million
- 3% - Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, $223 million
- 6% - Other (includes federal, state and local governments; nonprofit organizations; and international organizations), $412 million
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. NSF Research and Education Programs include Research & Related Activities, Education & Human Resources, and Major Research Equipment & Facilities Construction appropriations.
HOW IT GETS THERE - NSF AWARD MECHANISMS
FY 2016 Obligations for Research and Education Programs ($7,124 million)
- 74% - Grants, $5,425 million
- 22% - Cooperative Agreements, $1,541 million
- 5% - Contracts, $337 million
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. NSF Research and Education Programs include Research & Related Activities, Education & Human Resources, and Major Research Equipment & Facilities Construction appropriations.
HOW IT IS SPENT
Number of NSF Competitive Proposals, New Awards, and Funding Rates
| FY 2012 | FY 2013 | FY 2014 | FY 2015 | FY 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competitive Proposals | 48,623 | 49,014 | 48,074 | 49,635 | 49,306 |
| New Awards | 11,534 | 10,844 | 10,981 | 12,106 | 11,893 |
| Funding Rate (%) | 24% | 22% | 23% | 24% | 24% |
NSF Support of Academic Basic Research in Selected Fields (as a percentage of total federal support)
- 83% - Computer Science
- 69% - Biology
- 68% - Social and Psychological Sciences
- 64% - Mathematics
- 63% - Environmental Sciences
- 46% - Engineering
- 45% - Physical Sciences
- 27% - All Science and Engineering Fields
Note: Biology includes Biological Sciences and Environmental Biology. Biology and Psychological Sciences exclude National Institutes of Health funding from the total amount of federal support.
