With graduate and undergraduate researchers working alongside world-class faculty advancing the frontiers of new knowledge, American universities provide the foundation for new products and processes that improve our quality of life and stimulate our economy. Moreover, they provide a cutting-edge education to our nation’s next generation of scientists, scholars, teachers, and leaders in government and industry.

Though universities receive research funding from a variety of public and private sources, the federal government is the largest contributor to university-based research. In recent years, about 60 percent of the total annual investment in university research has been provided by the federal government — over $22 billion in 2002 alone. For more information on federal investment in university research please visit the Association of American Universities.

In the 2004–2005 academic year, Rutgers received $156 million from federal agencies for basic and applied research. Seventy-four percent of those research dollars were awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Transportation (DoT).

Funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is also vital to Rutgers' research enterprise, as we are a federally designated land-grant institution. Cook College and the New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station are the land-grant components of Rutgers. This means they are part of a national system of colleges and universities that have a mission and mandate to serve citizens, businesses, and communities through teaching, research, and outreach.

The Rutgers Office of Federal Relations works to ensure that the federal government maintains its investment in basic research. We monitor the appropriations bills and urge strong funding for all of the agencies that fund our research. We work with our colleagues at the other AAU institutions to educate our nation’s policy makers about the value of university-based research. We meet with members of Congress and their staffs, and participate in exhibits that bring Rutgers research and researchers to Capitol Hill.

For a summary of the President’s proposed budget for science and technology in the next federal fiscal year, visit the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

For an update on the Appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year as they move through Congress, there are several sites worth visiting. AAU, AAAS and The Science Coalition offer information about federal research funding and policies.

Visit Gallerywatch.com for general legislative and congressional information provided by the Rutgers Office of Federal Relations.

For questions about specific federal legislation affecting research funding, send an email to the Rutgers Office of Federal Relations or call us in Washington D.C., at 202/220-1336.

If you are an undergraduate student interested in participating in research at Rutgers, visit the Office of Undergraduate Research for more information.

If you are a graduate or undergraduate student currently receiving a federal fellowship to advance your studies, or are working on a federally funded research project, congratulations! Share your success story! When congressional representatives know a program is benefiting their constituents, they are more likely to support it.

If you are looking for more information about federally funded fellowships or federal grants for research and how to apply, contact the Rutgers Office of Research & Sponsored Programs.


Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Office of Federal Relations
444 North Capitol St. Suite 351
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202/ 220-1336
Fax: 202/ 220-1337