Latest figures show decline in federal funding for R&D, equipment, facilities in 2013

Federal agency funding for research and development and R&D plant (facilities and fixed equipment used for R&D) fell by 9 percent in fiscal year 2013, according to a new InfoBrief from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES).

NCSES found that total federal agency obligations dropped from $141 billion to $127 billion between fiscal 2012 and fiscal 2013. Funding dropped by 4 percent for research, 14 percent for development and 11 percent for R&D plant, according to the NCSES report.

The fiscal 2013 figures represent the most recent actual data available. Estimates project that combined funding for R&D and R&D plant will rise by 3 percent ($4 billion) in fiscal 2014 and 2 percent ($3 billion) in fiscal 2015.

Changes in agency obligation levels between fiscal 2012 and fiscal 2013 include the following:

• 14 percent drop ($10 billion) at the Department of Defense, which accounted for just over half of all federal R&D obligations in fiscal 2013
• 6 percent drop ($2 billion) at the Department of Health and Human Services, which accounted for 23 percent of federal R&D obligations
• 3 percent drop at NASA, which accounted for 8 percent of federal R&D obligations
• 1 percent drop at the Department of Energy, which accounted for 8 percent of federal R&D obligations
• 4 percent drop at the National Science Foundation (NSF), which accounted for 4 percent of federal R&D obligations

NCSES found that federal obligations for basic research declined by 4 percent. Basic research obligations are estimated to increase by 6 percent in fiscal 2014, then decrease by less than 1 percent in fiscal 2015.