States pioneer a new frontier in US science funding

Abstract

Thirty-five years ago, a survey of university faculty concluded that despite relatively stable public funding, the research environment in the United States had deteriorated to the point that "a major decline in research capability" was plausible or even likely. Today, US academic researchers are again "beset by flagging morale, diminishing expectations, and constricting horizons." According to data from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the share of US basic and applied research funded by the federal government dropped from nearly 48% in 2009 to just over 34% in 2023. As that decline is likely to continue, some state governments are responding by boosting their research spending. Greater reliance on states brings a new set of challenges, but opportunities as well.