InfoBrief

Analysis of Federal Funding for Research and Development in 2022: Basic Research

Christopher V. Pece and Gary W. Anderson

NSF 24-332

 | 

August 15, 2024

Funding for U.S. domestic research and development (R&D) performance, estimated to reach $885.6 billion in 2022, comes from a number of sectors, including businesses, government, higher education, and nonprofit organizations.​ The National Patterns of R&D Resources (National Patterns) publication series compiles data from surveys of organizations that perform R&D and documents trends in U.S. R&D funding and performance. In the 1980s, the business sector passed the federal government as the largest overall funder of domestic R&D performance.​ The most recent National Patterns publication made it clear that a similar milestone is approaching with respect to funding of basic research. At the turn of the century, the federal government funded about 60% of basic research. In 2022, the federal government is estimated to fund 40% of basic research (figure 1).​ As the share of federal funding for basic research has decreased, the share funded by business has increased. National Patterns estimates show that in 2022 40% and 37% of basic research is funded by the federal government and businesses, respectively.

U.S. basic research expenditures, by source of funds: 1953–2022
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U.S. basic research expenditures, by source of funds: 1953–2022

(Percent)
Year Federal government Nonfederal government Businesses Higher education institutions Nonprofit organizations
1953 57.7 1.4 33.5 1.3 6.1
1954 57.1 1.9 33.2 1.7 6.1
1955 55.8 2.4 33.7 2.0 6.1
1956 54.6 2.6 34.9 2.2 5.6
1957 55.5 3.0 32.9 2.4 6.1
1958 57.0 3.3 31.0 2.5 6.3
1959 61.2 3.5 26.7 2.6 6.0
1960 61.7 3.5 26.6 2.6 5.5
1961 64.3 3.6 23.9 2.6 5.6
1962 66.8 3.5 21.6 2.6 5.5
1963 68.4 3.5 20.1 2.7 5.3
1964 70.7 3.5 18.1 2.9 4.8
1965 71.3 3.5 17.3 3.2 4.6
1966 70.8 3.5 17.5 3.6 4.5
1967 72.0 3.6 15.6 4.3 4.5
1968 71.0 3.9 15.9 4.6 4.6
1969 70.4 4.4 15.5 4.9 4.9
1970 69.6 5.0 14.8 5.4 5.2
1971 68.8 5.2 14.8 5.7 5.5
1972 69.0 5.1 14.7 5.6 5.7
1973 69.4 4.8 14.8 5.4 5.5
1974 69.8 4.5 14.5 5.5 5.6
1975 70.1 4.4 14.4 5.4 5.7
1976 70.6 4.1 14.4 5.3 5.7
1977 70.5 3.9 14.3 5.6 5.8
1978 71.1 3.7 13.9 5.7 5.5
1979 70.9 3.6 14.1 5.9 5.3
1980 70.3 3.5 14.7 6.2 5.3
1981 68.3 3.5 16.6 6.4 5.3
1982 66.9 3.5 17.4 6.7 5.6
1983 66.1 3.3 18.1 6.9 5.6
1984 64.9 3.3 19.4 6.9 5.6
1985 63.8 3.5 19.8 7.3 5.7
1986 59.6 3.5 24.1 7.4 5.5
1987 60.0 3.6 23.2 7.6 5.7
1988 61.1 3.6 21.6 7.7 6.0
1989 61.2 3.5 21.4 7.8 6.1
1990 61.0 3.7 20.5 8.4 6.5
1991 56.3 3.4 26.4 7.8 6.1
1992 56.9 3.4 25.1 8.0 6.6
1993 57.1 3.3 24.8 7.9 6.9
1994 56.6 3.3 24.7 8.1 7.3
1995 57.4 3.6 22.7 8.5 7.9
1996 55.1 3.5 25.3 8.4 7.7
1997 52.4 3.4 28.3 8.6 7.4
1998 58.8 3.7 19.0 10.0 8.5
1999 58.4 3.6 19.4 10.0 8.5
2000 57.8 3.6 19.4 10.3 9.0
2001 56.8 3.5 20.3 10.3 9.2
2002 59.0 3.5 17.3 10.5 9.7
2003 59.9 3.5 16.4 10.4 9.8
2004 60.5 3.6 15.7 10.6 9.6
2005 59.4 3.5 16.4 11.0 9.8
2006 59.1 3.6 15.3 11.8 10.1
2007 57.1 3.7 16.9 11.9 10.4
2008 53.7 3.8 19.6 12.0 11.0
2009 52.8 3.4 21.7 11.1 11.0
2010 52.5 3.1 22.8 10.5 11.1
2011 53.3 3.2 20.2 11.6 11.7
2012 51.7 3.1 20.7 12.5 12.1
2013 45.8 2.9 26.6 12.5 12.2
2014 44.7 2.8 27.5 12.5 12.6
2015 44.1 2.8 27.0 13.0 13.1
2016 44.4 3.0 29.6 13.4 9.5
2017 43.6 3.0 29.9 13.8 9.8
2018 43.3 2.8 30.8 13.4 9.6
2019 42.4 2.7 32.4 13.1 9.3
2020 41.2 2.7 34.3 12.7 9.2
2021 40.0 2.5 35.9 12.6 9.0
2022 39.6 2.4 37.1 12.5 8.4

FFRDCs = federally funded research and development centers.
Note(s):

Detail may not add to total because of rounding. This figure reaggregates the R&D performer data according to major categories of R&D funding: federal government, nonfederal government (state and local), business, higher education, and nonprofit. Business sources of R&D funding in this figure include the own funds of domestic R&D-performing businesses, funds from other domestic businesses, and funds from foreign businesses. For trend comparisons, use only the historical data reported in this figure because some back-year data may have been revised. Data are based on reports by performers in the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics annual surveys on R&D expenditures: Business Enterprise Research and Development Survey, Annual Business Survey, Higher Education Research and Development Survey, Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, FFRDC Research and Development Survey, and Survey of State Government Research and Development. R&D expenditures by business performers—and, before 2001, also industry-administered FFRDCs—were collected on a calendar year basis. Expenditures for other performers are calendar year approximations based on fiscal year data. Some data for 2021 are preliminary and may be revised in future iterations of the National Patterns for R&D Resources report. The data for 2022 include estimates and are likely to be revised in the next iteration of the National Patterns for R&D Resources report.
Source(s):

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Patterns of R&D Resources (annual series).

However, data from the Federal Funding for R&D by Budget Function (Budget Function) show that federal funding for basic research increased from 14% of total R&D budget authority in FY 1978 to a high of over 27% in FY 2017 and has remained relatively stable ever since, holding at approximately 25% in FY 2022 (figure 2). In order to understand whether federal funding for basic research is in decline and to understand what constitutes the federal government’s portfolio of basic research funding, this InfoBrief will examine federal funding for basic research using three data sources: National Patterns, Budget Function, and the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development (Federal Funds for R&D Survey), all sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

Federal budget authority for basic research as a percentage of total R&D budget authority: FYs 1978–2024
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Federal budget authority for basic research as a percentage of total R&D budget authority: FYs 1978–2024

(Percent)
Fiscal year Percentage of total
1978 14.1
1979 14.6
1980 15.9
1981 15.1
1982 14.7
1983 16.1
1984 16.0
1985 15.7
1986 15.4
1987 15.8
1988 16.2
1989 17.1
1990 17.7
1991 18.8
1992 19.0
1993 19.2
1994 19.8
1995 20.0
1996 20.9
1997 20.9
1998 21.1
1999 22.5
2000 24.8
2001 24.6
2002 24.4
2003 22.5
2004 21.8
2005 21.9
2006 20.8
2007 20.4
2008 20.5
2009 23.3
2010 20.2
2011 21.0
2012 22.5
2013 23.1
2014 24.0
2015 23.4
2016 22.2
2017 27.3
2018 25.7
2019 27.0
2020 27.1
2021 27.0
2022 25.1
2023 (preliminary) 24.1
2024 (proposed) 23.8
Note(s):

Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Agencies in several functions received emergency COVID-19 pandemic-related funding for R&D and R&D plant in FYs 2020–22. The data for FY 2017 and onward reflect application of the narrowed definition of development described by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in its Circular A-11 of July 2016. The previous years' numbers reflect use of the former development definition. FYs 2009–10 include American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In FY 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) changed its R&D portfolio to reclassify funding in National defense and most Administration of justice as General science and basic research; in FY 2013, this was reclassified back to Administration of justice. In FY 2004, DHS changed its R&D portfolio to reclassify funding in General science and basic research and in Agriculture as Administration of justice. In FY 2000, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) transferred funding for the International Space Station program from R&D to R&D plant; the change is reflected in the budget authority for Space flight, research, and supporting activities. In FYs 2009 and 2012, NASA revised the classification of its R&D and non-R&D funding. In FY 2000, the National Institutes of Health in the Department of Health and Human Services classified all of its previous development activities as basic research or applied research, with a resulting increase in Health basic research. In FY 1998, many Department of Energy programs were reclassified from Energy to General science and basic research. In FY 1998, the Department of Veterans Affairs began reporting medical care support funds as a part of its total research budgetary resources; the change is reflected in the budget authority for Veterans benefits and services.
Source(s):

Data from FYs 1955–94 are from agencies' submissions to OMB, Circular A-11, exhibit 44A, "Research and development activities," and from supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices. Data from FYs 1995–2024 are from agencies' submissions to OMB per MAX Schedule C, agencies' budget justification documents, supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices, and Executive Office of the President, OMB, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2024.

Basic Research by Funding Source

The federal government funds R&D, including basic research, that is performed in all sectors of the economy (i.e., government, business, higher education, and nonprofit). Although the federal government’s share of basic research across all performing sectors of the economy has been declining since the late 1970s, data from National Patterns shows federal funding for basic research as a percentage of total federal funds for R&D performance has increased from 10% in 1953 to 32% in 2022. Federal funds for basic research as a percentage of total federal funds for R&D reached an all-time high of 39% in 2003. The increases in federal funding for basic and applied research in the late 1990s and early 2000s can be attributed to the doubling of the budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), commonly referred to as “the NIH doubling”—a 5-year plan (1998 to 2003) between Congress and the executive branch to stimulate research through NIH, which is within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).​ Since 2008, federal funding for basic research as a percentage of all federal funding for R&D has remained relatively stable, hovering between 30% and 33% through 2022 (figure 3).

U.S. federally funded R&D expenditures, by type of R&D: 1953–2022
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U.S. federally funded R&D expenditures, by type of R&D: 1953–2022

(Percent)
Year Basic research Applied research Experimental development
1953 9.5 27.2 63.3
1954 9.4 25.3 65.3
1955 9.1 23.9 67.0
1956 7.9 20.6 71.5
1957 7.2 20.9 71.8
1958 7.7 21.5 70.8
1959 8.1 20.0 71.9
1960 8.9 19.4 71.7
1961 10.2 19.1 70.7
1962 12.0 20.7 67.3
1963 12.4 19.3 68.3
1964 13.3 19.3 67.5
1965 14.4 19.3 66.3
1966 14.6 18.5 66.8
1967 15.7 19.0 65.4
1968 16.0 18.8 65.2
1969 16.1 19.2 64.7
1970 16.7 20.7 62.6
1971 16.8 20.3 62.9
1972 16.6 20.2 63.2
1973 17.2 20.7 62.2
1974 18.2 21.0 60.8
1975 18.4 22.3 59.3
1976 18.7 22.0 59.3
1977 19.2 21.2 59.6
1978 20.3 20.8 58.9
1979 20.4 20.6 59.0
1980 20.5 20.8 58.7
1981 19.5 20.5 60.0
1982 19.2 20.7 60.1
1983 18.9 21.1 60.0
1984 18.6 20.4 60.9
1985 17.9 20.8 61.4
1986 18.7 19.1 62.2
1987 18.9 18.5 62.6
1988 20.1 17.9 62.0
1989 22.1 19.4 58.4
1990 22.8 22.2 55.0
1991 25.1 23.5 51.4
1992 25.8 22.5 51.7
1993 27.1 23.3 49.7
1994 27.6 22.7 49.7
1995 27.0 21.5 51.5
1996 28.5 22.0 49.5
1997 29.9 20.0 50.1
1998 31.1 19.3 49.6
1999 33.5 20.8 45.8
2000 36.1 23.0 40.9
2001 35.7 25.5 38.9
2002 37.7 24.0 38.3
2003 38.6 26.0 35.5
2004 37.6 24.8 37.6
2005 37.3 24.5 38.2
2006 36.4 24.7 38.9
2007 36.1 26.4 37.5
2008 32.2 21.5 46.4
2009 31.2 24.3 44.5
2010 31.7 23.3 45.0
2011 30.9 23.2 45.9
2012 30.9 24.3 44.9
2013 30.2 26.9 42.9
2014 31.3 28.1 40.6
2015 31.2 28.8 40.0
2016 32.9 30.5 36.6
2017 32.1 31.2 36.7
2018 32.3 30.7 37.0
2019 32.8 31.0 36.1
2020 31.1 29.4 39.6
2021 32.1 28.6 39.2
2022 32.1 28.8 39.1

FFRDCs = federally funded research and development centers.
Note(s):

Detail may not add to total because of rounding. This figure reaggregates the R&D performer data according to major categories of R&D funding: federal government, nonfederal government (state and local), business, higher education, and nonprofit. Business sources of R&D funding in this figure include the own funds of domestic R&D-performing businesses, funds from other domestic businesses, and funds from foreign businesses. For trend comparisons, use only the historical data reported in this figure because some back-year data may have been revised. Data are based on reports by performers in the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics annual surveys on R&D expenditures: Business Enterprise Research and Development Survey, Annual Business Survey, Higher Education Research and Development Survey, Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, FFRDC Research and Development Survey, and Survey of State Government Research and Development. R&D expenditures by business performers—and, before 2001, also industry-administered FFRDCs—were collected on a calendar year basis. Some data for 2021 are preliminary and may be revised in future iterations of the National Patterns for R&D Resources report. The data for 2022 include estimates and are likely to be revised in the next iteration of the National Patterns for R&D Resources report.
Source(s):

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Patterns of R&D Resources (annual series).

If the share of federal funds for basic research as a percentage of all federal R&D funding has been stable at about 32% since the late 2000s, why does National Patterns data show that the percentage of total basic research supported by the federal government has been in decline? National Patterns data also demonstrate a trend in private sector R&D. For example, between 2000 and 2022, the amount of R&D funded by the business sector has more than doubled when measured in constant dollars (figure 4). In 2000, businesses funded $256 billion in domestic R&D, which increased 123% to an estimated $570 billion in 2022. In contrast, federally funded R&D increased from $92 billion to $135 billion over the same time period, an increase of nearly 47%. Similarly, business funding for basic research increased from $11 billion in 2000 to $41 billion in 2022, whereas federal funding for basic research increased from $33 billion to $43 billion over the same period. (All dollar amounts in this paragraph are in constant dollars).​ Therefore, although federal funding for basic research as a percentage of all federal funding for R&D has been relatively stable in recent years, the growth in private sector funding for basic research has reduced the federal share of basic research across the economy overall.

U.S. R&D expenditures, by source of funds: 1953–2022
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U.S. R&D expenditures, by source of funds: 1953–2022

(Millions of constant 2017 dollars)
Year Total Federal government Nonfederal government Businesses Higher education institutions Nonprofit organizations
1953 38,372 20,692 294 16,706 271 409
1954 41,414 22,857 328 17,496 291 442
1955 44,817 25,412 362 18,274 304 464
1956 59,566 34,886 396 23,443 322 519
1957 67,199 42,271 434 23,531 346 617
1958 72,382 46,247 477 24,583 368 706
1959 81,701 53,425 527 26,588 399 762
1960 88,484 57,533 581 29,144 432 794
1961 93,001 60,561 642 30,377 476 945
1962 98,647 63,960 707 32,324 530 1,126
1963 109,276 72,640 780 34,029 599 1,229
1964 117,368 78,424 845 36,172 697 1,229
1965 122,192 79,605 902 39,510 821 1,355
1966 129,541 83,134 939 43,026 965 1,476
1967 133,162 83,064 958 46,459 1,138 1,543
1968 134,940 81,865 1,009 49,276 1,206 1,584
1969 135,560 79,411 1,085 52,202 1,215 1,648
1970 130,130 74,222 1,174 51,755 1,280 1,699
1971 127,058 71,706 1,235 51,028 1,365 1,725
1972 129,871 72,478 1,274 52,938 1,408 1,774
1973 132,600 71,060 1,289 56,973 1,474 1,804
1974 131,115 67,944 1,256 58,506 1,547 1,862
1975 128,316 66,667 1,252 56,923 1,552 1,922
1976 134,454 69,185 1,258 60,356 1,637 2,018
1977 139,118 70,851 1,265 63,051 1,825 2,127
1978 146,114 73,219 1,329 67,350 2,036 2,180
1979 153,363 75,395 1,333 72,271 2,174 2,190
1980 160,583 76,162 1,317 78,557 2,335 2,212
1981 167,744 78,286 1,348 83,413 2,454 2,243
1982 176,461 81,148 1,357 88,926 2,637 2,393
1983 189,161 87,169 1,384 95,189 2,853 2,567
1984 207,528 94,322 1,463 105,926 3,073 2,743
1985 225,616 103,572 1,640 114,041 3,429 2,934
1986 231,920 105,349 1,869 117,632 3,893 3,177
1987 237,816 110,306 2,003 117,771 4,257 3,479
1988 243,385 109,313 2,118 123,577 4,594 3,784
1989 248,214 105,774 2,229 131,141 4,989 4,081
1990 256,292 103,888 2,359 140,306 5,373 4,366
1991 262,397 99,140 2,418 150,547 5,639 4,652
1992 263,686 97,141 2,432 153,457 5,691 4,965
1993 258,173 94,289 2,425 150,404 5,777 5,277
1994 258,078 92,699 2,475 151,308 6,006 5,590
1995 274,318 94,069 2,616 165,630 6,140 5,863
1996 289,515 93,002 2,730 181,057 6,507 6,219
1997 305,588 92,821 2,743 196,436 6,997 6,592
1998 321,964 93,995 2,739 210,746 7,406 7,078
1999 343,758 93,961 2,864 231,390 7,950 7,593
2000 368,456 92,458 3,001 255,734 8,621 8,643
2001 374,583 99,238 3,149 253,374 9,244 9,578
2002 368,020 104,446 3,381 239,294 10,161 10,738
2003 378,366 110,553 3,621 241,761 10,760 11,672
2004 382,831 114,818 3,700 241,974 10,922 11,416
2005 398,851 116,990 3,650 254,763 11,468 11,981
2006 417,393 118,872 3,917 270,225 12,103 12,275
2007 437,630 121,747 4,162 285,834 12,661 13,225
2008 459,907 133,634 4,796 293,162 13,336 14,980
2009 455,003 142,018 4,851 278,479 13,615 16,041
2010 453,632 141,263 4,800 276,828 13,680 17,061
2011 465,903 138,842 4,795 291,237 14,323 16,707
2012 465,418 132,894 4,462 295,894 15,326 16,841
2013 479,297 126,760 4,478 313,587 16,188 18,284
2014 493,603 122,760 4,370 330,228 16,776 19,468
2015 508,109 122,829 4,394 342,434 17,736 20,716
2016 531,028 120,290 5,084 366,743 19,065 19,846
2017 553,612 122,470 5,076 386,538 19,880 19,648
2018 590,500 128,162 5,135 416,936 20,519 19,748
2019 639,911 130,547 5,263 463,645 21,041 19,415
2020 680,262 140,602 5,386 493,791 21,408 19,076
2021 715,953 133,860 5,202 536,244 21,579 19,069
2022 750,649 135,482 5,003 570,358 21,627 18,179

FFRDCs = federally funded research and development centers.
Note(s):

Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Gross domestic product price deflators (2017 = 1.00000) were used to adjust current dollars for inflation. This figure reaggregates the R&D performer data according to major categories of R&D funding: federal government, nonfederal government (state and local), business, higher education, and nonprofit. Business sources of R&D funding in this figure include the own funds of domestic R&D-performing businesses, funds from other domestic businesses, and funds from foreign businesses. Constant-dollar estimates are derived from unrounded data. For trend comparisons, use only the historical data reported in this figure because some back-year data may have been revised. Data are based on reports by performers in the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics annual surveys on R&D expenditures: Business Enterprise Research and Development Survey, Annual Business Survey, Higher Education Research and Development Survey, Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, FFRDC Research and Development Survey, and Survey of State Government Research and Development. R&D expenditures by business performers—and, before 2001, also industry-administered FFRDCs—were collected on a calendar year basis. Expenditures for other performers are calendar year approximations based on fiscal year data. Some data for 2021 are preliminary and may be revised in future iterations of the National Patterns for R&D Resources report. The data for 2022 include estimates and are likely to be revised in the next iteration of the National Patterns for R&D Resources report.
Source(s):

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Patterns of R&D Resources (annual series).

Federal Budget Authority for Basic Research by Function

The NCSES-sponsored Budget Function report provides information on budget authority for R&D, the congressionally set ceiling on obligations and outlays within the federal government, by congressional budget functions.​,​ Before federal agencies can issue obligations and incur outlays, they must receive authorization from Congress. Authorization is often made in the form of budget authority. Along with data presented earlier in figure 3 on federally funded R&D expenditures, federal budget authority for basic research has increased as a percentage of total R&D budget authority, from 14% in FY 1978 to a high of 27% in FY 2020 (figure 2). Although the share of budget authority for basic research declined since FY 2020, the current dollar value has actually increased to $45.2 billion in FY 2022 and is expected to increase to $47.1 billion and $48.3 billion in FY 2023 and FY 2024, respectively (figure 5).​ The increased amount of total R&D budget authority during the COVID-19 pandemic had the effect of reducing the share of basic research even though the amount in current dollars is expected to increase.​

Federal budget authority for basic research: FYs 1978–2024
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Federal budget authority for basic research: FYs 1978–2024

(Billions of dollars)
Fiscal year Current dollars Constant 2017 dollars
1978 3.7 11.1
1979 4.1 11.6
1980 4.7 12.2
1981 5.1 12.0
1982 5.3 11.7
1983 6.2 13.2
1984 7.1 14.4
1985 7.8 15.4
1986 8.2 15.8
1987 9.0 17.0
1988 9.6 17.5
1989 10.6 18.7
1990 11.3 19.1
1991 12.4 20.3
1992 13.0 20.7
1993 13.4 21.0
1994 13.6 20.7
1995 13.8 20.6
1996 14.4 21.2
1997 15.0 21.6
1998 15.5 22.1
1999 17.4 24.5
2000 19.5 26.8
2001 21.4 28.7
2002 23.8 31.6
2003 25.3 32.9
2004 26.5 33.6
2005 27.7 34.1
2006 27.3 32.6
2007 28.2 32.7
2008 28.7 32.7
2009 36.4 41.0
2010 29.6 33.0
2011 29.9 32.7
2012 31.8 34.2
2013 30.2 31.8
2014 32.1 33.2
2015 31.8 32.6
2016 32.8 33.4
2017 34.1 34.1
2018 36.2 35.4
2019 39.4 37.8
2020 44.3 42.0
2021 42.9 39.3
2022 45.2 38.7
2023 (preliminary) 47.1 38.6
2024 (proposed) 48.3 38.5
Note(s):

Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Gross domestic product implicit price deflators (2017 = 1.00000) were used to adjust current dollars for inflation. FY 2009 includes funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In FYs 2020–22, agencies in several functions received emergency COVID-19 pandemic-related funding for R&D or R&D plant.
Source(s):

Data from FYs 1978–94 are from agencies' submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Circular A-11, exhibit 44A, "Research and development activities," and from supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices. Data from FYs 1995–2024 are from agencies' submissions to OMB per MAX Schedule C, agencies' budget justification documents, supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices, and Executive Office of the President, OMB, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2024.

However, when adjusted for inflation, federal R&D budget authority has declined since FY 2020 and is estimated to be relatively unchanged between FYs 2022 and 2024 (figure 5). Health is the predominant budget function for budget authority in basic research and has been since the late 1970s (figure 6).​ Once again, the increases in the Health budget function from the late 1990s through the early 2000s are indicative of the effect of the NIH doubling. Further federal stimulus investments in 2009 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and in 2020 from funding related to the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to specific increases totaling $23.7 billion and $20.7 billion, respectively. However, these periodic stimulus funds have not had the effect of setting new levels of sustained budget authority for basic research.

Federal budget authority for basic research, by selected budget function: FYs 1978–2024
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Federal budget authority for basic research, by selected budget function: FYs 1978–2024

(Billions of constant 2017 dollars)
Fiscal year National defense General science and basic research Space flight, research, and supporting activities Health All other functions
1978 1.0 2.9 1.3 3.8 2.2
1979 1.0 2.9 1.2 4.4 2.0
1980 1.4 3.0 1.2 4.6 2.0
1981 1.4 3.0 1.0 4.6 2.0
1982 1.5 2.9 1.0 4.3 2.0
1983 1.7 3.0 1.1 5.2 2.2
1984 1.7 3.3 1.3 5.7 2.4
1985 1.7 3.5 1.0 6.4 2.8
1986 1.9 3.5 4.1 6.4 2.7
1987 1.7 3.7 1.6 7.3 2.8
1988 1.7 3.8 1.7 7.5 2.8
1989 1.7 4.0 1.9 7.8 3.3
1990 1.7 3.9 2.4 7.9 3.3
1991 1.9 4.1 2.4 8.2 3.6
1992 1.8 4.0 2.4 8.8 3.7
1993 2.1 4.0 2.5 8.9 3.6
1994 1.8 3.9 2.7 9.0 3.3
1995 1.8 3.9 2.4 9.1 3.4
1996 1.7 3.9 2.5 9.4 3.7
1997 1.6 4.0 2.4 9.9 3.8
1998 1.5 5.9 2.3 10.5 1.9
1999 1.6 6.3 2.3 12.1 2.2
2000 1.6 6.5 2.2 13.9 2.5
2001 1.8 7.0 2.3 15.7 2.1
2002 1.9 7.4 2.5 17.2 2.7
2003 1.8 7.7 2.9 18.4 2.1
2004 1.7 7.9 3.1 18.8 2.1
2005 1.9 7.7 3.1 19.5 2.0
2006 1.8 7.6 2.7 18.5 1.9
2007 1.8 8.0 2.7 18.1 2.1
2008 1.9 8.2 2.5 18.1 2.0
2009 2.0 12.1 1.0 23.7 2.1
2010 2.1 9.6 1.2 18.0 2.2
2011 2.1 9.6 1.3 17.5 2.2
2012 2.2 9.1 3.4 17.4 2.1
2013 2.1 8.6 3.1 16.2 1.9
2014 2.2 9.1 3.5 16.4 2.1
2015 2.3 9.5 3.3 15.4 2.1
2016 2.4 9.4 3.7 15.8 2.1
2017 2.3 9.2 3.6 16.7 2.3
2018 2.3 9.7 3.2 17.9 2.3
2019 2.5 9.8 4.8 18.3 2.5
2020 2.5 10.2 6.3 20.7 2.3
2021 2.5 10.5 4.7 19.3 2.3
2022 2.3 10.2 4.9 18.7 2.6
2023 (preliminary) 2.4 10.3 4.6 18.8 2.5
2024 (proposed) 2.0 11.1 4.6 18.3 2.5
Note(s):

Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Not all basic research funded by the federal government falls into the General science and basic research (251) category. Federal funding for basic research arises in other functional categories—such as National defense or Health—and is included in the category funding totals there. In FYs 2020–22, agencies in several functions received emergency COVID-19 pandemic-related funding for R&D or R&D plant. FY 2009 includes funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In FY 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) changed its R&D portfolio to reclassify funding in National defense and most Administration of justice as General science and basic research; in FY 2013, this was reclassified back to Administration of justice. In FY 2004, DHS changed its R&D portfolio to reclassify funding in General science and basic research and in Agriculture as Administration of justice. In FY 2000, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) transferred funding for the International Space Station program from R&D to R&D plant; the change is reflected in the budget authority for Space flight, research, and supporting activities. In FYs 2009 and 2012, NASA revised the classification of its R&D and non-R&D funding. In FY 2000, the National Institutes of Health in the Department of Health and Human Services classified all of its previous development activities as basic research or applied research, with a resulting increase in Health basic research. In FY 1998, many Department of Energy programs were reclassified from Energy to General science and basic research. In FY 1998, the Department of Veterans Affairs began reporting medical care support funds as a part of its total research budgetary resources; the change is reflected in the budget authority for Veterans benefits and services.
Source(s):

Data from FYs 1955–94 are from agencies' submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Circular A-11, exhibit 44A, "Research and development activities," and from supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices. Data from FYs 1995–2024 are from agencies' submissions to OMB per MAX Schedule C, agencies' budget justification documents, supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices, and Executive Office of the President, OMB, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2024.