Changes in Federal and Non-Federal Support for Academic R&D Over the Past Three Decades

The National Science Foundation Info Brief outlines trends over 30 years in federal and non-federal support for academic research and development (R&D). The brief reports that while federal spending for academic R&D grew by an inflation adjusted 180 percent between 1972 and 2000, the findings reveal federal support played a diminishing role compared to non-federal sources, which grew by nearly 350 percent during the period.