Federal budget continues growth for innovation initiatives

The final FY 2021 budget provides $1.4 trillion in total federal funding, including increases in some programs affecting the innovation economy. Among SSTI’s Innovation Advocacy Council priorities: EDA’s Build to Scale received an appropriation of $38 million, SBA’s Regional Innovation Clusters received $6 million, and SBA’s Federal and State Technology (FAST) program received $4 million. These are just a few of the federally-funded initiatives that support regional innovation economies and a wide range of federal R&D activities.

Department of Commerce

• EDA: Build to Scale – $38 million (+$5 million from FY 2020) – At least $30 million for the Venture Challenge and $6 million for the Capital Challenge
• EDA: STEM Apprenticeships – $2 million (no change)
• EDA total funding – $346 million (+$13 million)
• NIST: Manufacturing Extension Partnership – $150 million (+$4 million)
• NIST: Manufacturing USA – $16.5 million (+$0.5 million)
• NIST: Scientific & Technical Research & Services – $788 million (+$38 million)
• Minority Business Development Agency – $48 million (+$6 million) – Designates $9 million for broad agency announcements with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship

Small Business Administration

• Regional Innovation Clusters – $6 million (+$1 million from FY 2020)
• FAST Partnership Program – $4 million (+$1 million)
• Growth Accelerators Fund Competition – $2 million (no change)
• Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot – $3 million (new) – Initiative that will provide up to three grants to states to support access to cybersecurity tools

National Science Foundation

• Overall funding level – $8.5 billion (+$208 million from FY 2020) – Includes $210 million for quantum information science research
• I-Corps – $40 million (+$5 million)
• Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) – $200 million (+$10 million)

Health & Human Services

• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention – $7.9 billion (+$123 million from FY 2020)
• NIH – $42.9 billion (+$1.25 billion) – Includes $397 million for Institutional Development Awards (+$10 million) and $50 million for public and nonprofit biomedical research facilities
• BARDA – $596.7 million (+$35 million)

Department of Defense

• Research, Development, Test & Evaluation – $107 billion (+$2.7 billion)
• Defense Manufacturing Communities – $50 million (+$25 million)

Department of Agriculture

• Rural Innovation Stronger Economy – $5 million (no change from FY 2020)
• Rural Cooperative Development Grants – $26.6 million (no change) – Includes $2.8 million for technology transfer for rural areas program
• Agricultural Research Service – $1.5 billion (+$77 million)
• National Institute of Food and Agriculture – $1.6 billion (+$43 million)

Department of Energy

• ARPA-E – $427 million (+$2 million from FY 2020)
• Office of Science – $7.0 billion (+$26 million)
• Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institutes – $28 million (did not receive a specific line item in FY 2020) – $14 million is for a new institute
• Office of Technology Transitions – (no line item given) – Includes an additional $5 million for a program to fund clean energy incubators that have support from state, regional and local entities

Department of Labor

• Apprenticeship Grant Program – $185 million (+$10 million from FY 2020)
• Strengthening Community College Training Grants – $45 million (+$5 million)
• Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities – $35 million (+$5 million) – For use in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission and Delta Regional Authority

NASA

• Science office – $7.3 billion (+$162 million from FY 2020)
• EPSCoR – $26 million (+$2 million)
• Regional Economic Development – $8 million (no change)
• STEM Engagement – $127 million (+$7 million) 

Additional initiatives

• CDFI Fund – $270 million (+$8 million)
• Appalachian Regional Commission – $180 million (+$5 million)
• Delta Regional Authority – $30 million (no change)
• Department of Education: Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grants – $10 million (new) – Competitive program to support higher education enrollment and completion for high-skill/wage or in-demand programs

If your organization leverages federal funding to support your work, consider adding your voice to SSTI’s Innovation Advocacy Council. Contact Jason Rittenberg (rittenberg@ssti.org) to learn more.