NSF Finds Nonprofit R&D Holding its Own

Research and development activity in the nonprofit sector share of total U.S. R&D held steady at 3 percent from 1973 to 1997, according to a February 15 Data Brief prepared by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Data Brief reports on the first survey of nonprofit R&D activity since 1973.



The new study captured R&D funding and performance by nonprofit organizations for fiscal years 1996 and 1997. In 1997 nonprofit organization intramural R&D expenditures totalled $7.3 billion. The average annual current dollar increase from 1973 to 1997 was five percent when adjusted for inflation. Extramural R&D activity for nonprofits was estimated to be approximately $1.5 billion for the same year.



NSF has made early release tables for the report available on its website. Table A-12, which provides figures for intramural R&D performance at individual nonprofit organizations by state for fiscal year 1997 may be of particular interest to state and local tech-based economic development officals.



The Early Release Tables can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/srs01411