Federal Budget Authority for R&D Declined in Fiscal Years 2011-12

Modest R&D increase proposed for fiscal year 2013

Federal budget authority for research and development (R&D) and R&D Plant (R&D facilities and fixed equipment), declined in fiscal years 2011 and 2012, mostly due to a drop in defense-related R&D, according to a recent report from the National Science Foundation.

Budget authority for Research and Development (R&D) and R&D plant (R&D facilities and fixed equipment) declined in fiscal years 2011-2012, mostly due to a decline in defense-related R&D. Photo credit: Thinkstock

Under the fiscal year 2013 budget authority for R&D activities proposed by the president last year, total investment in this area would rise somewhat, although a further decrease would be seen in defense-related R&D. Investment in non-defense mission areas, such as space, energy, health and commerce, would increase slightly in fiscal year 2013.

The drop in the federal budget authority for fiscal years 2011 and 2012 follows increases each year over fiscal years 2006-10. When adjusted for inflation, the yearly rate of growth over this period averaged 0.4 percent, somewhat ahead of the U.S. economy's general pace of price increases.

For more information on this report, please contact Mark Boroush.

Please visit the NSF's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics for more reports and other products.