Signed into law on December 16, the US federal government’s fiscal 2015 (October 1, 2014–September 30, 2014) budget showed few major increases for R&D spending. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) estimates that the total federal R&D budget increased just 1.7% to $137,611 million, with funding for nondefense R&D rising 1.6% to $65,990 million. The estimate excludes $227 million in special allocations for Ebola R&D that go to the NIH and CDC. Funding for applied research and development rose 0.7% and 2.9%, respectively, but the budgets for basic research, and facilities and equipment each declined 0.3%, according to the AAAS.

The information in this article is the result of IBO estimates, unless otherwise indicated. The estimates for FY15 are based on Congressional documents and press releases. The estimates for FY14 are based on agency budget requests.

NIH

The NIH received only a 0.5% increase in its budget (discretionary budget authority) for fiscal 2015, compared to a 3.5% boost last year (see IBO 1/31/14). According to AAAS estimates, NIH R&D funding, excluding designated Ebola allocations, rose 0.8% to $29,472 million. The AAAS calculated that funding for conducting R&D rose 0.8% to $29,344 million, but funding for R&D facilities and equipment plummeted 5.5% to $129 million.

The only Institutes to receive total funding increases of more than 1%, according to the AAAS, were the National Institute of Aging, with a 2.4% increase to $1,199 million; the National Institute of Mental Health, whose budget grew 1.2% to $1,463 million; and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, with a budget increase of 1.1% to $1,605 million. Funding for the NCI, which has the largest budget among all Institutes, increased just 0.6% to $4,950 million.

Selected programs within the NIH received larger increases. Funding for the BRAIN Initiative rose 62.5% to $65 million, according to Science. The National Institute of Aging received an additional $25.0 million in funding for the NIH’s Alzheimer’s disease research initiative, a 25% increase, according to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Also, first-time funding was allocated for new programs. Within the NIH Office of the Director’s $1,401 million budget, the Common Fund’s budget rose 2.4% to $546 million, including $13 million for the new Gabriella Miller Kids First Act Pediatric Research Initiative for pediatric-cancer research. To respond to the Ebola crisis, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases received special funding of $238 million.

The final budget law also noted specific allocations for NIH spending. Among these was as much as $8 million for repairs and improvements to the NCI’s Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. Of the $635 million allocated to the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS), a minimum of $475 million was designated for the Clinical and Translational Sciences Awards program, the same amount as in fiscal 2014.

FDA

The FDA fared better than the NIH for fiscal 2015. The budget provided $2,589 million in discretionary funding (funding not coming from user fees) for a 1.1% increase and a 1.3% rise in total program budget (including user fees) to $4,443 million.

However, several Agency activities received larger percentage increases (excluding user fees). Funding for Animal Drugs and Food activity increased 4.2% to $148 million. Funding for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research grew 3.4% to $482 million. The budget for the Center for Food Safety and Nutrition rose 2.3% to $903 million. However, funding for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research grew just 0.2% to $212 million.

Food-safety activities were specifically designated to receive a $28 million increase. According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, funding for the Food Safety Modernization Act will “allow FDA to invest in cutting-edge tools to significantly reduce the time it takes to respond to complex food- and produce-safety issues.”

NSF

The NSF received a total budget increase of 2.4%. The increase will lead to 350 more competitive grants, according to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The AAAS estimates the NSF’s R&D budget rose 2.1% to $5,934 million, consisting of a 2.2% increase to $5,276 million for conducting R&D and a 0.9% increase to $391 million for R&D facilities.

Funding for the NSF’s Research and Related Activities rose 2.2% to $5,933 million. Funding for the agency’s six research doctorates (Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences; Biological Sciences; Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Engineering; and Geosciences) increased 2.8% to $5.93 billion, according to Science. Science reported that funding for the NSF’s Cognitive Science and NeuroScience activities, which include BRAIN funding, doubled to $29 million.

DOE

The DOE received $27,917 million in funding for science, energy, environment, nuclear nonproliferation and national security. This includes $1,937.0 million for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. However, Congress rescinded $13 million in prior-year unobligated balances and allowed up to $45 million to be transferred to the Defense Production Act Fund. The AAAS calculates that the total budget for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy rose 1.2% to $1,924 million. Among the programs under this area receiving the largest increase was Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology, which gained 4.3%, bringing its budget to $97 million. In addition, the budget for Advanced Manufacturing rose 10.8% to $200 million, according to the AAAS.

For Energy Efficiency, among the manufacturing funding specified by the budget is $79.0 million for Next Generation Manufacturing R&D Projects, including $3 million for universities and industry to transfer nanostructured metals to commercial use. The Critical Materials Energy Innovation Hub received $25.0 million, the same amount as the prior year. Also specified is $571.0 million for Fossil Energy R&D, a 1.6% increase.

The AAAS estimated that DOE R&D funding rose 3.1% to $11,741 million, with a 2.1% increase to $10,802 million for R&D activity and a 15.5% increase to $939 million for R&D facilities. By function, Defense, General Science and Energy represent 41%, 40% and 19% of the DOE R&D budget.

EPA

The EPA’s budget decreased 0.7%, and included $735 million for Science and Technology, a 3.2% decline. In addition, Science and Technology received $18.9 million in transferred funds from the Hazardous Substance Superfund. Science and Technology funding included $126.9 million for “Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability” and $4.1 million for “Research: National Priorities,” which is designated for extramural grants for nonprofits for water-quality and -availability research.

NIST

The NIST received a scant budget increase, but the budget for its Science and Technical Research and Services grew 3.8% to $658 million. The AAAS estimates NIST R&D funding rose 1.3% to $675 million.

USDA

The USDA’s research budget included a 4.9% hike for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The National Institute for Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) 1.9% gain included $325 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. The AAAS estimated that total ARS R&D funding rose 4.8% to $1,209 million and total NIFA R&D funding grew 3.1% to $832 million. Total USDA R&D, excluding the Forest Service, rose 4.2% to $83 million, according to the AAAS.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) received a 0.6% boost to $1,016 million, including $900.6 million for federal FSIS programs, a 0.7% increase. In regard to the FSIS, the House specifically stated: “FSIS, in conjunction with other USDA agencies and FDA, is encouraged to support developing technologies that will provide rapid, portable, and facile screening of food fish species at port sites, and wholesale and retail centers.”

CDC

A total of $6,925.8 million was allocated to the CDC for programs, with $6,023 million designated specifically for the CDC. Within Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases programs, Food Safety activities received a 19.7% increase to $48 million. Specified within the Food Safety funding increase is the mandate “to apply advanced DNA technology to improve and modernize our diagnostic capabilities; and enhance surveillance, detection, and prevention efforts at the State and local level.”