NIH Research Funding Trends:
FY1995-2013
Produced by Howard H. Garrison and Bethany Drehman
FASEB Office of Public Affairs
Data Sources: NIH Office of Extramural Research
NIH FY2013 Budget Summary
Contents NIH Budget in Current and Constant Dollars Funding for Research Project Grants Funding for Competing Awards Number of Research Project Grants Number of Competing Awards (With Breakout of R21) Number of Competing Awards (With Breakout of First-time
R01) Number of Applications (With Breakout of First-time R01) Success Rates Success Rates for New (Type 1) Applications, Including First-
time R01 Award Average Grant Size Summary of Trends
$35,745 $36,209
$27,067 $29,151
$31,094
$11,300
$21,003
$16,309
$16,940
$0
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$25,000
$30,000
$35,000
$40,000
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Pres
Budget
Dol
lars
(Mill
ions
)NIH Appropriation in Current and Constant Dollars
With Supplemental Appropriation (ARRA)Current $ (Millions)
1995 Constant $ (Millions)
$17,846$18,450
$6,152
$9,955
$15,030$15,858 $15,882
$14,906
$16,197
$4,718
$7,617
$10,685 $11,125 $11,022
$0
$2,000
$4,000
$6,000
$8,000
$10,000
$12,000
$14,000
$16,000
$18,000
$20,000
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Pres
Budget
Dol
lars
(Mill
ions
)Funding for Research Project Grants
RPG plus Supplemental Appropriation (ARRA) RPGResearch Project Grants (RPG)
R01 Equivalent Grants
$7,218$7,083
$1,563
$2,912
$3,405
$3,953
$3,812
$4,685
$1,277
$2,168$2,348
$2,615$2,335
$3,455
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
$5,000
$6,000
$7,000
$8,000
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Pres
Budget
Dol
lars
(Mill
ions
)Funding for Competing Awards
RPG plus Supplemental Appropriation (ARRA) RPGResearch Project Grants (RPG)
R01 Equivalent Grants
52,536
48,948
24,364
31,035
37,40135,422 34,617 34,835
21,680
26,953
29,97027,559
26,285
33,335
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Pres
Budget
Tota
l Num
ber o
f Gra
nts
Number of Research Project Grants
RPG plus Supplemental Appropriation (ARRA) RPG
Research Project Grants (RPG)
R01 Equivalent Grants
19,391
16805
6,758
8,765
10,3939,599 9,455
9,032
8,283
10,269
5,8497,063 7,430
6,463 6,2175,437
52541
1,495 1,671 1,932
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Pres
Budget
Aw
ards
Number of Competing Awards (With Breakout of R21)
RPG plus Supplemental Appropriation (ARRA) RPGResearch Project Grants (RPG)
R01 Equivalent Awards
R21 Awards
19,391
16,805
6,758
8,765
10,3939,599 9,455
9,032
10,269
5,849
7,063 7,4306,463 6,217
5,437
1,421 1,596 1,683 1,459 1,731 1,336
8,283
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Pres
Budget
Aw
ards
Number of Competing Awards (With Breakout of First-time R01)
RPG plus Supplemental Appropriation (ARRA) RPGResearch Project Grants (RPG)
R01 Equivalent Awards
First-time R01 Equivalent Awards
25,22527,798
47,455 45,983
51,313
22,542 22,088
29,09727,850
29,627
7,647 6,7528,210 9,621 9,446
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Num
ber o
f App
licat
ions
Number of Applications (With Breakout of First-time R01) Exclusive of Supplemental (ARRA) Applications
Research Project Grants (RPG)
R01 Equivalent Awards
First-time R01 Equivalent Award
26.8%
31.5%
20.0%
17.6%
25.9%
32.0%
20.7%
18.4%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Succ
ess
Rat
esSuccess Rates (Excluding ARRA)
Research Project Grants (RPG)
R01 Equivalent Awards
20.6%
26.2%27.1%
16.7%
17.4% 15.3%
19.2%
25.9% 25.5%
16.3%
17.8%
14.9%
18.6%
22.0% 22.0%
15.0%
17.0%
13.0%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Succ
ess
Rat
eSuccess Rates for New (Type 1) Applications,
Including First-time R01 Award
Research Project Grants (Type 1)
R01 Equivalent (Type 1) Awards
First-time R01 Equivalent Award
$252
$321
$403
$448$459
$447$465
$218
$283
$362
$404$419
$0.0
$50.0
$100.0
$150.0
$200.0
$250.0
$300.0
$350.0
$400.0
$450.0
$500.0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Pres
Budget
Aver
age
Gra
nt S
ize
(Dir
ect
and
Indi
rect
in $
Tho
usan
ds)
Average Grant Size (not including Supplemental Appropriation (ARRA) grants)
Research Project Grants (RPG)
R01 Equivalent Grants
Summary of Trends in NIH Funding FY1995-
FY2012FY1995 FY2012 % Change
NIH Budget (in millions) $11,300 $30,860 173.1%R01 Equivalent Funding ($ millions) $4,718 $11,022 133.6%Total # R01 Equivalent Grants 21,680 26,285 21.2%R01 Equivalent Applications 22,542 29,627 31.4%Ave. $ per R01 Equivalent (in thousands) $217.6 $419.3 92.7%# of R01 Equivalent Awards 5,849 5,437 -7.0%R01 Equivalent Success Rates 25.9% 18.4% -29.0%