National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 1 National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics Data Tables Report Federal R&D Funding, by Budget Function: Fiscal Years 2024–26 NSF 26-309 | March 10, 2026 Contents General Notes 2 Data Tables 3 Technical Notes 48 Technical Tables 52 Acknowledgments and Suggested Citation 54 Contact Us 55
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 2 General Notes This report provides data on the budget authority conferred to U.S. federal agencies to fund the research and development (R&D) and R&D plant components of their programs in FYs 2024–26. Budget authority is the primary source of legal authorization to enter into obligations that result in outlays. Budget authority is most commonly granted in the form of appropriations by the congressional committees assigned to determine the budget for each function. The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics has reviewed this product for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and approved its release (NCSES-DRN25-068).
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 3 Data Tables Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant aggregate estimates Table Title 1 Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant, by budget function, ordered by FY 2024 R&D and R&D plant total: FYs 2024–26 Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant, by percentage Table Title 2 Distribution of federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant, by budget function, ordered by FY 2024 R&D and R&D plant total: FYs 2024–26 3 Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant as a percentage of total budget authority, by budget function, ordered by FY 2024 R&D and R&D plant total: FYs 2024–26 Federal budget authority for basic research Table Title 4 Federal budget authority for basic research, by budget function, ordered by FY 2024 R&D and R&D plant total: FYs 2024–26 Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant, by specific function Table Title 5 Federal budget authority for National defense (050) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 6 Department of Defense, total obligational authority for research, development, test, and evaluation, by DOD budget activity: FYs 2024–26 7 Federal budget authority for International affairs (150) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 8 Federal budget authority for General science and basic research (251) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 9 Federal budget authority for Space flight, research, and supporting activities (252) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024– 26 10 Federal budget authority for Energy (270) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 11 Federal budget authority for Natural resources and environment (300) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 12 Federal budget authority for Agriculture (350) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 13 Federal budget authority for Commerce and housing credit (370) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 14 Federal budget authority for Transportation (400) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 15 Federal budget authority for Community and regional development (450) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 16 Federal budget authority for Education, training, employment, and social services (500) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 4 17 Federal budget authority for Health (550) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 18 National Institutes of Health, federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 19 Federal budget authority for Medicare (570) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 20 Federal budget authority for Income security (600) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 21 Federal budget authority for Veterans benefits and services (700) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 22 Federal budget authority for Administration of justice (750) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 Federal budget authority for basic research: FYs 1978–2026 Table Title 23 Federal funding for basic research, by budget function: FYs 1978–2026 Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant: FYs 1955–2026 Table Title 24 Federal funding for R&D and R&D plant, by budget function: FYs 1955–2026 25 Federal funding for R&D and R&D plant for National defense and Civilian functions: FYs 1955–2026 Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant, by socioeconomic objectives: FYs 2000–26 Table Title 26 Federal funding for R&D plus capital R&D, by GBARD socioeconomic objectives: FYs 2000–26
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 5 Table 1. Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant, by budget function, ordered by FY 2024 R&D and R&D plant total: FYs 2024– 26 (Millions of dollars and percent change) Budget function 2024 actual 2025 preliminarya 2026 proposed 2024–25 (% change) 2025–26 (% change) R&D and R&D plant 199,342 188,596 153,666 -5.4 -18.5 National defense 105,686 96,695 93,385 -8.5 -3.4 Health 47,206 46,613 30,044 -1.3 -35.5 General science and basic research 15,659 14,626 10,147 -6.6 -30.6 Space flight, research, and supporting activities 10,215 10,647 6,822 4.2 -35.9 Energy 6,140 6,004 1,964 -2.2 -67.3 Natural resources and environment 3,247 3,196 1,358 -1.6 -57.5 Agriculture 2,910 2,889 2,451 -0.7 -15.2 Commerce and housing credit 2,639 2,302 2,565 -12.8 11.4 Transportation 2,198 2,234 1,916 1.6 -14.2 Veterans benefits and services 1,826 1,839 1,864 0.7 1.4 Education, training, employment, and social services 819 790 398 -3.5 -49.6 Administration of justice 446 442 400 -0.9 -9.5 International affairs 252 220 252 -12.7 14.5 Income security 95 94 95 -1.1 1.1 Community and regional development 5 5 5 0.0 0.0 Medicare 0 0 0
R&D 182,441 175,451 136,900 -3.8 -22.0 National defense 95,870 89,745 83,071 -6.4 -7.4 Health 45,623 45,201 26,742 -0.9 -40.8 General science and basic research 13,662 13,259 8,599 -2.9 -35.1 Space flight, research, and supporting activities 10,149 10,595 6,770 4.4 -36.1 Energy 5,996 5,895 1,916 -1.7 -67.5 Natural resources and environment 541 541 369 0.0 -31.8 Agriculture 2,679 2,672 2,277 -0.3 -14.8 Commerce and housing credit 2,479 2,181 2,444 -12.0 12.1 Transportation 2,141 2,157 1,840 0.7 -14.7 Veterans benefits and services 1,826 1,839 1,864 0.7 1.4 Education, training, employment, and social services 792 751 375 -5.2 -50.1 Administration of justice 385 381 335 -1.0 -12.1 International affairs 198 134 198 -32.3 47.8 Income security 95 94 95 -1.1 1.1 Community and regional development 5 5 5 0.0 0.0 Medicare 0 0 0
R&D plant 16,902 13,145 16,766 -22.2 27.5 National defense 9,816 6,950 10,314 -29.2 48.4 Health 1,583 1,412 3,302 -10.8 133.9 General science and basic research 1,997 1,367 1,548 -31.6 13.3 Space flight, research, and supporting activities 66 52 52 -21.2 0.0 Energy 144 108 48 -24.8 -55.7 Natural resources and environment 2,705 2,655 989 -1.9 -62.8 Agriculture 231 217 174 -6.1 -19.8 Commerce and housing credit 160 121 121 -24.4 0.0 Transportation 57 77 76 35.1 -1.3 Veterans benefits and services 0 0 0
Education, training, employment, and social services 27 39 23 44.4 -41.0 Administration of justice 61 61 65 0.0 6.6 International affairs 54 86 54 59.3 -37.2 Income security 0 0 0
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 6 Table 1. Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant, by budget function, ordered by FY 2024 R&D and R&D plant total: FYs 2024– 26 (Millions of dollars and percent change) Budget function 2024 actual 2025 preliminarya 2026 proposed 2024–25 (% change) 2025–26 (% change) Community and regional development 0 0 0
Medicare 0 0 0
a The preliminary data available from the agencies for FY 2025 at the time of this report reflect mainly the annualized continuing resolution funding levels that existed through early March 2025, which were later extended by a continuing resolution to the end of FY 2025. Note(s): Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Percent change is calculated on unrounded data. Source(s): Agencies' submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) per MAX Schedule C, agencies' budget justification documents, supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices, and Executive Office of the President, OMB, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2026.
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 7 Table 2. Distribution of federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant, by budget function, ordered by FY 2024 R&D and R&D plant total: FYs 2024–26 (Percent distribution) Budget function 2024 actual 2025 preliminarya 2026 proposed R&D and R&D plant 100.0 100.0 100.0 National defense 53.0 51.3 60.8 Health 23.7 24.7 19.6 General science and basic research 7.9 7.8 6.6 Space flight, research, and supporting activities 5.1 5.6 4.4 Energy 3.1 3.2 1.3 Natural resources and environment 1.3 1.2 1.7 Agriculture 1.6 1.7 0.9 Commerce and housing credit 0.9 1.0 1.2 Transportation 1.5 1.5 1.6 Veterans benefits and services 1.1 1.2 1.2 Education, training, employment, and social services 0.4 0.4 0.3 Administration of justice 0.2 0.2 0.3 International affairs 0.1 0.1 0.2 Income security 0.0 0.0 0.0 Community and regional development 0.0 0.0 0.1 Medicare 0.0 0.0 0.0 R&D 100.0 100.0 100.0 National defense 52.5 51.2 60.7 Health 25.0 25.8 19.5 General science and basic research 7.5 7.6 6.3 Space flight, research, and supporting activities 5.6 6.0 4.9 Energy 3.3 3.4 1.4 Natural resources and environment 1.4 1.2 1.8 Agriculture 0.3 0.3 0.3 Commerce and housing credit 1.0 1.0 1.4 Transportation 1.5 1.5 1.7 Veterans benefits and services 1.2 1.2 1.3 Education, training, employment, and social services 0.4 0.4 0.3 Administration of justice 0.2 0.2 0.2 International affairs 0.1 0.1 0.1 Income security 0.0 0.0 0.0 Community and regional development 0.1 0.1 0.1 Medicare 0.0 0.0 0.0 R&D plant 100.0 100.0 100.0 National defense 58.1 52.9 61.5 Health 9.4 10.7 19.7 General science and basic research 11.8 10.4 9.2 Space flight, research, and supporting activities 0.4 0.4 0.3 Energy 0.9 0.8 0.3 Natural resources and environment 0.9 0.9 0.7 Agriculture 16.0 20.2 5.9 Commerce and housing credit 0.0 0.0 0.0 Transportation 1.4 1.7 1.0 Veterans benefits and services 0.3 0.6 0.5 Education, training, employment, and social services 0.2 0.3 0.1 Administration of justice 0.4 0.5 0.4 International affairs 0.3 0.7 0.3 Income security 0.0 0.0 0.0 Community and regional development 0.0 0.0 0.0 Medicare 0.0 0.0 0.0