Opinion: How one foundation changed its approach to diversify grant recipient institutions

Just 11 U.S. universities received 25% of all the federal research funding awarded to universities and colleges in 2021. And of these top research-funded universities, nine of them are located on either the East or West Coast, with only University of Michigan and University of Pittsburgh representing the middle of the country. This is not a new trend, either — data back to 2010 show a similar concentration of federal funding and emphasis on universities along the coasts.

However, there are strong research programs at universities throughout the U.S. Why does such a small set of universities receive such a large portion of federal research funding? Is it bias toward these institutions? A hesitancy to criticize proposals from elite universities? Whatever it is, the problem reaches beyond federal research funding and also affects foundations that support research — foundations like the one where I work.

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