FY 11 Budget: First Look Looks Good!


Despite some early concerns in the science community over some dicey reported funding levels for some key science agencies, the President’s FY 2011 budget, released today, demonstrates a continued commitment to doubling the budgets of the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Here’s some relevant bits. We’ll have more as we plow through it and get briefed by the relevant agencies.

Investment in science and basic research is critical to long-term economic growth. That’s why the Budget invests $61.6 billion in civilian research and development, an increase of $3.7 billion, a 6.4 percent increase, and an amount that continues the commitment to double funding for three key basic research agencies—the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. This funding includes $1.8 billion for research in basic energy sciences to discover novel ways to produce, store, and use energy to address energy independence and climate change and $300 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, to accelerate game-changing energy technologies in need of rapid and flexible experimentation or engineering. The Budget includes increased funding for research to help create the foundation for the industries and jobs of the future, such as nano-manufacturing, advanced robotics, and new tools for the design of biological systems.

Under the President’s plan, NSF would grow by 8 percent to $7.4 billion in FY 11. NSF’s research accounts would also grow by 8 percent, $455 million over FY 10.

The Department of Energy’s Office of Science would see a 4.6 percent increase to $5.1 billion in FY 11. DOE’s new ARPA-E would see $300 million in funding.

Watch this space (and our Twitter) for more info!

FY 11 Budget: First Look Looks Good!