Posted 23 July, 2026
Iowa State University raised a total of $487.9 million in external funding for the 2026 fiscal year, of that total $254.6 million is sponsored research funding dedicated to studies of ag tech, women’s health, semiconductors and many other projects.
Overall, funding for the fiscal year that ended June 30 is down 11.2% from the previous year and research funding is down 22.8%.
Some of those declines reflect a drop in federal research support from agencies such as the U.S. National Science Foundation. Total federal research funding for the 2026 fiscal year was $167.1 million, a drop of 30.4% from the previous year’s total of $240.1 million.
“This has been a period of disruption and uncertainty for most, if not all, land-grant and R1 research universities across the country,” said Peter Dorhout, Iowa State’s vice president for research. “At Iowa State, we don’t shrink from the moment. Our research enterprise is sustained by our faculty and staff who tackle these challenges head-on with perseverance, resilience and resourcefulness.”
Iowa State researchers, for example, submitted 1,999 new research proposals during the 2026 fiscal year, more submissions than any of the past five fiscal years. Research funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grew year over year, to $30.6 million and $17.9 million respectively, increases of 24.7% and 1.8%. And research support from corporate and industry sources increased, jumping by $10.6 million to $32.8 million.
External funding supports initiatives across campus, including research projects, academic support, scholarships and facility improvements. The funding can include contracts, grants and cooperative agreements from federal, state and local governments. It also includes funds from individuals, corporations, nonprofits and other universities. While external funding supports research operating expenses, it does not support operating expenses related to the university’s educational mission.