The University of Washington received a record $600 million in grant and contract awards for 1998-99, an 8 percent increase over the previous year’s record, the UW reported Sept. 17.
About 75 percent of the amount comes from the federal government for the support of research and teaching. Since 1974 the UW has been in the top five of all U.S. universities in terms of federal awards. In 1996 it was the top public university and ranked second overall.
Grant and contract-supported programs provide salaries for more than 5,900 full-time employees, as well as providing opportunities to students at all levels to work with faculty in research and as a component of their education.
Grants and contract are over and above state appropriations for instruction and basic operations, and are received in response to faculty-initiated proposals to support specific projects or programs. The level of awards received by the UW has nearly doubled in the past 10 years.
Federal awards increased 7 percent from the previous year; non-federal awards rose by 12 percent. Within the federal sector, the largest sponsoring agency is the Department of Health and Human Services, with 48 percent of total awards. Roughly two-thirds of these awards are in the School of Medicine.
“Because virtually all of these awards result form peer review of competing proposals, the dollar value of these awards-and the University’s high national ranking-is a tribute to the caliber and hard work of the faculty, students and staff at the University,” says Vice Provost for Research Alvin Kwiram.