Research funding at UNH has doubled over the past five years, generating a $518 million economic impact for New Hampshire.

DURHAM, NH — The University of New Hampshire’s competitive research funding grew by 20% in fiscal year 2024 to $252 million. The funds support nearly 1,000 projects across a range of disciplines aimed at solving problems and improving lives in New Hampshire and beyond. Funding earned by UNH researchers from federal agencies, state collaborators, business and industry and private foundations has more than doubled since 2019.

“The external research funding we receive directly impacts the university’s overall contribution to the state and local economy,” said Marian McCord, senior vice provost for research, economic engagement and outreach. “Our faculty and researchers are energetic and curious, and they are committed to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and solving the most pressing challenges of our time.”

As the state’s flagship research university, UNH encourages an interdisciplinary approach to collaboration by connecting faculty with experts and community partners who conduct relevant research that contributes to the greater good. As a result, the university’s combined annual economic impact averages $2.4 billion, which includes UNH operations, state and local tax revenue, community contributions, and local jobs. The annual contribution from research accounts for $518 million of that total, according to recent research.

Some highlights of this year’s high-impact research funding:

With a $12 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Atlantic Marine Energy Center is developing and testing technology to harness energy from the ocean’s waves and tides.

A new agroforestry project, funded with $10 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, explores how New England, one of the nation’s most forested regions, can produce more local, sustainable food while maintaining those forests’ benefits.

Selected to lead the Cold Climate Center of Excellence for Stormwater Infrastructure Technology, UNH will leverage funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to develop solutions to mitigate water pollution from rain and snowmelt runoff that does not soak into the ground.

Efforts to explore how to recycle discarded space “junk” to create a sustainable manufacturing industry in space received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Improving the tracking and monitoring of child abuse cases in youth organizations brought $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to UNH’s Crimes against Children Research Center.

“The success of UNH researchers in attracting funding is a testament to the quality of work being done here,” McCord. “Expanding competitive funding for research is essential to maintaining the Carnegie Classification R1 status, which puts UNH in the top tier of research universities nationwide.”

The funding included $157 million from the federal government, of which NOAA contributed $28.3 million, NASA $25.6 million, the Department of Energy $25.4 million, the National Science Foundation $20.6 million, and the National Institutes of Health $11 million. Industry partners tapped UNH research expertise to advance their business goals with $12.6 million.

External grants and awards fund specific research projects and are carefully accounted for through a robust compliance process mandated by grantors. In addition to major scientific instruments, laboratory supplies and field work, a significant share of external funding supports scholarships and salaries for graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty members. The new knowledge generated through research projects improves education by bringing new ideas and theories into the classroom and providing opportunities for students to engage in hands-on discovery.