Funding of science

Funding of science is the provision and allocation of financial resources for scientific research and institutions. It shapes which questions can be pursued, by whom, and on what timescale.

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Research grant: A financial award supporting a defined research project or activity. Grants are a common way funders direct money toward specific scientific work.
Royal Society: A British learned society founded in 1660 to promote natural knowledge. Its early sponsorship and publication activities helped institutionalize organized scientific inquiry.
Publication bias: The tendency for published research to differ systematically from all research conducted. Selective funding and publication incentives can favor positive or striking findings.
Basic research: Research undertaken primarily to gain fundamental understanding rather than pursue an immediate practical use. Its uncertain benefits can conflict with funding systems demanding near-term deliverables.
Peer review: Evaluation of scholarly work by people with relevant expertise. Review panels often assess proposals before funding decisions are made.
Industrial research laboratory: A company-based organization that conducts systematic research and development. Industrial laboratories made corporate investment a major source of scientific research.
Research waste: Research effort and resources spent on work that fails to produce useful, reliable knowledge. Poorly aligned funding priorities can support redundant or unusable studies.
Contract research: Research performed under an agreement specifying work, outputs, or services for a sponsor. Contracts give sponsors more defined deliverables than many investigator-led grants.
Research council: A public body that supports and coordinates research, often by awarding grants. Research councils distribute public funds through programs and competitions.
Carnegie Institution for Science: A US research institution established in 1902 through Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy. Its founding exemplifies the rise of large-scale philanthropic support for research.