MSU’s external funding breaks record

Funding in the most recent fiscal year was 20 percent higher than the $18.1 million secured in fiscal 2006, according to a university news release.

The bulk of the money came from federal sources, which increased 2 percent to $13.4 million. The state also increased funding to $5.1 million, a 23 percent increase. Funding from businesses and nonprofit organizations nearly tripled to $1.3 million and $1.7 million, respectively. MSU saw nearly a sixfold increase in funding from international sources, which contributed $282,960.

“This growth is a direct reflection of the hard work of our faculty and staff and of the leadership of President Michael T. Nietzel and Provost Belinda McCarthy in positioning the university to better compete for these funds,” Jim Baker, MSU’s vice president for research and economic development, said in the release.

William Alter, director of MSU’s office of sponsored research and projects, said there were a total of 154 grants awarded in fiscal 2007. The College of Natural and Applied Sciences received the highest number of awards with 57 totaling $4.9 million.

Research and economic development received the most funding at $10.6 million, much of which was allocated for downtown Springfield’s Roy Blunt Jordan Valley Innovation Center, according to the release.