Barriers to Seeking External Research Funding: Perceptions and Facts

Abstract

Members of the scientific community are keenly aware of the intense competition for research funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies. Pressure for external funding is further exacerbated by the declining economy and reduced institutional budgets. For primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) seeking to expand and enhance their undergraduate research opportunities, the need for research support from external funding agencies is critical. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) continues to aggressively communicate the needs of the PUI community to federal and private funding sources. One of CUR's historic roles has been to help faculty members overcome the barriers to establishing and sustaining a productive research program that incorporates undergraduate collaborators. Thus, CUR routinely seeks to better understand the obstacles that keep potential grant applicants from applying. This helps the organization to provide compelling evidence of these concerns to funding agencies and to develop the most effective initiatives to support PUI faculty.