On March 11, 2022, Congress passed an omnibus appropriations package for FY 2022 with strong bipartisan support that provides some significant funding increases for various research and education programs of priority to the university. The legislative package was delayed due to disagreements in Congress over defense and non-defense spending levels and certain policy measures. Some of the big winners include National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) research, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities (NEA and NEH), and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the Department of Education. Quantum information science research at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NIST also received notable funding increases. Further, the package includes a $400 increase to the maximum Pell Grant award, bringing it to $6,895 (a 6.2% increase).
With the return of Congressionally directed spending (earmarks), the university received $2.25 million to support the launch of a Maryland Economic Opportunity Center. The center, which was supported by Senator Ben Cardin and Senator Chris Van Hollen, will aid minority and women-owned small businesses across the state.
Finally, the bill includes language directing the General Services Administration (GSA) to re-examine the three sites previously under consideration in Maryland and Virginia for a new FBI headquarters. Two of those sites are located near the College Park campus with one in Landover, MD and one in Greenbelt, MD.
Below is a summary of some of the funding levels passed in the legislative package. The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) has prepared a more extensive summary and funding chart with additional details.
Research
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH): $45 billion, up 4.8% over FY21
- New Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health (ARPA-H): $1 billion
Department of Defense (DOD)
- DOD Science and Technology (S&T) (6.1-6.3): $18.892 billion, up 12% over FY21
- 6.1 Basic Research: $2.763 billion, up 3.4% over FY21
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): $3.87 billion, up 10.2% over FY21
Department of Energy (DOE)
- Office of Science: $7.475 billion, up 6.4% over FY21
- Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E): $450 million, up 5.4% over FY21
- Quantum information science (QIS) research: $245 million, including $120 million for basic research and $125 million for up to 5 QIS research centers, all level funded from FY21
National Science Foundation (NSF)
- $8.84 billion, up 4.1% over FY21
- QIS research: $220 million, up 37.5% over FY21
- Directs NSF to establish a new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (No specific funding allocated- would build upon and consolidate existing NSF programs)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- Science Mission Directorate: $7.6 billion, up 4.3% over FY21
- Earth Science: $2.06 billion, up 3% over FY21
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR): 599.48 million, up 5% over FY21
- Sea Grant Program: $76 million, up 9.4% over FY21
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- Scientific and Technical Research Services (STRS): $850 million, up 7.9% over FY21
- QIS research: $49 million, up 5.4% over FY21
Economic Development Administration (EDA) Regional Innovation Program
- $45 million, up 18.4% over FY21
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Hatch Act Funds: $260 million, up 0.4% over FY21
- NIFA Smith Lever Funds: $320 million, up 1.6% over FY21
- Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI): $445 million, up 2.3% over FY21
- The Cooperative Forestry (McIntire-Stennis): $36 million, level with FY21
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
- $180 million, up 7.5% over FY21
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
- $180 million, up 7.5% over FY21
Department of Education
- Institute for Education Science (IES): $737 million, up 14.7% over FY21
Education
Pell Grants
- The maximum Pell Grant award would increase by $400, (6.2%) to $6,895 for the 2022-23 school year
Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) Program
- $895 million, up 1.7% over FY21
Federal Work Study Program (FWS)
- $1.21 billion, up 1.7% over FY21
TRIO program
- $1.14 billion, up 3.6% over FY21