New Report Explores Rheumatology Funding Patterns Across Federal and Private Foundations

January 28, 2020

ATLANTA - The Rheumatology Research Foundation (Foundation) today released its Analysis of Funding for Rheumatology Research and Training. Research focused on funding for rheumatic disease research and training is limited. The new report addresses this information gap and provides a retrospective look at federal and private rheumatology funding for fiscal years 2013 – 2017.

The report found the total federal and private foundation collective impact on the rheumatology community from 2013 – 2017 was 5,611 grants awarded in the amount of $2,240,856,933.

Mary Wheatley, IOM, CAE, Executive Director of the Foundation, says the challenges and opportunities that confront academic rheumatology are multidimensional and complex and one such challenge is the current crisis in funding for rheumatic disease research and training within the U.S. “Without acquiring robust data in a continuous manner to analyze funding trends, it is increasingly difficult to identify and pursue the most relevant and impactful approaches to improve funding in academic rheumatology. The baseline of funding established by this report should help to quantify the targeted increase of grant funds the American College of Rheumatology hopes to achieve among membership," explained Wheatley.

Information collected included data from the NIH’s Research, Condition and Disease Categorization system and the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool. In addition to federal data, eight private foundations provided information regarding their funding over the same time period.

Wheatley says the potential for transformative basic discoveries and clinical advances that lead to better prevention, treatment and even cures for adult and pediatric rheumatic disease has never been greater. "It is a testament to the impact private and public organizations have on training a new generation of investigators and clinicians who are conducting studies we believe will ultimately result in greater diagnostic and treatment outcomes in rheumatology patients," said Wheatley.