SSTI Digest

FY14 enacted is used for Department of Treasury comparisons, unless otherwise noted. The administration’s FY14 request for the Department of the Treasury’s domestic programs is $13.8 billion (9.2 percent increase). Under the proposed budget, Treasury would continue to fund programs focused on economic development, small business support, and job creation. The Treasury Department recommends a legislative proposal that would provide $1.5 billion (18.6 percent decrease) for a second round of funding for the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) to support state-sponsored, public-private partnerships that increase lending, investment, and technical assistance to small businesses and manufacturers. Of that funding, $1 billion would be awarded on a competitive basis to states that target underserved groups and $500 million would be allocated to states according to a need-based formula. The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund provides infusions of capital to financial institutions that serve economically distressed urban and rural communities. The president’s budget proposes $224.9 million (0.49 percent decrease) in…

Estimated FY14 funding is used for the Department of Transportation comparisons, unless otherwise noted. The president’s FY15 budget request for the Department of Transportation (DOT) totals $90.8 billion (25.7 percent increase), including the first installment of $73.6 billion for a $302.3 billion four-year surface transportation reauthorization proposal that would improve U.S. surface transportation systems. DOT would be allocated $865 million to support research and development (R&D) efforts across the department. Several administrations under DOT would see limited change in their R&D budgets. Funding for various research and development initiatives include: $451 million for the Federal Highway Administration’s Research, Technology and Education program to move forward the restructuring of R&D and technology development support proposed under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act in 2012. $157 million for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Research, Engineering & Development activities related to NextGen and other research areas, such as environmental, safety and weather. $60 million (39.5 percent increase…

Enacted FY14 funding is used for comparisons unless otherwise noted. The president’s FY15 budget would provide $11.8 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Labor (DOL), a 1.9 percent decrease from FY14 enacted levels. In addition, the administration’s Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative (OGSI) would provide $2.4 billion not accounted for in the departmental budget to expand the agency’s workforce training and apprenticeship programs. Most DOL programs related to high-tech and manufacturing industries reside within the department’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA), which would receive $3.3 billion (3.4 percent increase). The Workforce Innovation Fund, which offers competitive grants to test new strategies and replicate successful practices in workforce training, would receive $60 million (26.8 percent increase). At least $10 million of these funds would be dedicated to strategies targeting younger workers. The administration is requesting $15 million for a new Sector Strategies program, which would award grants to states, consortia of states or regional partnerships to develop employment and training…

Enacted FY14 funding is used for comparisons unless otherwise noted. The Department of Justice (DOJ) would receive $27.4 billion in FY15 discretionary funding under the president’s budget request, a 0.4 percent increase. For the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the budget request for FY15 totals $2.4 billion (0.5 percent decrease) with $137 million (14 percent increase) for Research, Evaluation, and Statistics. This appropriation includes programs that provide grants, contracts and cooperative agreements for research, development and evaluation; development and dissemination of quality statistical and scientific information; and, nationwide support for law enforcement agencies. Of this amount, $47.5 million (18.8 percent increase) is requested for research, development and evaluation efforts under the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which serves as the R&D agency of DOJ. The FY15 budget request includes $6 million for the Forensics Initiative (50 percent increase). This program strengthens and enhances the practice of forensic sciences. Included is $3 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for measurement science and…

Enacted FY14 funding is used for comparisons unless otherwise noted. The administration’s FY15 budget request for the Department of the Interior (DOI) would provide $11.7 billion (0.3 percent increase) in discretionary funding. DOI would receive $888.7 million (7.3 percent increase) for research and development activities. Of the proposed R&D budget, $94.8 million (3.5 percent increase) would be allocated to DOI’s Powering Our Future initiative, which supports renewable energy projects on federal lands and waters. DOI would receive $140 million of its R&D funding through the administration’s Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative (OGSI). OGSI-supported research would target energy and mineral development; climate resilience; landscape scale ecosystem management, restoration and protection; water resources management; and, species protection and health. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), DOI's lead research bureau, would receive $1.1 billion (4 percent increase).

Enacted FY14 funding is used for comparisons unless otherwise noted. The FY15 budget request for the Department of Education (ED) totals $68.6 billion (1.9 percent increase) in total discretionary funding. An overhaul of P-12 STEM education programs and a ConnectED initiative providing next-generation broadband and high-speed wireless network support to students and teachers are among the new proposals. With the FY15 budget request, the administration is proposing $170 million in new funding for a comprehensive STEM innovation proposal to transform teaching and learning in STEM education. The goal is to create a fresh framework for delivering STEM education to more students and teachers more effectively while reducing fragmentation. Key activities include: STEM Innovation Networks — $110 million to provide competitive awards to local education agencies (LEAs) in partnership with institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, other public agencies, and businesses to transform STEM teaching and learning by accelerating the adoption of practices in P-12 education that help increase the number of students who seek out and are effectively…

Enacted FY14 funding is used for comparisons unless otherwise noted. The FY15 budget request for the Department of Defense (DOD) would provide $495.6 billion (0.1 percent decrease) in discretionary base funding. DOD is proposing a strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region as the war in Afghanistan nears an end, while also maintaining a military presence and engagement with allies and partners in the greater Middle East. The budget supports this adjustment and makes strategic investments in areas identified as priorities, such as increasing security challenges and opportunities in cyberspace, continuing to invest in R&D to feed innovation in both the military and civilian sectors, and combating terrorism. The FY15 budget request of $5.1 billion continues to fully support defensive and offensive cyberspace operations capabilities to develop the Cyber Mission Forces initiated in FY13. DOD Space Investment Programs would be funded at $7.2 billion. DOD Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) would receive a total $63.5 billion (0.7 percent increase) in FY15. This includes $11.5 billion for Science and Technology (4.2 percent decrease),…

Enacted FY14 funding is used for comparisons unless otherwise noted. The administration’s FY15 budget request in discretionary funding for the Department of Energy (DOE) is $27.9 billion (1 percent decrease from FY14), of which $12.3 billion would support R&D (8.4 percent increase) and $4.2 billion would support investment in the Department’s applied energy sector programs to drive an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy sector innovation. The proposed budget would provide substantial increases for funding advanced manufacturing and clean energy R&D. DOE Office of Science (SC), the largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences, would receive $5.1 billion (0.9 percent increase) to support basic research in fundamental science that drives energy innovation. The proposed budget would reduce funding for Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists ($19.5 million, 26.4 percent decrease) and Science Laboratories Infrastructure ($79.2 million, 19 percent decrease). However, funding for all of SC research programs except High Energy Physics and Fusion Energy Sciences would increase. SC Research programs include…

Enacted FY14 funding is used for comparisons unless otherwise noted. The president’s FY15 budget request for the Department of Commerce (DOC) totals $8.8 billion in discretionary funding (6.9 percent increase over FY14 enacted), with increased funding for most agencies and programs related to research, technology transfer, advanced manufacturing and regional economic development. The department would play a key role in the administration’s Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative (OGSI), managing the planned expansion of the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) to include 45 institutes over the next 10 years. Discretionary funding for DOC’s TBED-related component offices (including salaries and expenses) includes: DOC Component FY15 Request($ millions) Percent Changefrom FY14 enacted National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 5,496.70 3.3 Operations, Research and Facilities 3,361.20 2.7 Procurement, Acquisition and Construction 2,206.40 9.1 Bureau of the Census 1,211.40 28.2 National Institute of Standards & Technology 904.9 5.7 Scientific and Technical Research and Services 680 4.5…

While President Obama’s FY15 budget request is unlikely to find much support in Congress this year, the document has traditionally served as a useful guide to the administration’s priorities and to federal programs related to research, regional economic development, manufacturing, entrepreneurship and STEM education. This year, the administration is proposing the creation or expansion of several programs in these areas through the president’s $56 billion Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative (OGSI).  Since the programs associated with OGSI represent the majority of significant changes within the budget request, many of the agency sections note if a particular program is part of the initiative. Highlights of particular interest to Digest readers: Funding for EDA’s Regional Innovation Strategies program, a major SSTI legislative priority, would increase to $25 million. A second round of the Treasury Department’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) would award $1.5 billion to increase small business lending, pending legislative approval. The Small Business Administration (SBA) would receive $5 million for the…

John Sider has accepted a position with Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes and the PA Senate Democratic Caucus to work on economic development policy and projects, effective April 1. Currently, Sider is the managing director of statewide initiatives at Ben Franklin Technology Partners. Vic Nole has joined the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. as director of business development and entrepreneurial activity. Norris Tolson, who has been the president and CEO of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center since 2007, will retire from the organization on June 30.

U.S. patents continued their rapid pace of growth in 2013, according to statistics from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).  USPTO granted 122,593 utility patents last year, a 10 percent increase over the previous year and a 72 percent increase over 2008. Much of the increase in activity is due to the growth of IT and software patenting, as discussed in a separate SSTI Digest article. California leads the country in utility patents, representing about 27 percent of patents granted in 2013. Massachusetts narrowly leads California in per capita patenting activity, followed by Vermont and Washington. SSTI has prepared a series of tables using the most recent USPTO data. These tables include utility and design patents by state, 2008-13, utility patents per 10,000 residents, patent numbers for the top 100 U.S. patenting organizations and the top 100 U.S. universities, 2008-12. Download in Excel (xlsx) format…   Utility Patents by State, 2008-13 State, Territory, or Country  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Single Year Increase (%) Five-Year Increase (%) U.S. Total 77,501 82,382 107,792 108,626 121,026 133,593 10.38% 72.…