CU-Boulder's Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) provides support to faculty and other university personnel in obtaining and administering funds from external sources for sponsored projects. OCG also protects university interests through the review of proposals, budgets, and awards; contract and grant award negotiations; and administration of funds.

reporting the numbers
In 2001-02, CU-Boulder sponsored research and other sponsored program activities increased once again to new record levels. The tables and charts in this section show measurable evidence of the quality of work done by the faculty and their success at competing for sponsored project awards. Perhaps most remarkably, approximately 50 percent of the campus' competitive proposals during the 1990s were funded.

The aggregate dollar value of those awards also rose. During the past fiscal year (2001-02), the dollar value of sponsored project awards received by OCG increased by nearly 5 percent compared to 2000-01. Over the past 10 years, award dollars increased 95 percent; the number of awards increased by 33 percent; and the average award amount increased from $92,300 to $135,300.

An additional indicator of CU faculty's success in obtaining sponsored project funding from the federal government is the most recent (fiscal year 2000) National Science Foundation survey of federal obligations for science and engineering. That survey continues to rank the University of Colorado four-campus system among the country's top universities. The CU system ranks eighth in total federally funded research and development expenditures among all universities (public and private) and ranks fourth among public universities.

Note that the tables and charts only report information about sponsored research and other sponsored program activities handled through OCG. They do not account for all of the research, training, fellowship, and other scholarly activities on the Boulder campus that may be funded by other sources or that may be unfunded, nor do they report on gifts or student financial aid programs.