Patterns of Research Funding Across Research Subjects: The Case of NSERC

2026-08-11

AI Summary

This study addresses how research funding allocation may inadvertently reinforce cumulative advantage and exacerbate inter-disciplinary resource inequality. Drawing on longitudinal data from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the analysis integrates disciplinary classifications with time-series trends in funding amounts and application volumes. It reveals, for the first time systematically, a sustained decline in the share of funding allocated to pure sciences and mathematics, alongside a pronounced increase for social sciences and medical sciences. The research identifies structural divergence between high-growth and declining disciplines, offering empirical evidence to inform more equitable and forward-looking research funding policies.

Abstract

Funding agencies aim to maximize scientific output from the resources they allocate, a goal that may inadvertently reinforce cumulative advantage within funding systems. Focusing on research areas within Natural Sciences and Engineering (NSE), this study examines the distribution of Canadian research funding over time, with particular attention to the extent to which certain subjects gain prominence as emerging or high-growth fields, while others experience relative stagnation or decline. The results indicate that many research subject groups receiving decreased funding in recent years are concentrated in the pure sciences and mathematics. In contrast, social sciences and medical sciences, which initially had relatively low average funding per grant application, have demonstrated increasing funding trends over time. These findings offer valuable insights for funding agencies seeking to design policies that promote more effective and equitable allocation of resources.

Problem

• research funding
• cumulative advantage
• funding distribution
• emerging fields
• equitable allocation

Innovation

• research funding distribution
• cumulative advantage
• emerging fields
• interdisciplinary analysis
• NSERC