(Posted 8-17-99)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Service Contact: Steve Gilliam, 336-334-5371

GRANTS AND CONTRACTS FUNDING AT UNCG PASSES
$20 MILLION MARK; NEW RECORD OF $23.5 MILLION SET

GREENSBORO--External funding for research, public service and creative activity at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has passed the $20 million mark, reaching a record high of $23,588,067 during the 1998-99 fiscal year.

The total marked an increase of 28.6 percent over the $18,341,500 received during the previous 12 months, according to Chancellor Patricia A. Sullivan, who said it represents a major increase in successful funding proposals.

"This University has set a new milestone by passing the $20 million level in external funding from grants and contracts," said Sullivan. "The figures for the year show both a sustained performance and an increase of $5.2 million over the previous year. This huge success is a source of pride for the University.

"Our faculty deserves most of the credit for this outstanding year in external funding. Once again, they have submitted innovative proposals and competed successfully against other faculty at many of best universities in the country. This funding makes possible major outreach programs by UNCG and strengthens the University overall as we seek to realize our vision of being ‘a leading student-centered university, linking the Piedmont Triad to the world through learning, discovery and service."

The $23.5 million in external grants included $15.3 million in federal funding, marking an increase of $1.7 million over the $13.5 million received in that category during fiscal year 1998. Other grants came from private foundations, non-profit organizations, state and local government and business and industry.

Dr. Edward Uprichard, UNCG's provost, and Dr. Brad Bartel, dean of the Graduate School and associate provost for research, also expressed pleasure with the final report.

Uprichard said, "I am impressed with the significant growth that we have experienced this year in our grants and contracts activity. This reflects the quality of our faculty and their ability to compete at a national level. With changes in the research infrastructure we will be putting in place  to assist faculty, I have hopes that we can sustain this level of external funding in 1999-2000.

"I am especially pleased with the progress that we have made in this area over the last four years. During that period we have advanced from $12,620,824 million to $23,588,067 million. That represents an increase of approximately 87 percent."
 Bartel said that the success rate for proposals submitted by UNCG faculty members exceeded 64 percent for the 1998-99 year, and is one of the highest in the nation. He commented, "Surpassing $20 million in contract and grant awards is a watershed mark for UNCG.  It places our university within a major circle of distinguished universities nationally. The Graduate School has worked diligently with faculty from the academic units and our research centers to create a climate that breeds this kind of success.  I want to especially acknowledge the significant increases in awards in the School of Human Environmental Sciences, the School of Education and the Institute for Health, Science and Society. "

Dr. Beverly Maddox-Britt, director of the Office of Research Services, said the fiscal year 1999 figures reflect a growing trend of interdisciplinary projects at UNCG which include research, teaching and service. "We have increasing opportunities to apply for such grants because of the collegial nature of our faculty," she said.

Overall, UNCG received 199 individual awards during fiscal year 1999, compared to 174 a year earlier. UNCG faculty members prepared 310 grant proposals for $57,841,928 in fiscal year 1999, compared to 236 grant proposals totaling $33,417,411 in fiscal year 1998.

The grant awards included the following: School of Education, $14 million; College of Arts and Sciences, $2.3 million; School of Human Environmental Sciences, $3.4 million; School of Health and Human Performance, $361,780; School of Nursing, $498,659; and Bryan School of Business and Economics, $84,820.

Among UNCG's centers and institutes, the Center for the Study of Social Issues led the way with $2.3 million.
 

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