Federal funds are the university's single most important source of support for research – in FY 2018, UC was awarded $2.95 billion in federal research awards, more than half of the university’s total research awards. The groundbreaking discoveries and inventions that emerge from our campuses and national laboratories improve lives and fuel economic growth through start-ups, spinoffs and other companies, creating jobs in California and across the country. To help maintain the university's pre-eminence in research, UC works with the federal government to ensure robust funding for the grant-making agencies – such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy and NASA – so that the University can continue to serve as an engine for economic growth and innovation for the state and beyond.
In addition, UC receives funding for its role in managing and operating three Department of Energy national laboratories: Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos. From ensuring the safety of the nation's nuclear stockpile and conducting world-leading research in fundamental sciences and applied energy, to hosting the nation’s largest national scientific user facilities, these labs provide thousands of UC students and researchers with access to unique scientific resources, research capabilities and on-the-job training.