Caltech is one of the nation's most trusted investments in terms of scientific research dollars.

A wide array of grant makers provide funding for Caltech research, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), NASA, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Geological Survey, as well as educational and research institutions, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

Typically, over a third of all Caltech proposals will receive funding. Success rates for proposals submitted to our leading research sponsors—the NSF and the NIH—exceed national averages for these agencies.

Why grant makers invest in Caltech:

• Caltech takes a focused, thoughtful, and coordinated approach to grant applications, proposing top-priority projects that align with both the Institute's strengths and with the goals and mission of the prospective funder.
• We have a distinguished record of research leadership. Caltech faculty and alumni have won 33 Nobel Prizes, 57 National Medals of Science, and 11 National Medals of Technology
• Our faculty work at the forefront of their fields—one in three is an elected member of the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering, and/or the Institute of Medicine.
• Funders know that research is most successful if it includes a strong educational component. At Caltech, 80 percent of our undergraduate students actively participate in Caltech research projects while pursuing their degrees.

Private–Public Partnership

Caltech uses seed funding from private donors to nurture the kinds of risky but potentially revolutionary early-stage research projects grant makers rarely support. This allows scientists to move their work through the crucial early stages to the point that it shows demonstrable merit for a larger, public investment.