Amount Remains Stable Despite Competitive and Shifting Landscape
The University of California, Davis, received $953 million in external research awards in the fiscal year 2025-26, supporting a broad range of research to enhance lives through advancements in healthcare, food supply, energy solutions, education and more.
The overall amount received is similar to the previous year, down slightly by $8 million (0.8%), but the contributions by source have shifted. As usual, federal sources provided the majority of funding, totaling $496 million, up $46 million (10%) from the previous year. Industry partners rose to become the second leading contributor at $143 million, an increase of $53 million (59%). The state of California provided $105 million, down $104 million (50%) from the previous year. A detailed breakdown of the funding sources can be viewed in the annual report.
Among the colleges and schools, the top recipient was the School of Medicine at $439 million — up 32% from the previous year and a record high. Rounding out the top three were the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at $134 million and the College of Biological Sciences at $77 million.
“UC Davis researchers continue to attract substantial investments based on deep expertise, unique collaborations and a long history of delivering impactful insight and solutions,” said Simon J. Atkinson, vice chancellor for research at UC Davis. “Despite significant funding uncertainty and regulatory change, our faculty and staff have drawn on their passion and ingenuity to keep their important — often life-changing — work moving forward.”
Public and private investments in university-based research have been a cornerstone of American prosperity, security and innovative leadership for most of the past century. Over this past year, UC Davis research has produced a wide range of scientific breakthroughs to improve health, enhance food supplies, protect the environment and empower a more resilient society. Specific examples can be found in the UC Davis 2026 Annual Research Impact Report.
This research also yields innovations that become the foundation for tomorrow’s products, services and businesses. Last year, UC Davis researchers submitted 201 invention disclosures. The university’s Technology Transfer Office submitted 197 patents and other intellectual property filings and executed 32 license and option agreements.
Read the Annual Research Impact Report
Learn more about the notable award highlighted from the College of Letters and Science:
Improving the outdoor lighting landscape, while paying special attention to ecological concerns
The Biologically Appropriate Lighting Aligning Nature, California Codes and Energy Efficiency (BALANCE) project aims to create simple, science-based guidance for a healthier outdoor lighting landscape. Jae Yong Suk, a professor in the Department of Design, the Arthur H. Rosenfeld Endowed Chair in Energy Efficiency, and director of the California Lighting Technology Center, is leading a team that is redefining how outdoor lighting can protect California’s ecosystems while still meeting safety and energy goals. By studying how artificial light at night affects key species — from nocturnal pollinators to bats and migratory birds — the team is developingscience-based lighting guidance designed to reduce ecological disruption through carefully selected spectra, lower intensities and dark-sky-friendly designs. Their work will directly inform updates to California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards and Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen), giving planners, developers and policymakers practical tools to build communities that are safer, more energy-efficient and more supportive of wildlife.
This article was adapted from a story that appeared on the UC Davis News website.
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