Research!America

Advocating for science, discovery, and innovation to achieve better health for all:following our strategic framework, we worked to boost funding in fiscal year 2023 for federal research agencies, including a $2.5 billion increase for the national institutes of health (nih) and a $1 billion increase for the national science foundation (nsf). Our efforts helped break the logjam preventing senate confirmation new of the nih director; fostered international research partnerships and pandemic preparedness funding in support of u.s. and global health, security, and prosperity. Actions to accomplish our goals includes 42 congressional meetings, 22 meetings with executive branch officials and key federal stakeholders: 153 unique written communications and sign-on letters to policymakers, and 43 action alerts. To provide our members with advocacy tools, we developed 40 briefing papers and engagement resources, including updated fact sheets on disease threats and emerging health technologies; an infographic and on the r&d pipeline; bayh-dole act resources, and new advocacy and communications tools for engaging policymakers and the public. We hosted 53 alliance discussions on an array to topics to help inform members and stakeholders. We issued a weekly newsletter from ceo mary woolley providing timely information on federal r&d policy and funding developments, as well as advocacy opportunities and tools.

Global health r&d advocacy: in 2023, research!americResearchamericaca expanded its global health r&d advocacy program, completing the second year of a multi-year grant project funded by the bill & melinda gates foundation. The goal of the project is to increase united states government non-official development assistance (oda) funding for global health research & development, with particular emphasis on advancing innovative cross-sector partnerships and other efficiency-creating r&d strategies, including platform technologies and global clinical trial networks. Since the nih is the largest funder of global infectious disease research in the world and given that we are also strong advocates for other agencies in the global health arena (e.g., cdc) our work under the grant is well integrated into our overall advocacy and policy agenda. Representative efforts to date include playing a vocal role in securing federal funding for pandemic preparedness r&d, assuring that the advanced research projects agency for health (arpa-h) considers or refers projects appropriately in the global health r&d arena; advancing surveillance and research in the area of neglected tropical diseases; and filling gaps in funding for emerging infectious diseases at the biomedical advanced research & development authority (barda). Our private sector work is focused on exploring potential new incentives to attract private sector investment to global health r&d efforts, and fostering connections between research organizations in the global south and potential private sector partners in the u.s.

Science outreach and civic engagement:the civic engagement microgrant program in 2023 was our 6th year empowering early-career science civic engagement through competitive microgrants. The program was highly competitive with 20 grants funded from across the country. We released a report, "visualizing the landscape of training initiatives for scientists in public engagement in the united states," which offers a detailed overview of the scope of training initiatives for scientists in public engagement. Notably, the report includes an interactive dashboard that provides a dynamic window into these important and developing programs across the u.s. research!americResearchamericaca continues to coordinate and support the science and technology action committee, an initiative that has brought a diversity of thought leaders together to make the case for a far bolder approach to bolstering the nation's r&d capacity, including significantly increasing the percentage of the gdp devoted to science investment.

Advocacy programs:we host several partner programs each year, highlighting our convening power and ability to identify and focus attention on timely research and development policy related topics. In 2023, we hosted an in-person briefing on capitol hill, discovery, development, delivery: understanding the biomedical research and development pipeline. The briefing was well attended with 21 congressional offices represented. In 2023, we also partnered with emory university's woodruff health sciences center to present the inaugural symposium to address the maternal health crisis in Georgia, following a state-level survey commissioned by research!americResearchamericaca capturing Georgian's views of maternal health crisis in the state. Our annual survey in january 2023 found that nearly six in 10 americans are in favor of greater taxpayer support of science and technology. In partnership with the association of clinical research organizations, we commissioned a national survey on clinical trials and clinical research. An actionable takeaway from the survey: a large majority (87%) of respondents agree that health care professionals should discuss clinical trials with patients as part of their standard of care.

Other programs