National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) emerged from the post-Civil War era when a scientific laboratory examining infectious diseases, including yellow fever and cholera, among merchant seaman and passengers was established within the Marine Hospital Service (MHS). It was officially renamed the National Institutes of Health in 1948, and is the primary way that the federal government supports and engages in biomedical and behavioral research. Federal research funding directly supports scientific training and research, entrepreneurship and scientific innovation, but it also creates jobs and economic opportunity in every state and locality in the country.
Economic Impact
- In FY 2024, every $1 of NIH funding generated approximately $2.56 of economic activity – a total of $94.58 billion in economic activity across the country.
- NIH awards support more than 300,000 researchers at more than 2,500 institutions
- Every $100 million of NIH funding generates 76 patents
- More than 30% of NIH grants produce a scientific article that contributes to a commercial patent.1
- “Direct Economic Contributions”, National Institutes of Health, 2025. ↩︎
See Spending in Your Community
Universities, health care institutions, research centers, and small businesses in all 50 states receive research funds through NIH. Track spending in your home state or congressional district NIH’s RePORT (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools) database.