Bias in Research Grant Evaluation Has Dire Consequences for Small Universities

Area of Science:

• Scientific research funding
• Grant proposal evaluation
• Systemic bias in science

Background:

• Federal funding is crucial for scientific advancement, economic growth, and public well-being.
• Grant proposal success rates and funding levels can be influenced by systemic bias during evaluation.
• Existing policies to address this bias are not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate potential systemic bias in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Grant program.
• To analyze funding success and grant amounts for applicants from small institutions.
• To forecast the impact of current funding trends on future science funding at small institutions.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of NSERC Discovery Grant applications from 2011-2014.
• Comparison of funding success and grant amounts between applicants from small and large institutions.
• Projection of future funding trends based on observed success rates.

Main Results:

• Applicants from small institutions consistently received lower funding success rates and smaller grant amounts.
• This pattern was observed across all applicant experience levels and scoring criteria.
• Current corrective measures, including a pilot program, were found to be ineffective in erasing funding skew.

Conclusions:

• Systemic bias against applicants from small institutions exists within the NSERC Discovery Grant program.
• Without intervention, science funding at small institutions is projected to decline significantly.
• Implementing blind review and bibliometric assessment is necessary to ensure objective grant review and restore confidence in funding decisions.