Celebrating Major Milestones in Fiscal Year 2024
The University of South Carolina had an outstanding funding year in fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024), attracting $309 million in grants and sponsored awards. This is a record high funding level for USC, but it’s not the only milestone the university achieved. We saw major increases over the previous fiscal year.
- Overall sponsored awards increased by 27 percent.
- Research grants increased 31 percent to $225 million.
- Highly competitive federal funding totaled $245 million, an increase of 35 percent over last year.
Research for South Carolina, by South Carolina
This leap in research funding will impact the state directly, as South Carolina-focused research across campus gains momentum and recognition.
- USC’s five new research institutes, launched in 2023, are addressing water quality, cardiovascular health, infectious disease, advanced microchips applications and rural education across the state.
- As a member of the SC Nexus Tech Hub consortium, USC received $10.2 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to invest in advanced battery research, founding the Carolina Institute for Battery Innovation, which will develop sustainable energy technology in South Carolina.
- USC’s Brain Health Network provides advanced cognitive care for citizens in underserved areas experiencing memory loss disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
“Success like this doesn’t happen without the daily, coordinated efforts of our world-class faculty researchers, their student and postdoc mentees, and our dedicated research administrators and staff members who keep everything humming along. Thank you all for making this achievement possible.”
How did we get here?
In 2023-2024 alone, USC Research made huge strides to support the broad USC research community, ensuring opportunities to thrive far into the future. Participants in our Propel Research Mentorship Program, which equips faculty with resources and mentorship as they apply for NIH and NSF funding, have garnered more than $27 million in grant funding since 2022. This year, Propel is expanding to include a new program focusing on the application of AI tools to enhance research innovation.
We encourage USC faculty to get involved with these and other programs and training and professional development opportunities to enhance their scholarly collaborations and research activity. To get the full picture of the programs and trainings offered, check out our new Research Training and Education Services website.
Read the full feature on the University of South Carolina newsfeed…
To get a glimpse at the bigger picture, review the funding designation breakdown and find further remarks from the Vice President for Research Julius Fridriksson and USC President Michael Amiridis, click here to read the full feature.
5 September 2025