Support & Funding

NBER research is supported by grants from government agencies and private foundations, by corporation and individual contributions, subscription revenue, and by income from the NBER’s investment portfolio. The NBER serves as the administrative home for many research projects directed by affiliated scholars, ranging in size from single-investigator studies of a specific question that take place over a relatively short period, to multi-investigator projects tackling large topics over many years. In recent years, the largest funders have been the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Social Security Administration, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Roughly 80 percent of the NBER’s annual operating budget is funded by competitive grants awarded to its affiliated researchers. Another 15 percent is funded with income from its investment portfolio and less than 5 percent from corporate and individual philanthropy. The NBER conducts research but does not make policy recommendations or carry out advocacy on the basis of research findings.

Summary Financial Statements

NBER Supporters, FY2026

Government & Foundation Support

The NBER welcomes grant support from both government funders and from private foundations that support economic research. NBER’s grant administration team has worked with a wide range of public and private funders to carry out economic research. This team can assist potential funders who are interested in crafting research projects that would involve NBER affiliated researchers, and it can also assist NBER affiliates in preparing grant applications and administering research projects. For further information on grant support resources at NBER, please contact NBER’s Director of Research and Grant Administration, Alterra Milone.

Corporate Sponsors

NBER Corporate Associates provide unrestricted contributions that support the NBER’s core missions of research and dissemination of economic knowledge. Corporate Associates receive subscriptions to NBER working papers and are invited to send representatives to an annual Research Symposium that highlights a selection of recent research findings. For information on becoming a Corporate Associate, please contact Research and Corporate Relations Administrator, Abigail Murphy.

Learn More About the Corporate Associate Program

Central Banks that Support Summer Institute

Individual Giving

The NBER welcomes contributions from individual donors who reside in states in which the NBER is a registered charity. These donors provide support for emerging research studies and to enable early-career researchers to participate in NBER meetings. To learn more about individual giving opportunities, please contact NBER's Research and Corporate Relations Administrator, Abigail Murphy.

Individual Donors

$10,000-$20,000
Lawrence Summers

$5,000-$9,999
Daniel & Marie-Jo Newlon

Under $5,000
Richard Levich
Ed & Leslie Wagstaff (Taxsim)

In Memory of Takatoshi Ito, under $5,000
Reiko Aoki
Thomas and Laurie Barthold