Cal State Fullerton secured $35 million in extramural grants and contracts during the 2024-25 fiscal year, marking the third-highest total in university history. This number reflects more than 135 grants and contracts from multiple colleges and administrative divisions, underscoring broad participation from faculty and staff across a wide range of disciplines.
Despite shifts in the national funding landscape, the university received more than half of its awards from federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Institutes of Health. In addition, state and local governments, along with private and nonprofit organizations, continued to be vital partners in funding programs addressing workforce development, public health and education.
“Our faculty and staff continue to demonstrate how Cal State Fullerton can be deeply responsive to evolving national and regional priorities,” said Binod Tiwari, associate vice president of research and sponsored programs. “We are seeing a number of awards that not only reflect disciplinary excellence but also respond to societal challenges and areas of public need.”
Notably, CSUF saw a significant increase in administrative grants that support institutional capacity, which aligns with the university’s strategic priorities. One example is the U.S. Department of Justice grant awarded to University Police to establish the CSUF Mobile Crisis Response Team — the first federal grant ever received by the CSUF Police Department.
Other highlighted projects funded this year include:
- $5,000,000 from CalOptima Health for Expanding Numbers of CSUF Baccalaureate-Prepared Registered Nurses in Orange County (Sadeeka Al-Majid, professor of nursing)
- $4,710,599 from NASA for the 24-MIRO-0002, SpaceIgnite Center for Advanced Research-Education in Combustion (SPARC Center) (Haowei Wang, professor of mechanical engineering)
- $3,517,404 from the California Department of Social Services for 2024-2026 CalWISE at CSUF (Michelle Martin, associate professor of social work)
- $3,002,613 from the U.S. Department of Education for Project ICARO (Gavin Tierney, associate professor of secondary education)
- $2,991,060 from the U.S. Department of Education for ELEVAR: Excelencia for Latinx: Engagement, Validation, Academics, Resources (Yuying Tsong, associate vice president for student success and academic support)
- $2,4000,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration for Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center GO-Biz Technical Assistance Program 2024-25 (Michael Daniel, director of the Small Business Development Center)
- $1,906,652 from the Health Resources and Services Administration for Nursing Workforce and Services Administration (Sadeeka Al-Majid, professor of nursing)
- $978,438 from the California Department of Education for the BPSD Titans After School Program 2024-25 (Dawn Macy, director of the Center for Internships and Community Engagement)
- $549,656 from the U.S. Department of Justice for the CSUF Mobile Crisis Response Team (Anthony Frisbee, University Police Chief)
- $500,000 from the California Wellness Foundation for Project Support and Efforts for Project Rebound at CSU Fullerton to support postsecondary educational pathways in Orange County for youth involved with the juvenile justice system (James Cavitt, executive director of Project Rebound)
- $400,000 from the National Science Foundation for CAP: INSPIRE – Inclusive Strategies for Promoting AI Research and Education, Empowering Underrepresented Students and Faculty (Yu Bai, professor of electrical and computer engineering)
Beyond external funding, CSUF also provided more than $2.5 million in intramural grants to faculty and students this year.
According to Tiwari, of the internal funding distributed, approximately $1 million supported faculty in launching projects with the potential to attract external grants. The remaining funds went toward student-focused programs, including $700,000 for the Engaging Graduate Students in Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities program and $457,000 for the Summer Undergraduate Research Academy.
“Intramural funding is crucial because it gives faculty and students the financial support they need to explore new ideas and develop projects that can grow into larger efforts,” Tiwari explained.
These internal funding efforts were bolstered by a $5 million capacity-building grant awarded in 2023 by the U.S. Department of Education. During the 2024-25 fiscal year, nearly $132,000 supported faculty participating in the Grant Writing Academy, and $100,000 was awarded to interdisciplinary faculty teams through Titans Thinking Together (T3). Both initiatives, led by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, aim to strengthen faculty development and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
“Cal State Fullerton is cultivating a strong research and creative environment by investing in both our people and the infrastructure that supports their work,” Tiwari said. “This strategic investment plays a key role in Cal State Fullerton’s continued success in securing grants and contracts, enabling faculty to tackle emerging issues and expand the university’s reach.”
Tiwari notes that as the funding landscape continues to evolve, the university is taking a forward-looking approach to support faculty in pursuing new grant opportunities.
“While challenges persist, Cal State Fullerton is emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and strategic growth. This approach positions CSUF to adapt effectively and sustain its impact locally and beyond,” he said.
For more information about grants and contracts for 2024-25, visit the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs website.