5 ms·
The NSF budget increased dramatically between 1951-2008 -- but when accounting for inflation in the figures you linked, has declined by about 10% in real terms
by cbkeller 6y ago
The NSF budget increased dramatically between 1951-2008 -- but when accounting for inflation in the figures you linked, has declined by about 10% in real terms since then.
(That is, the 2010 NSF budget of $7.045 B in 2010 is in real terms equivalent to about $8.413 B today, about a billion dollars more than the real 2020 budget of $7.066 B, using the inflation calculator at [1].)
[1] https://www.in2013dollars.com https://www.in2013dollars.com
- mulmen 6y agoThe linked budget summary says it is in "Millions of Current Dollars". I interpret that to mean it is already inflation adjusted.
- cbkeller 6y agoThat is what I would have interpreted that to mean as well, but the numbers in the far right column don't really appear to be inflation-adjusted relative to the actual primary sources. Here, for instance, is the actual appropriations bill for 1998 [1]. As you can see, > "There are authorized to be appropriated to the Foundation $3,505,630,000 for fiscal year 1998." For comparison, the value in the aforementioned table for FY1998 is $3,430.63 M. This is a bit off, presumably because in contrast to the bill the values in the table are " after supplemental appropriations, transfers, and reprogrammings". I had missed, though, that the appropriations for the last two years were actually higher than the request, so some signs of recent growth. [1] https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/1273/text https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/1273...