UNO Awarded Record-Breaking $42 Million in Research Funding in 2025-2026
UNO exceeded $40 million in external research funding for the fourth consecutive year and broke the previous record set in FY 2022-2023.
- published: 2026/10/30
- contact: Sam Peshek - Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
- email: unonews@unomaha.edu
The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) has exceeded $40 million in grant awards for the fourth straight year and set a new single-year record.
What’s new: Principal investigators were awarded a record of $42,475,945 in FY 2025-2026, according to UNO’s Office of Research and Creative Activity (ORCA), breaking the previous record of $42,038,971 set in FY 2022-2023.
Zoom in:
- Funding was provided by 94 unique sponsors, 14 different federal agencies, and eight different state agencies.
- ORCA awarded 248 student awards for a total of $746,192.
- A total of 185 proposals were awarded, with 101 unique principal investigators awarded external grants.
What they’re saying:
- Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, UNO Chancellor: “Every dollar of research funding represents an opportunity to solve a problem, improve lives, and make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve. I am incredibly proud of our faculty and researchers for this historic achievement, and grateful to our Academic Affairs leadership and the Office of Research and Creative Activity for creating an environment where discovery, collaboration, and innovation can thrive.”
- Phil He, Ph.D., Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs: “Community-engaged research is a full-contact team sport. It takes passionate, driven individuals working together as a unit, challenging one another, and combining their expertise to turn the pursuit of knowledge into discoveries that benefit society. The success we're seeing at UNO speaks to the talent of our researchers, the strength of our partnerships, and a shared determination to put our knowledge to work.”
- Sara Myers, Ph.D., Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activity: “Four consecutive years exceeding $40 million in research awards speaks to the sustainable momentum we're building at UNO. Our faculty are establishing this university as a regional and national leader in community-engaged research, and we're creating the foundation for even greater success in the years ahead. I especially want to recognize the principal investigators who bring undergraduate and graduate students into their research. They're advancing important discoveries today while preparing the next generation of scholars, innovators, and problem-solvers who will carry this work forward.”
Related: Read these stories about notable projects that received funding in 2025-2026:
About the University of Nebraska at Omaha
The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university, committed to innovating for the public good, advancing social mobility, powering workforce development, and serving as a hub for community engagement. Nearly 15,000 Mavericks choose UNO for its hands-on education experiences, nationally ranked online and graduate programs, military-connected student support, and innovative approaches to supporting lifelong learning. UNO holds the Carnegie Research Activity “R2” designation, securing more than $40 million annually in external research funding and counts its faculty among the world’s most cited scholars. Sixteen Omaha Athletics programs compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Summit League and National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC).
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