The University of Hawaii announced it received $647.3 million in funding from external organizations across all campuses for the most recent fiscal year, $17.9 million of which was allocated to UH Hilo.

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The University of Hawaii announced it received $647.3 million in funding from external organizations across all campuses for the most recent fiscal year, $17.9 million of which was allocated to UH Hilo.

The second-highest amount in UH history, the total is down about 12% from last year’s record-setting $734 million, but it is the fifth consecutive year extramural funding for the university system has been above half a billion.

UH Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation Chad B. Walton said this money has become especially valuable amid ongoing uncertainty for research funding.

“During this extremely difficult period of federal funding for university research, achieving a fifth consecutive year of securing over half a billion dollars in extramural funding is something that both the University of Hawaii and the state of Hawaii can really be proud of,” he said in a press release. “It is a clear testament to the effort, dedication and true nature of our dedicated and hardworking faculty, staff, and students that continues to successfully fuel the UH research enterprise — a major contributor to Hawaii’s economy.”

At UH Hilo, the funding was awarded to 113 programs, according to UH Director for the Vice President for Research and Administration Eric Matsunaga.

He said the money will help support research that has local impacts to the Hawaii Island community. Among the projects are an effort to identify and relocate native forest birds to higher elevations in order to protect them from extinction, development of an automated method for mapping invasive albizia trees and potential coconut rhinoceros beetle breeding sites, inventory of corals and marine species in the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, and work on creating more open and transparent AI infrastructure.

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The funding for these projects comes from the U.S. Geological Survey, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the National Park Service and the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, respectively.

UH Manoa Interim Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship Robert Wright said this money is all highly competitive.

“Nobody just gives it to us. We have to write good proposals, And, the selection rate for federal grants is not very high, you know, 1%, 2%, 5%, usually no more than 10%,” he said. “So when, when our faculty win these awards, they’re competing with all the schools that you’ve ever heard of.”

UH Manoa Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos said he also attributes this success to the work of Hawaii’s U.S. representatives and senators.

“Achieving another landmark year reflects the extraordinary talent across the University of Hawaii,” said U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda in a press release. “These federal investments tackle our state’s unique challenges — from advancing rural healthcare and sustainable agriculture to protecting ocean resources. With White House budget cuts threatening these vital programs, our work is far from over. We must stand with our partners and fight to protect the funding that fuels this essential work.”

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Email Grace Inez Adams at [email protected].