The information flow may be somewhat difficult since the rules regarding research competition, requests for proposals, program announcements, etc. are extremely variable within the different agencies. It is important to remember, therefore, the research process requirements among the agencies are also likely to be quite different. The Office of Research Development can assist individual faculty members in the identification of processes as well as identification of responsible offices for particular research areas. There are three basic ways most state agencies become involved in research. Since requests for proposals and program announcements may not get broad distribution at the state level, contacts within the state agencies are often critical to funding success.
Personal contacts are a very important factor in industrial research initiatives.
Many professional associations provide support for research, and it is often quite prestigious to receive their support. Generally, individuals must be a member of the association to be eligible, and often the level of support is small. There are approximately 30,000 private foundations in the United States, and they can be divided into five broad categories. General Purpose Foundations. Examples include larger, better known foundations such as the Ford Foundation or Mellon Foundation.