UNO Hits Record $42.5 Million in Research Funding

Students and families in Omaha gain more research and award opportunities as UNO tops $40 million in funding for a fourth straight year.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Scholarships

Isometric editorial illustration of polished brass coins beside a small seedling in a clay dish on an oak plinth, against a pale-blue field. — The University of Nebraska at Omaha reported a record $42.5 million in research funding for 2025-26, its fourth straight year above $40 million. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The University of Nebraska at Omaha reported $42.5 million in research funding for 2025-26, a new record that surpasses the previous high of $42 million set in 2022-23. The university has now exceeded $40 million in research funding for four straight years.

Why it matters

For Omaha students, a research-heavy university means more hands-on academic opportunities, paid student research positions, and faculty-led projects that can strengthen a degree and a résumé. Strong external funding also helps the university sustain its programs without relying solely on tuition revenue.

UNO's $42.5 million total for 2025-26 edges past its prior record of $42 million, and the university has topped $40 million for four consecutive years. The Office of Research and Creative Activity awarded 248 student awards totaling more than $746,000 across the reporting period.

The players

University of Nebraska at Omaha

A public metropolitan university in Omaha serving a large commuter and working-adult student body with a research profile that continues to grow.

National Science Foundation

The federal agency that funds basic research and education, including the $8 million award supporting the Nebraska Center for 3D Innovation.

Nebraska Department of Transportation Highway Safety

The state agency that awarded nearly $1 million to UNO to study safer traffic stops.

The details

The university's research dollars come from a mix of sources, with grant awards drawn from 94 unique sponsors that include 14 federal agencies and eight state agencies. Student involvement runs through the Office of Research and Creative Activity, which handed out 248 awards worth more than $746,000 to support student work. Large single awards also shape the total, including $8 million from the National Science Foundation to establish the Nebraska Center for 3D Innovation and nearly $1 million from the Nebraska Department of Transportation Highway Safety to study safer traffic stops.

2022-23: UNO sets its previous research funding record of $42 million.
2025-26: UNO reports a record $42.5 million in research funding.

Education Landscape

UNO's funding growth sits inside a broader pattern in which public universities increasingly rely on competitive federal and state grants to fund research. Reaching a fourth straight year above $40 million shows a steady rather than one-off expansion of its research base.

Students interested in research roles or the Office of Research and Creative Activity's student awards can ask the university directly how to apply for upcoming opportunities. Families evaluating UNO can ask the financial-aid office which research-linked awards and assistantships are available to incoming students.

The takeaway

Sustained research funding above $40 million signals an expanding set of hands-on opportunities for UNO students. Ask the university's Office of Research and Creative Activity or financial-aid office how students can get involved in funded projects and student awards.