For more than 125 years, scientists at MAES and the College of Agriculture have worked closely with the people of Montana to address problems with Montana-made solutions and to proactively look forward to an improved future. We are funded in part, and collaborate with, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture on any Hatch-Act funded agriculture research. You can find a running list of our research stories through the MSU News Service.

We believe in sharing how we invest resources in Montana programs across the state. Producers and commercial businesses fund public research through the Montana Wheat and Barley Research and Development check-offs, the Fertilizer Tax funds, Pea and Lentil Awards and the Noxious Weed Board.

The charts below show the breakdown in MAES and College funding through FY19. The state fiscal year runs July through June.

Base Support from the State of Montana

Base support from the state is critical in supporting MAES, College of Agriculture and MSU Extension work. During FY24, the state of Montana provided more than $19.7 million toward MAES. Montana State University contributed $10.4 million from its general operating fund for instruction. Federal U.S. Department of Agriculture capacity funds (Hatch Act funding) provided $2.9 million of the MAES total.

Fig. 1: Base Support from the State                                        

FY23 MAES funding

COA and MAES Expenditures

Fig. 2: MAES Expenses by Expenditure Category

FY24 expenditures by type 

Fig. 3: College of Agriculture Grant Expenditures by Department

The majority of the competitive grant money secured by College of Agriculture and MAES faculty comes from the National Institutes of Health, which funds critical projects in the biomedical sciences impacting human, livestock and wildlife health. The College boasts three of the top five departments at MSU for grant funding: Microbiology and Cell Biology; Land Resources and Environmental Sciences; and Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology. Faculty members compete for private grants and also those from state and national programs. COA and MAES annually leverage federal funding into an equal or greater amount from external sources to support teaching and research programs. 

FY expenditures by department

Fig. 4: Grants by Agency, External Fund Sources

The College and MAES are critical components to MSU research as evidenced by competitive grants secured from the National Insitutes of Health, National Science Foundation, USDA, NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense. Funds are also secured from non-federal entities such as the Noxious Weed Trust Fund and the Montana Wheat & Barley Committee.

agency breakdown 

Fig. 5: Grant Expenditures by college at Montana State University

college expenditures