I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Texas A&M University System (A&M System) Research Excellence Fund (REF) continues in its second year in FY27. The focus of the REF is to significantly elevate research capacity, competitiveness, and impact across the A&M System. The REF will accelerate research growth at all member institutions with dedication to strategic programs that advance discovery, innovation, and national competitiveness.
The fund operates as competitive, merit-based program, with priority placed on strategic research investments, collaboration among A&M System members, alignment with state and national priorities, and high-return investments that create sustained research capacity and impact.
II. purpose and goals
The purpose of the REF is to:
- Accelerate Research Growth – Increase research expenditures, awards, scholarly output, and impact.
- Foster System-Wide Collaboration – Leverage the strengths of all A&M System institutions to pursue large, multi-disciplinary initiatives.
- Recruit and Retain Top Talent – Secure the next generation of high-impact faculty and graduate students and prepare the future-ready workforce.
- Enhance Infrastructure – Equip researchers with world-class facilities, instrumentation, technology, and capabilities.
- Increase Competitiveness for External Funding – Position the A&M System as a leader in winning large federal, state, and private research awards.
- Address Grand Challenges – Target research toward pressing global, national, and Texas priorities.
III. PROGRAM COMPONENTS
Following an initial $35 million investment in REF’s inaugural year, the Board of Regents approved an additional $40 million investment for FY27, to be allocated across the following strategic initiatives:
- Graduate Fellowships – $6 million
- Support for prestigious graduate fellowships to recruit and retain exceptional doctoral students in strategic research areas with preference for inter-institutional advising and mentoring.
- Early-Stage Collaborative Discover Grants – $2 million
- Competitive grants for early-stage, proof-of-concept, and pilot discovery research conducted by multi-system member collaborative teams on transformative research topics.
- Collaborative Discovery Grants – $4 million
- Competitive grants supporting multi-system member collaboration on transformative research topics. Focus will be on projects with strong potential for large-scale follow-on funding from federal, state, and private sponsors. Preference will be given to collaboration teams that have previously received REF Early-Stage Research Grants.
- Research Equipment Grants – $1 million
- Competitive program to acquire cutting-edge research equipment and technology that will be shared across multiple A&M System institutions.
- Animal Research Facilities Grants – $500,000
- Program to invest in, upgrade, and maintain animal research facilities to ensure outstanding animal research and compliance with accreditation standards.
- Research Collaboration Meeting Grants – $500,000
- Funding to host system-wide participation in a research meeting/symposium/summit to encourage collaboration on a high-impact research priority aligned with state and national research priorities.
- Faculty Fellowship – $1 million
- Support for short-term research fellowships for faculty at all A&M System universities to participate in collaborative research projects in laboratories at other A&M System campuses, including Texas A&M-RELLIS and Texas A&M-Fort Worth.
- Faculty Recruitment and Retention Grants – $25 million
- Funds to support start-up funds for high-profile research-active faculty hires and to retain leading researchers. Priority will be given to hires who enhance competitiveness for major funding and collaboration.
IV. Governance and Administration
The REF will be administered by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research with guidance from the REF Advisory Committee composed of representatives from A&M System member institutions.
Key governance principles:
- Competitive peer-reviewed selection process
- Transparent criteria and scoring rubrics
- Annual reporting of funded projects, outcomes, and impacts
- Annual review to assess outcomes, impact, return on investment (ROI) and strategic alignment
The total annual REF investment along with the distribution among the various program components will be re-evaluated annually and are subject to change as determined by the Chancellor and Board of Regents.
V. Expected Outcomes
The REF is expected to achieve:
- Significant growth in A&M System external research funding and research expenditures system-wide
- Increased high-value collaborative projects initiated
- Increased graduate fellowships awarded
- Increased recruitment and retention of top-tier faculty
- Acquisition, development, and utilization of state-of-the-art research infrastructure
- Significant increase in competitive grant success rates
- National recognition of the A&M System as a leader in research
- Ascension of High Research Activity (R2) institutions to Very High Research Activity (R1) as defined by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutes of Higher Education (CCIHE)
VI. conclusion
The A&M System REF represents a bold, strategic investment in the future of Texas research, innovation, and economic competitiveness. These investments and outcomes create a transformative environment for students and researchers expanding access to cutting-edge opportunities, world-class mentorship, and state-of-the-art facilities that advance discovery and prepare the next generation of scholars and innovators.
Building on the $35 million investment in FY26, the FY27 REF provides an additional $40 million to support strategic initiatives that advance research excellence, foster collaboration, develop talent, and address significant challenges facing Texas, the nation, and the world. Through these investments, the A&M System will continue to build a stronger, more connected, and more competitive research enterprise with lasting impact for its institutions, researchers, students, and the communities they serve.