CannonDesign Releases Infographic to Better Help Universities Obtain More R&D Funding

WASHINGTON, DC – CannonDesign, a global design firm ranked among the top 10 S&T design firms in the world, has released a new infographic that helps universities wanting to obtain more R&D funding navigate the federal grants process.

Funding challenges are a major concern for many institutions around the United States. Institutions are tasked with securing hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in grants each year to continue their important R&D work. 

“We realized during our research that there were two roadblocks for universities when applying for grants,” says Stephen Blair, CannonDesign's executive director of Science and Technology. “The first roadblock was that universities sometimes overlook grants offered through different federal agencies.” A total of 14 federal agencies support R&D funding through facilities construction, renovation and major capital equipment, including some not commonly known for grant funding, including the Department of Agriculture and NASA.

“The second roadblock for many universities is navigating the design requirements necessary to prove their facility will remain viable to conduct the research within,” says Blair. “I've seen universities try and use their undergraduate architect students to design a preliminary facilities plan, and this never turns out well.”

For construction, renovation and equipment grant applications, the requirements include engineering criteria, architectural criteria, line drawings, timelines, construction documents, equipment plans, operating budgets and more. With hundreds of institutions competing for a limited amount of funding, the way you present the facility design plays a pivotal role in setting the top applications apart from the rest.

CannonDesign has created an infographic of their research findings including the top grants and their issuing agencies as well as more information about the design requirements necessary for a successful application. Download the free infographic here: www.cannondesign.com.

Featured

  • Los Angeles City College Breaks Ground on New Administration, Workforce Building

    Los Angeles City College (LACC) in Los Angeles, Calif., recently broke ground on a new $72-million administrative facility, according to a news release. The Cesar Chavez Administration and Workforce Building will stand four stories, cover 67,230 square feet, and play home to a wide variety of the school’s educational and administrative services.

  • Texas K–12 District to Build New Elementary, High Schools

    The High Island Independent School District on the Bolivar Peninsula in Southeast Texas recently announced that construction on a new elementary school and a new high school will begin in January 2026, according to local news. Funding will come from a $27.9-million bond passed in May 2025.

  • Three U.S. Universities Install Acre Security Access Control Platform

    Cloud-native physical and digital security solutions company Acre Security recently announced that it has deployed its access control platform at three major universities in the U.S., according to a news release. Acre partnered with Atrium Campus to provide coverage for more than 69,000 students at the University of Virginia (UVA), George Mason University, and Rockhurst University.

  • Malibu High School Campus Completes $102M Phase 1 of Construction

    Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., recently announced that it has completed phase 1 of construction for its new campus, a news release reports. The first phase consisted of developing and modernizing the site of a former elementary school into a new, 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility.

Digital Edition