Research, Science & Technology (RS&T) sector overview
Each year the government sets aside, or ‘votes’, a certain amount of money for research, science and technology in its budget. This money is called Vote RS&T![[definition]](/sites/all/themes/frsttheme/images/glossary-icon.png "The various Crown agencies and Ministries that make up the New Zealand Government are funded though a series of packages called ‘Votes’. Our Vote — Vote Research, Science and Technology (Vote RS&T) — currently stands at $658 million (2007/08 Budget). The Foundation oversees allocation of nearly $500 million of Vote RS&T in several hundred research projects every year. The rest is split between the The Health Research Council, the The Royal Society of New Zealand and Fulbright New Zealand."){kind=icon}
. It currently stands at $743 million (2009/10 Budget) excluding GST.
Vote RS&T is divided between three main investment agents:
- The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology
- The Health Research Council of New Zealand
- The Royal Society of New Zealand
Combined, we invest, on behalf of the Minister of Research, Science and Technology, in several hundred research projects every year.
How funds are allocated to research areas
The money is divided by the government into output expenses, each of which support specific government goals (see a complete list of Vote RS&T output expenses).
The Foundation splits output expenses into schemes or portfolios, to help manage how we invest these funds.
The money we invest through these portfolios and schemes helps support a range of organisations and people to carry out research, science and technology for the benefit of New Zealand.
See visual demonstration (you will need Flash Player software).