The Act provides over $40 billion total for fiscal years 2008 to 2010 for STEM programs across federal agencies. Some highlights of the package include:
- $22 billion for the National Science Foundation, putting NSF on a path to double in budget approximately seven years, increasing support for a variety of programs including the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program, CAREER grants for young faculty, and a new program of seed grants.
- Nearly $17 billion for Energy Department programs, keeping the Office of Science on a seven-year doubling path, and establishing an Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E), patterned after DARPA, to support high-risk, high-reward research.
- A new Technology Innovation Program (TIP) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, replacing the Advanced Technology Program but allowing university participation.