


Gov. Maura Healey (D-MA) on Thursday announced a new initiative to fund universities affected by President Donald Trump’s cuts.
The initiative, called Discovery, Research, and Innovation for a Vibrant Economy, is aimed at revitalizing Massachusetts’s large research sector. The plan would direct $200 million to go directly toward research projects at hospitals, universities, and independent research institutions, while the other $200 million would go toward research, partnerships, and joint ventures at public universities.
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“Innovation is who we are, and it’s a huge part of our economy. Today, I’m announcing the DRIVE initiative — Discovery, Research, and Innovation for a Vibrant Economy. Research funding is a catalyst for new treatments and cures, but also for new jobs, new companies, and economic growth,” Healey said in a video announcement.
“DRIVE will put $400 million towards protecting these jobs, creating new ones, and making discoveries that save lives and change the world. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative anywhere in the country,” she added. “Massachusetts is America’s innovation state, and this is how we keep it.”
Massachusetts’s research sector is driven in no small part by Harvard University, currently at the forefront of the Trump administration’s battle with higher education.
According to a report by the Donahue Institute at the University of Massachusetts, cited by Healey’s office, $8.57 billion in annual federal research and development funding supports 81,300 jobs and $7.8 billion of income, generating over $16 billion in economic activity.
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Massachusetts is home to one of every 10 jobs in research and development in the U.S., according to Healey.
The $400 million in funds will be taken from interest from the state’s stabilization fund and the state’s millionaire tax. Healey is also establishing a Research Catalyst Fund, allowing private investors to contribute money toward research.