Kettering University

Kettering University, a private tax-exempt STEM university headquartered in Flint, Michigan, acts as a recipient of federal research grants from the National Science Foundation and other civilian research agencies. The university does not hold federal contracts and operates exclusively as a grant recipient (92% of its recent federal awards as prime recipient, with 8% as sub-recipient on collaborative research initiatives).

Kettering's federal footprint centers on research and STEM workforce development. The National Science Foundation accounts for 24 of 48 total awards (including NSF Office of Integrative Activities), reflecting Kettering's character as an engineering and applied-research institution. Recent representative grants include a $999,878 NSF Office of Integrative Activities project grant (CFDA 47.083) awarded October 2025 to develop and deliver an artificial intelligence career pathway program for high school students and GED earners, running through September 2028; a $464,937 NSF Engineering REU site grant (CFDA 47.041) starting October 2024 for "Control and Sensing in Autonomous Vehicles," supporting 10 students per year through September 2027; a $577,750 NSF Major Research Instrumentation award (CFDA 47.083) from September 2023 for acquisition of a three-dimensional scanning laser Doppler vibrometer to support collaborative research across mechanical engineering, materials science, and biomedical applications with regional university partners (Michigan State University, Oakland University, University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Michigan-Flint, Grand Valley State University); and a $249,999 NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences LEAPS-MPS grant (CFDA 47.049) for computational research into thermoelectric materials for waste-heat conversion, funded July 2023 through June 2025. Beyond NSF, Kettering received a $398,946 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships grant (CFDA 47.084) starting October 2023 as lead institution in a four-university EMERGE cohort (also including University of the Incarnate Word, University of Northern Colorado, and Western Carolina University) focused on building research capacity in emerging technologies. The university also holds a cooperative agreement with NOAA for a three-year "Climate Resilient Flint" community climate resilience project running through December 2025.

By potential-dollar value, the portfolio is anchored by two Army Materiel Command Research Development and Engineering Command awards ($2.7 million combined) and one Defense Threat Reduction Agency award ($1.4 million), though NSF funding dominates by award count. Kettering acts as sub-recipient on four research collaboration awards from Arizona State University and Grand Valley State University, including a tire blowout modeling and control project for advanced driver assistance systems (Arizona State, August 2024) and Michigan Small Business Development Center regional-center sub-awards (Grand Valley State, multiple years).

Recent activity has declined — one award in 2026, two in 2025, five in 2024 — after higher volume in prior years. Only two awards face ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, presenting minimal near-term recompete exposure. Across the footprint, Kettering's role is consistent: federally funded research institution conducting applied research, materials science, and workforce development in engineering, autonomous vehicles, battery technology, and climate resilience, with research partnerships distributed across regional universities and national laboratories.