Size matters! On the implications of increasing the size of research grants

This chapter examines the rationales behind larger grants, from large individual or project grants to research centers. It discusses arguments and evidence in favour of increased grant sizes, such as economies of scale in research and redistribution of resources towards top researchers to increase scientific productivity and pathbreaking research as well as potentially negative impacts of increasing funding size, leading to the concentration of funding among a smaller number of researchers. In recent years, increasing attention has been placed on inequality in science and the growing concentration of funding. Research funding policies play an important role in these developments, particularly through the design of funding instruments, where a focus on larger funding grants can contribute to concentration trends and increased inequality. Distribution of funding has repercussions for the science system at all levels, from individual researchers to institutions, regions, and disciplines.