A study commissioned by research‑university associations concluded universities recover a smaller share of federally sponsored research indirect costs than private industry, highlighting a $7.06 billion shortfall for universities in FY2024. The report by Attain Partners for the AAU and COGR compared accounting rules and reimbursement norms across sectors. Authors say differences in rate structures and upfront institutional spending create effective reimbursement gaps that could imperil labs, maintenance and compliance efforts. Research offices and university CFOs will likely use the study in advocacy for revised federal indirect cost policies and to push back on prior administration proposals to cap university overhead at 15% of grant budgets.