The National Science Foundation has ranked the University of Michigan No. 1 for spending on research among public universities. 

The group also ranked U-M No. 2 overall for all universities, public and private. The rankings cover money spent in fiscal year 2009.

U-M moved up two spots in the rankings among public universities from last year, and up four spots in the overall rankings.

In 2009, for the first time in the past 25 years, U-M received more federal research funding — $636.2 million — than any other U.S. public university, according to NSF records analyzed by Russell Fleming, division controller for financial reporting.

U-M research spending increased 14.9 percent between fiscal years 2008 and 2009, according to NSF. In fiscal year 2010, which ended June 30, U-M research expenditures rose another 12 percent to $1.14 billion. The FY 2010 numbers will be included in next year’s NSF annual report.

To read more about the rankings and the university's reaction, click here for a story by the school's news service.