By Lucas Laursen

In Spain, the government’s overall spending on research is set to wither by about 8% this year, according to an analysis released last fall by the Confederation of Spanish Scientific Societies. Given the climate of budget cuts, it’s perhaps no surprise that scientists there are turning to the public for funding.

Historically, Spain has fallen behind other nations in Europe when it comes to private giving for research. A Eurobarometer report published last summer said that 28% of people in the country reported having donated money to fundraising campaigns for medical research, below the EU average of 39%. By comparison, 78% and 70% of individuals surveyed in the Netherlands and UK said they had given money for these campaigns.

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