This research partnership grew again in 2013 with the addition of the University of South Florida and representation from the southeastern region of the United States. We continued to focus our research efforts around theme of livable communities.

In 2012, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) continued the UTC program, authorizing the competitive selection of 35 UTCs to receive a total of $72.5 million in funding for each of Fiscal Years 2013 to 2014, with continued funding from extension acts through Fiscal Year 2015. Following a competition in 2013, grants of approximately $3 million each were awarded to five National UTCs, $2.75 million each to ten Regional UTCs, and $1.5 million each to twenty Tier 1 UTCs. Fourteen of the 35 UTCs selected in the 2013 competition were new recipients of UTC Program grants.