Save NIH and NSF Research Funding

Updates

February 20, 2025: Despite a court order to unfreeze NIH grant funding, the Trump administration is continuing to block funding by preventing required internal review processes.

February 11, 2025: In response to a lawsuit from 22 state attorneys general, a federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order on NIH funding caps nationwide. The next hearing for this case is set for February 21.

On February 7, the Trump administration moved to cut billions of dollars in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) by placing an immediate cap on so-called “indirect costs”. Indirect costs include infrastructure, facility maintenance, and staff salaries. These funds ensure that research can happen. This new policy will cause an immediate and massive funding shortfall at research institutions nationwide, forcing layoffs and jeopardizing critical scientific research. This change undermines years of financial planning at universities and research institutions, creating a devastating budget crisis overnight.

NIH and NSF funding doesn’t just support scientific progress, it also helps fuel the U.S. economy. Every dollar of NIH funding generates $2.46 of economic activity. NIH-funded research has led to breakthroughs in treatments for cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and more; NSF is a critical funder for every field of science, particularly computational and cybersecurity research. Cutting indirect costs will mean fewer jobs, fewer discoveries, and a weakened global standing in science and innovation. In 2023 alone, NIH funding supported over 400,000 jobs and generated nearly $93 billion in economic activity. This decision jeopardizes thousands of livelihoods and our nation’s economy.

There are serious questions about whether this decision is even within the administration’s authority. Current policy suggests changes like this must go through Congress, who must act to block this harmful order.