Updates on Federal Actions Related to Research

This webpage is dynamic and updated frequently. Please check back often.

Last updated January 7, 2026.

 

Open Forum for Research

Betsy Boyd, senior associate vice president for Government and Community Relations; Val Whelan, assistant vice president for Sponsored Projects Services; and Kevin Reed, vice president and general counsel, will lead a research open forum January 22, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. via Zoom, the link for which has shared been shared via the weekly update email.

On December 1, 2025, interim VP for Research and Innovation, Geri Richmond, held an open forum for research. Topics included updates on emerging challenges to federal research funding (e.g., the Financial Accountability in Research [FAIR] model, federal agency funding) and an introduction to the OVPRI strategic plan.

View a recording of the forum and the presentation slides. 

Guidelines for the Research Community

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) continues to monitor the 2025 presidential administration transition. Below are some helpful guidelines.

  • Closely monitor obligated budget balances to avoid deficits while awaiting future obligations. Anticipated future funding remains subject to availability of funds and should not be considered guaranteed.
  • If you are waiting to hear back from a program officer, please be aware they may not be able to respond during the agency communications pause.
  • Ensure all technical reports and deliverables are submitted by their due dates and prioritize the submission of any that are past due.
  • Monitor policy updates: Keep an eye on announcements from the federal agency overseeing your grant for any updates on funding or compliance requirements.
  • Principal investigators are encouraged to ensure that they have access to and control over datasets.
  • Continue to submit proposals. Closely monitor the funding announcement to see if the proposal criteria changes.
  • OVPRI and the Office of General Counsel ask that you forward any communications from granting agencies relating to stop work orders, modifications to existing grants, requests for attestations, and spending justification requests.

OVPRI has adopted a process to appeal the termination of contracts and grants by federal agencies (requires DuckID to log in).

Additionally, the UO continues to monitor and communicate any immigration updates, and their potential impact to our international, Dreamer, and undocumented students, faculty, and staff.

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Recent Federal Actions

Past Federal Actions
Statements in Response to Federal Actions

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Resources for Researchers

At this time, the Council on Government Relations (COGR) is providing the most complete guidance on how the executive orders could affect operations, including a summary of executive orders. COGR's mission is to empower an unparalleled US academic research ecosystem by advancing sound federal policies and regulations that are vital to US science and innovation leadership and our nation’s health, security, and prosperity. Request access to the COGR membership portal.

Please note this page is dynamic and information could be incomplete.

The Chronicle of Higher Education is tracking the actions of President Trump's administration that affect higher education. Chronicle of Higher Education's Trump's Agenda for Higher Ed Tracker (sign in with your DuckID to access Chronicle content)

The Chronicle is also tracking the development of an indirect costs (also known as facilities and administrative, or F&A) model. Read more about the Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) model (requires UO VPN or account to access).

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has compiled a fiscal year (FY) 2026 research and development appropriations dashboard. It compares the White House, House, and Senate spending proposals for science and technology programs in FY 2026.

FAQs for Researchers

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Tracking Terminations and Appeals

  • Grant terminations received: 19, totaling $1.5 million
  • Change from previous week: 0
  • Relevant agencies: NEA, NEH, NSF, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Economic Development Administration
  • Active appeals: 0
  • Terminations lifted: 13 (NIH: 11; NSF: 1; Corporation for National Community Service: 1), totaling $6.4 million

These figures are current as of 1/7.

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Email Updates

The following message was sent to graduate students, tenure track and research faculty, department grant administrators, OVPRI centers and institutes, core facility staff, Government and Community Relations, Office of General Counsel, and OVPRI staff on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

Welcome back and welcome to the new year. To begin with good news, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is moving forward with decisions on grant applications it had previously shelved or rejected. OVPRI staff will continue to monitor pending UO applications to the agency.

F&A Cap Update

On Monday, the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed the ruling of the District Court for Massachusetts in the lawsuit challenging NIH’s actions to cap indirect costs (also known as facilities and administrative, or F&A). The court ruled that “NIH's attempt, through its Supplemental Guidance, to impose a 15% indirect cost reimbursement rate violates the congressionally enacted appropriations rider and Health and Human Services’ duly adopted regulations.”

We would like to thank the UO General Counsel’s office, particularly Kevin Reed and Jessica Price, for their tireless efforts to support efforts led by the state Attorney General’s office and provide critical legal interpretation to our research community.

Three-bill “Minibus” Moving Forward

Also on Monday, Congressional appropriators released a three-bill funding package that pertains to the departments of Energy, Commerce, Interior, Justice, as well as water programs, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and federal science initiatives. Of note, this package includes $8.75 billion for the National Science Foundation (below FY25’s $9.05 billion), Department of Energy’s Office of Science is at $8.4 billion (up from $8.2 billion in FY25) and allocates $207 million to the National Endowment for the Humanities and National Endowment for the Arts (which is level with FY25). Congress aims to pass this legislation by the January 30 government shutdown deadline, and it would fund the aforementioned agencies through the end of the current fiscal year (September 30). The bills to fund other federal funding agencies are still under development.

New NSF Structure and Changes to Merit Review Process

We have learned that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced changes to its organizational structure and to the merit review process. The organizational changes include a major reduction in the number of “rotators” (people on loan from universities) and the dissolution of divisions in favor of smaller “sections” under the directorates that appear to be clumped together thematically. Science provides an analysis of the organizational changes.

To compensate for its reduced staff, NSF will change its merit review process. Going forward, rather than the standard minimum of three outside reviewers for a given proposal, that number is reduced to one. Program managers will be given greater authority about whether proposals should be funded. Science provides an analysis of the changes to merit review process. The National Science Board released a new report outlining proposed changes to the overall merit review process, including a recommended pivot from “broader impacts” to “societal benefits.” These recommendations will be reviewed and implemented during the coming year.

Reminder: Research Open Forum January 22

Please mark your calendars: Betsy Boyd, senior associate vice president for Government and Community Relations; Val Whelan, assistant vice president for Sponsored Projects Services; and Kevin Reed, vice president and general counsel, will lead a research open forum January 22 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. via Zoom.

Following the open forum for research December 1, we have updated our FAQs for Researchers webpage. A UO login is required to access this page.

Prior Emails

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