NSF Grant Awards Lag by Over a Billion Dollars
The National Science Foundation is over a billion dollars behind in grant awards compared to recent years, with funding disruptions continuing under the
The National Science Foundation is significantly behind in awarding research grants as the fiscal year ends on September 30. According to data from Grant Witness, NSF has obligated only $6.3 billion across 6,200 grants, compared to $8.1 billion across 8,600 grants at this time last year.
A report from Nature attributes the shortfall mainly to the agency holding more than $1 billion in an account, much of it for the White House's Grand Research Challenges project. Scott Delaney, co-founder of Grant Witness, said the funding shortfall means agencies just aren't getting the grants out the door, and functionally that means fewer scientists doing less science and ultimately fewer benefits flowing to the American public.
Leadership Vacuum at NSF
Keivan Stassun, a former member of the NSF oversight board ousted by Trump in April, told Inside Higher Ed that the agency has been "decapitated." Trump has not named new board members, and the Senate has not confirmed his proposed NSF director from February. Stassun said the White House Office of Management and Budget is effectively running the agency and directing grant-making in ways that differ from congressional budget law.
Comparative Agency Performance
Other federal science agencies are also struggling. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are far behind their previous grant output.
| Agency | Grants Awarded (This FY) | Total Obligations (This FY) | Grants Awarded (Last FY) | Total Obligations (Last FY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSF | 6,200 | $6.3 billion | 8,600 | $8.1 billion |
| AHRQ | 61 | $27 million | 500+ | $181 million |
| NOAA | 229 | $679 million | 891 (avg. 2021-24) | $1.75 billion (avg. 2021-24) |
AcademyHealth estimates 80 percent of AHRQ staff was cut. Its president, Aaron Carroll, said the agency has been stripped of staff needed to fund research, leaving an estimated $160 million unspent. NOAA's tracker shows obligations far below the 2021-24 average.
Lawsuit Over Education Research Funds
The Institute of Education Sciences within the Education Department says it will spend all its funds before the deadline. Advocacy groups, including the Knowledge Alliance and the National Center for Learning Disabilities, sued in June over fears that $180 million in IES funding would expire.
Cerin Lindgrensavage, an attorney on the case, cited the latest information showing $180 million remains unobligated. A federal judge has ordered the government to update the court by September 28 on whether the spending is on track. Judge Allison D. Burroughs wrote that if defendants misled the court, it may reconsider injunctive relief.
An ED spokesperson stated by email that IES intends to use its remaining funds to fully fund existing research grants and support other statistical and evaluation activities.
