AAU Releases ‘Leading University Reports’ on NSF and IES Slow Grant Making
The Association of American Universities (AAU) released two Leading University Reports in July on the slow-spend of appropriated funds within the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) housed within the Department of Education.
The first article, NSF Is Making Fewer Grants, Threatening the Future of Scientific Discovery, released July 10, notes that NSF’s Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE) has awarded only 38 grants this year compared to an average of 357 awards between fiscal years (FY) 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. The article continues that the uncertainty regarding awards is leading to “a reduction in the ability of major universities to support and admit the same number of doctoral students in key STEM fields as they have in previous years.”
The second article, The Nation’s Federal Funding Source for Education Research Hangs in the Balance, released July 30, notes a similar concern, stating that “an estimated $289 million in FY25 funds have not been obligated” and that “millions more in FY26 funds will expire if they remain unspent by next September.” The article explores potential impacts on education research, including critical damage to the research pipeline and data infrastructure.