Volume 45 (2026)
Register Now: COSSA’s Final Headlines Webinars of 2026
COSSA will be hosting two final members-only Headlines Webinars for 2026 in November and December. See the information below and register to attend: Headlines is a webinar series available exclusively to COSSA member organizations. Watch for additional webinar announcements, and previous webinar recordings, on the COSSA website.
President Trump Executive Actions
Trump Administration Actions (all actions available here): Find COSSA’s full list of Trump’s Executive Actions and more information here or on the Social Science Space Tracker.
White House Announces More Than $6 Billion in New Science Initiatives
The Trump Administration announced more than $6 billion in science investments at a Science: A New Golden Age Summit in Washington, D.C., on October 8. The initiatives are consistent with previously stated administration priorities and build off the report of the same name released by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in July. According to the White House:
Significant Amounts of Research Funding Withheld, Some Illegally, as Fiscal Year Ends
Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 officially ended October 1, despite unfinished work by Congress on FY 2027 spending. As previously reported, Members of Congress left Washington a few weeks ago to spend extra time on the campaign trail ahead of the November midterm elections. Before leaving, they enacted a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded through December 11. Now that FY 2026 is in the books, reports are uncovering the extent to which research funding has been reduced, redirected, or eliminated across the government. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has reportedly withheld $1.4 billion, or nearly 20 percent, of…
NIH Modernizes Website to Improve Access to Research and Funding Information
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has introduced a modernized website experience, including a beta version of NIH.gov and a series of thematic information hubs, to make it easier for researchers and the public to access health information, research resources, and funding opportunities. According to the NIH, the new digital environment organizes information around topics, diseases, services, and user needs rather than the agency’s internal organizational structure. Thematic hubs include Cancer, Clinical, Data, Grants, Health, Rare Diseases, Research, and Tech. NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices also have dedicated pages with information on leadership, research priorities, grants, and budgets. NIH plans…
NIH Announces Record Number of Grants for Early-Career Investigators
On October 8, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced it supported a record 1,648 early-stage investigators through R01-equivalent extramural research grants in fiscal year (FY) 2026. This represents a 25% increase over the ten-year average of 1,323 awards. The NIH also launched Generation Discovery, a new initiative to recruit 100 early-career principal investigators into its Intramural Research Program over the next three years. The agency highlighted these efforts at the White House Science: A New Golden Age Summit as part of a broader strategy to strengthen American biomedical research. Additional initiatives include expanding Investigator-Focused Awards, which offer researchers greater…
National Academies Seeks Experts for Study on Literacy Across the Life Course
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is seeking nominations for experts to participate in a new study examining literacy across the life course. The study will explore the current state of literacy, the educational contexts in which individuals develop literacy skills, and the influence of digital tools on literacy. It will also examine promising programs for improving literacy and consider the implications of literacy for global competitiveness and national security. NASEM is interested in experts with backgrounds in literacy instruction, cognitive neuroscience, developmental and educational psychology, sociology, learning theory, workforce development, language and linguistics, educational assessment, education…
Research!America Requesting Applications for 2026-27 Civic Engagement Microgrants Program
Research!America announced the application period for its Civic Engagement Microgrant Program is now open. The program awards grants of up to $4,000 to STEM groups led by master’s, PhD, postdoc, or professional students to design and execute projects that create dialogue with public officials, local community leaders, and the public around issues of common concern. These funds provide opportunities for grantees to develop skills in areas such as communication and program planning, along with an understanding of public policy and government to have an impact in their local communities. Applications are accepted through November 20, 2026. More details are available…
Save the Date: AAPSS 2026 Moynihan Lecture
On January 20, the American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a COSSA member, will award the 2026 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize to Esther Duflo,an economist best known for her work on the microeconomics of economic development and the use of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the causal effects of social interventions. Each Moynihan Prize winner delivers the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Lecture on Social Science and Public Policy in Washington, DC. More details will be distributed in the coming months. Read the official announcement on the AAPSS website. Nominations for the 2027 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize are open until…
New Fiscal Year Officially Begins, Lawmakers Leave Washington Until November 9
Senators and House Members are now back in their states and districts campaigning ahead of the November midterm elections. Both chambers are expected to reconvene November 9 for the lame duck session. Immediately confronting lawmakers will be the fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations bills, for which Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) last month pushing the deadline to December 11. The path forward for completing the FY 2027 process—FY 2027 officially began on October 1—will likely depend heavily on the outcome of the elections and which party will control each chamber next year. Lawmakers may decide to complete work on…
Senate Republicans Warn Against Grant Terminations at NIH
Six Republican Senators penned a letter to Trump Administration officials last month raising concern about “the potential effects of terminating ongoing, multi-year research grants after significant federal resources have already been invested,” specifically at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Instead, the letter, which is signed by Sens. David H. McCormick (R-PA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Steve Daines (R-MT), asks that efforts be made to modify funded projects that may not currently align with Administration priorities to “help advance the Administration’s objectives while preserving the value of taxpayer investments already made.”…
Trump Administration Rescinds $810 Million in Appropriated Funds, Lawsuits Pending
The President issued a so-called pocket rescission on September 25 canceling $810 million in already appropriated funding for fiscal year (FY) 2026, citing “wasteful and harmful government spending that does not benefit American citizens.” Within the rescission are cuts for immigration services and several health and education programs, such as the Department of Education’s International Education and Foreign Language programs. Also included are rescissions to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health, climate change initiatives, and programs dealing with transgender/gender identity and racism within the healthcare system. The legality of the move is in question….
Deadline Extended for Census RFI on Demographic Questions – Respond by Nov. 2
The original 30-day comment period for a Census Bureau proposed rule, Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions, has been extended to November 2 (originally October 13). If implemented, the proposed rule would mark a significant change to the 2030 Census, specifically by excluding non-U.S. citizens without a green card from apportionment used to set Congressional districts. It would also remove race and ethnicity questions from the decennial. The Census Project has been covering the issue in detail. Given the dramatic changes proposed, the deadline extension for public comment is welcome…
Register Now: An Update on This Year’s Major Science Policy Developments
On September 29, join COSSA for the next Headlines webinar focused on providing an update on some of the most consequential topics impacting science policy and funding. Just in the last few months the social and behavioral science community has been faced with an existential threat to NSF’s SBE Directorate, proposed changes to the Uniform Guidance for grant funding, delays in federal agency award funding, and several other Executive actions that could potentially upend how scientific research is supported and conducted in the U.S. The COSSA team will discuss the status of these activities and outline what you can do…
Senate Launches Bipartisan Science & Innovation Caucus
On September 14, Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) launched a new Bipartisan Science and Innovation Caucus. According to the press release, “Caucus members will work together with industry leaders and the research community to develop policies that promote U.S. leadership in science.” The group plans to hold briefings, roundtable discussions, and “provide a venue for discourse about new legislation to boost American scientific research and our STEM workforce.” The current list of caucus members is not yet available. Congressional caucuses are a tool used to bring together Members of Congress with a shared interest. They do not…
Gold Standard Science at NSF
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is continuing to make changes to its longstanding programs and update its policies, largely at the direction of the White House. Despite being without a Senate confirmed director for more than a year, the transformation of NSF just since 2025 has been significant. ‘A New Golden Age’ Acting NSF Director Brian Stone issued a letter to the scientific community on September 10 outlining the agency’s planned research directions. For example, the letter states that NSF plans to announce a number of Grand Research Challenges in the coming weeks and other initiatives aligned with Administration priorities….
NIH and DOD Sign Agreement Allowing Fund Transfers
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense (DOD) have signed an agreement to “support the advanced development of medical countermeasures against pandemic influenza, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, and emerging infectious diseases.” Under the agreement, NIH will provide funding, scientific expertise, and access to relevant research and products, while DOD will use its contracting and acquisition infrastructure to fund and manage research and development efforts. The agencies will jointly set research priorities and meet at least quarterly. The agreement itself does not commit funding and is set to remain in effect through September 30,…
National Academies to Host Seminar on Adapting the Federal Statistical Workforce
On September 24, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will host a virtual seminar, Adapting the Federal Statistical Workforce for a Changing Environment. The event will examine how federal statistical agencies are responding to changes in data collection, including declining survey response rates, the growing availability of alternative data sources, advances in artificial intelligence, and developments in statistical modeling. The seminar will also address challenges facing the federal statistical workforce, including budget constraints and reductions in staffing. The seminar will feature discussions on redesigning the federal statistical workforce to support the future of statistical production and building…
Call for Experts: Standing Committee on Use of AI in Science
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is seeking suggestions for experts to participate in the new Standing Committee on Use of AI in Science: Integrity, Trust, and Innovation in the Scientific Enterprise. The committee will examine how artificial intelligence is challenging established norms, standards, and governance mechanisms within scientific research, with particular attention to research trustworthiness, reproducibility, transparency, and alignment with societal values. The committee will host a series of public sessions addressing issues including research integrity and reproducibility, transparency and trustworthiness, authorship and accountability, and peer review. A small group of experts will also develop issue…