White House Proposes Sweeping Changes to Federal Grant Rules – Comments Due July 13

At the end of May, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a proposed rule, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance, that would make major changes to the Uniform Guidance governing federal financial assistance, including federal research grants. The rule would implement proposals made by the Trump Administration through various executive orders over the last year, including the Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking order and Restoring Gold Standard Science order, among others.

Among the changes are, but not limited to:

• Requiring that every new grant program explicitly aligns with the Administration’s policies and priorities, as opposed to scientific need, statutory mandate, or scientific community advice.
• Requiring that political appointees (not career scientists or program officers) within federal agencies sign off on grants before they are awarded to ensure that the funding will be used to “demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities.”
• Allowing for the termination of grants at anytime (including retroactively) if they are found to be “inconsistent with program goals or agency priorities.” Currently this could only be accomplished if there was evidence of noncompliance or fraud on the part of the awardee.
• Completely blocking federal funds from being used to “fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate DEI or DEIA policies or practices…”
• Significantly limiting international research collaborations.
• Giving OMB authority to limit eligibility for grant programs, including to nonprofit organizations or based on an applicant’s membership in certain professional or advocacy groups.

Proposed changes to the Uniform Guidance have been anticipated for several months. Still the sweeping nature of the changes, if implemented, would fundamentally alter the way research is supported in U.S.

Public comments are due July 13. COSSA will provide additional information to members in the coming weeks. Not a member? Learn how to join.