NSF Freezes New Funding for 4 Institutions

The Trump administration’s use of funding freezes to take purpose at larger schooling establishments continues because the Nationwide Science Basis has positioned limits on new grants for 4 extremely selective universities, Nature reported.

As of April 9, the NSF has positioned a “maintain” on future awards to Duke, Harvard, Princeton and Yale Universities, in accordance with inside company paperwork obtained by Nature. Since then, minimal new funding has been allotted to these establishments, the paperwork present.

In 2024, the 4 acquired a mixed complete of 218 new NSF grants, for which researchers are nonetheless in a position to entry funds, Nature reported. However this fiscal yr they solely acquired 13 new grants, with none awarded to scientists at Duke or Harvard since April 9.

The NSF’s Workplace of Award Administration has paused 33 proposals from researchers from the 4 establishments. Whereas the common analysis grant takes the OAM 10 days to finalize, proposals from researchers at Duke, Harvard, Princeton and Yale have sat for a median of 91 days.

It’s unclear how lengthy the constraints will final or why these 4 establishments had been singled out. NSF declined Nature’s request for remark and declined a request for remark from Inside Larger Ed.