April Brings Funding Cut Proposals, Board Firings to the National Science Foundation

The last few weeks have been a roller coaster for researchers, scholarly societies, and others invested in federal research funding for the sciences. In early April, the White House Office of Management and Budget released a budget for fiscal year 2027 that proposed cuts of over 50% to the budget for the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF is an important funder for the STEM disciplines, supporting research across the United States. According to information currently provided on the NSF website, the agency awards over 10,000 grants on average a year and provides funding to almost 2,000 institutions. 

Just weeks later, on April 24, the White House fired the 22 members of the NSF advisory board, which directs agency policy. Replacements have not been announced, but the move has led some to question the future of the NSF’s independence and fueled concerns that the move threatens the US’s position as a leading producer of scientific research. 

Most recently, on April 30, the US House of Representatives approved a draft 2027 budget bill cutting only 20% of funding to the National Science Foundation (NSF). Although these cuts are not as drastic as those proposed by the White House, they are less than ideal to those concerned about the future of scientific research. However, the chapter has not yet closed, with the Senate yet to draft its own budget proposal. In the meantime, several scientific societies, including AAAS and the American Society for Microbiology, have issued statements critical of the board dismissals.