NSF to award roughly 30% fewer new research grants this fiscal year

The U.S. National Science Foundation is set to distribute about 30% fewer new research grants this fiscal year, marking the lowest output since the early 1980s. The decline follows a pattern that started after the Trump administration began, with a reduced workforce and budget constraints. Approximately $1 billion of the NSF’s budget is held in a central account for the White House’s Grand Research Challenges project, diverting money from core grant programs.

By 19 August, the agency had granted 5,684 new awards and expects the year-end total to be around 6,100, roughly 46% below the 2021-24 average. Around 400 proposals sit pending at the Office of Award Management, and many researchers describe their submissions as stuck in “pending purgatory.” The NSF spokesperson emphasized ongoing investment in foundational research and a shift toward longer, larger awards, while not commenting on the withheld funds.