Dear colleagues,
I hope this message finds you well. I鈥檓 writing to inform you about a significant Executive Order (EO) issued on August 7, 2025, , which is expected to take effect by October 2025. This EO will introduce substantial changes to the federal grant process that will directly impact how research funding is awarded, managed, and monitored. Below is an overview of some of its key provisions, along with what they may mean for each of you, as members of our research community.
Key Provisions of the EO
- Alignment with policy goals of the administration: Funding awards must clearly advance presidential priorities.聽 Furthermore, federal agencies must appoint senior political officials to review all funding announcements and grant awards for alignment with agency and national priorities.
- Termination authority: New and existing grant award notices must include clauses allowing agencies to terminate awards 鈥渇or convenience鈥� (with no other stated rationale).
- Increased emphasis on rigor and efficiency: Funding will prioritize research with strong reproducibility, clear impact, and efficient use of funds (e.g., the EO states a possible preference for proposals with lower indirect cost rates).
This Executive Order represents a shift in how federal grants are reviewed and awarded, and federal agencies are still determining how to implement its requirements. We anticipate that some funding announcements may take longer to release, certain research areas鈥攑articularly those considered politically sensitive鈥攎ay receive closer scrutiny, and new termination provisions could introduce uncertainty for some funded projects.
Our offices of Research & Project Administration, and Government and Community Relations鈥攁re closely monitoring federal guidance, coordinating our response, and will share updates as they become available.
Finally, the EO expresses a commitment to rigorous, high-quality research with clear impact. I encourage each of you to continue to submit new grant proposals, and to continue doing excellent science and impactful research within this new and continually evolving framework.聽
If you have immediate questions or concerns, please reach out to your research administrator in the Office of Research & Project Administration.
Warm regards,
Steve Dewhurst, PhD
Vice President for Research