Federal grant applications could be rejected for political reasons under a new proposal.
Courtesy Taras Grebinets, iStockphoto
A recent Trump administration proposal would further erode public health by shifting decisionmaking on grants away from officials with scientific expertise.
The Office of Management and Budget proposed a rule in May that would change how federally funded research is reviewed, awarded and overseen across agencies. The sweeping changes would scale back the role of peer review in funding decisions, restrict how scientists use federal dollars for publishing and conference travel, and give political appointees broader authority to terminate grants.
If finalized, the plan would give political appointees greater control over federally funded research, steering dollars toward the president's policy priorities rather than public health needs. The administration could steer federally funded research toward undermining vaccine science and downplaying health inequities, for example.
“Predictable, transparent and evidence-based approaches to funding are essential to maintaining the nation's leadership in research and ensuring that communities continue to benefit from effective public health programs,” Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, said in a news release.
Public health advocates, including APHA, are opposing the changes, noting the shift risks politicizing science and harming the health of the nation. Hundreds of APHA members used an APHA action alert this summer to urge their members of Congress to oppose the proposal, noting how it could harm public health work.
The politicization of the National Institutes of Health offers a glimpse of what could lie ahead for minority researchers under the proposal.
Among the more than 2,000 research grants terminated between January and May 2025, researchers from groups underrepresented in biomedical sciences were disproportionately affected and more likely to have their work specifically targeted for cancellation, a May study in Nature found. The groups included women, people of color and gender-diverse researchers.
Beyond the impact on research at NIH, the trend could have far-reaching consequences for health equity. Scientists from underrepresented groups are more likely than peers to study health disparities and community-based topics that historically receive less funding.
The changes could also have significant impacts on state and local governments, putting funding in jeopardy, increasing oversight regulations and causing other barriers, the National Conference of State Legislatures warned.
Public comments on the proposal closed July 13. As of late June, more than 38,000 comments had been submitted. If enacted, the new “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” would take effect Oct. 1, in line with the start of the 2027 federal fiscal year.
For more information, visit www.omb.gov.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association
